Activities in structured decision making processes Activities in a structured approach to decision-making include the following: Developing a shared understanding of the problem in a socio-ecological context; Setting up an appropriate organisational structure for the planning process; Engaging the relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process; Specifying objectives and trade-offs that capture the values of different stakeholders; Setting targets linked to key issues that reflect desired management objectives and outcomes; Identifying the range of decision alternatives from which actions are to be selected; Specifying assumptions about resource structures and functions; Projecting the consequences of alternative actions; Identifying key uncertainties; Measuring risk tolerance for potential consequences of decisions; Accounting for future impacts of present decisions; Accounting for legal requirements and constraints. Once a good understanding of the social-ecological context is developed, the remaining activities need not be carried out sequentially, as long as they are carried out as part of an iterative and learning process. It is this iterative process, whereby decision-makers actively engage, act and learn with stakeholders, that can lead to the institutional changes required for ensuring the sustainable management and harvesting of waterbird populations. Scientists assist the process by providing predictive models to better understand the biological system and predict outcomes of management actions, as well as by providing guidance on the design of monitoring protocols needed to assess the effects of alternative management actions. Scientists can also facilitate the iterative learning process as ‘honest brokers’ to ensure that the scientific models and evidence are correctly interpreted, and then incorporated into decision-making processes according to the overall objectives.
