Decision Making for Sustainable Use and Development - Coastal Lagoons: Ecosystem Processes and Modeling for Sustainable Use and Development - page 355

Public and Private
Input Hearings,
Comments,
Meetings,
Petitions, Permits

Best Available
Scientific Data and
Opinion Solicited
from Experts and
Included in Public

Various Publics Involved in Policy
Formulation

Land Use or Resource Issue

Committee

Board or Commission

Clients/Special Interests

Government
Law

Public Communities
Local and Broad

Government Agency Staff

Government
Regulation

Issue Moves to Govern-
ment Agency process

Government
Policy

FIGURE 8.6 Policy development and public use. (Modified from U.S. EPA, 1997.)

For example, planning commissions and wetland boards to which citizens are
elected or appointed likely exist at the local level and address different aspects of
land and water use. Citizen appointments at the federal, regional, state, and local
levels can also represent the public. Public input should be built into the process of
policy development at each level through a variety of methods (Figure 8.6). 69 The
best available scientific data and opinion should be solicited from experts and
included throughout the public input process.
One example of such a case study that incorporates public input into a lagoon-
modeling project is the mediated modeling project in Ria Formosa, Portugal. 70,71 In
that project, computer simulation modeling was used as an interactive tool in the
facilitation of team learning by stakeholder groups in the lagoon area regarding the
linkages between ecology and economics. Another project that utilized public input
through surveys and questionnaires and collected socio-economic data is the Social
Impact Assessment conducted in Turkey. 72 This project assessed the socio-economic
conditions of the area and their relationship to the lagoon.

8.5 THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A PLAN TO SUPPORT

DECISION MAKING FOR AN INTEGRATED LAGOON
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

Decision makers may ask—How do I manage a lagoon for sustainability?
In answer to this question, the following steps are recommended:

• Identify the essential elements and process needed for a successful plan

• Develop a plan, which can be spatially and temporally integrated into the

structure and function of the SES of a lagoon and catchment area