Objective

In 2016, the Minister of Science requested an assessment, at the time, of the state of knowledge of integrated approaches to natural resource management in Canada, as well as the influences these approaches have on the practice of natural resource management in Canada. The request was set out in the form of one main question and three sub-questions:

• Main question: What is the state of knowledge and practice of integrated approaches to natural resource management in Canada?
• Sub-questions:
  • What are the main concepts and trends in science and governance underpinning integrated approaches to natural resource management and what influence are they having on the practice of natural resource management in Canada?
  • What barriers are affecting understanding of integrated approaches to natural resource management, their effectiveness and their practical application in Canada?
  • What best and promising practices and/or lessons learned exist in Canada or internationally with respect to practically implementing science- and traditional-knowledge informed approaches to integrated natural resources management?

Our work included a review of the tools and approaches that can be applied to the analysis of the economic value of integrated management of natural resources, an overview of the required data and an early evaluation of the benefit of conducting INRM compared to more conventional natural resource management practices. Specifically, our report provided:

• A review of the literature on cost and benefit approaches applicable to INRM
• An identification of the data that was required to produce an estimate of the value of INRM
• An overall framework used for assessing the value of INRM
• The development of an initial estimate of the value of INRM, and
• Brief statements that interpreted the findings.

Our Role

Our report provided a framework to help answer the proposed question of what the state of knowledge and practice is of integrated approaches to natural resource management in Canada. We documented how economic analysis can support decisions about the use of natural resources by:

• Helping understand the values associated with the use of natural resources;
• Quantifying the costs and benefits associated with different mixes of uses;
• Comparing alternative approaches, including integrated resources uses; and
• Communicating the results of analysis.