PDF: Proceedings - Limits of Acceptable Change and Related Planning Processes: Progress and Future Directions
Citation
McCool, S. F., and Cole, D. N. (1997). (comp.), Proceedings - Limits of Acceptable Change and Related Planning Processes: Progress and Future Directions. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station.
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Summary
This proceedings resulted from a workshop on Limits of
Acceptable Change (LAC) and related planning processes.
Workshop goals were to assess progress in
applications of LAC and to work toward more successful
applications in the future. Particular attention was given
to concepts and terminology requiring clarification and to
procedural revisions. Although initially developed to address
the issue of recreation use in wilderness, the LAC
process can clearly be used outside wilderness and to
address issues other than recreation. Considerable attention
was devoted to identifying the range of situations
in which LAC can be usefully applied.
To archive experience with these processes, the successes
and failures with LAC applications were described.
Attendees identified the means of addressing
weaknesses and discussed barriers to effective implementation.
Many of these are institutional in nature and
will be difficult to change. Finally, workshop attendees felt
strongly that certain innovations within the LAC process
could make substantial contributions to improved planning
within the Federal land management agencies.
Following an introductory review of how and why the
workshop was held, the proceedings contains three
sections. The first section is a compilation of the papers
written by workshop attendees. The second section
consists of three synthesis papers written by workshop
organizers, David Cole and Steve McCool. These papers
attempt to describe (1) recommended conceptual and
terminology clarifications and modifications to the LAC
process, (2) the range of situations to which LAC can be
usefully applied, and (3) lessons learned from 15 years of
LAC applications. The third section is an annotated
bibliography of LAC and LAC-related publications.
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