Fig. 1.5. The social model of conservation is concerned with maintaining biodiversity but takes other values into account as well. It includes a social values component, a science component, and a decision-making component. These three core elements exist within an institutional framework that provides organizational structure, resources, and authority for making and implementing decisions. Most information about landscapes enters the system through the science component and most human effects on landscapes are mediated through the decision-making component, which sets rules and compels action. The dotted line represents unregulated interactions between humans and landscapes that are not part of the model but need to be acknowledged (e.g., off-road vehicle use).
