Integrated Mission-Directed Research : Experiences from Environmental and Natural Resource Management

This book offers readers the chance to share, reflect on, and learn from the experiences of researchers involved in integrated mission-directed research, particularly in the areas of natural resource management and regional development.

Integrated Mission-Directed Research covers important issues in integration science, supported by case studies that detail how to engage individuals and communities, and support policy decisions and development. The authors explore case studies undertaken in Australia, Europe, Thailand and Indonesia, as well as perspectives from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Closing chapters demonstrate key challenges for researchers and essential questions that should be answered when trying to set up integrated research. Potential benefits that could be obtained from effective integrated mission directed research are included, as well as assessment questions to assist researchers to see if such benefits have been truly obtained.

Key features
• Covers over eight broad research areas, including: hydrology, ecology, social psychology, decision analysis, systems modelling, ecological economics, environmental economics and political science
• Provides methods and example case studies on the integration of different fields of scientific research which is essential to achieving sustainable outcomes of natural resource management that truly reflect "triple bottom line" objectives
• Relays important lessons from completed research so that the advantages and benefits of these projects can be built on and improved.

Wendy Proctor is an Ecological Economist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia. Her expertise is in integration techniques and decision analysis. Wendy is President of the Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics, and on the editorial board of the journal Ecological Economics.