How challenges in natural resource management can be solved with sustainability; an analysis in respect to science and global resource management.

Perception of sustainability is an important tool in resource management. The nuances in perceptions of sustainability were evident in the various experiences I have had abroad, in the field, and in my studies through the University. I wanted to take a deeper look into the resource management of these situations. In particular, I wanted to compare the observations I was able to make in my classes and in my study abroad opportunities in India and Southern Chile to the observations of sustainability in the field in Wyoming. As a student at UW, I have been exposed to the understanding of sustainability from a scientific point of view. Through an investigation of over forty different scientific papers I have found that the definition of sustainability in the range research community is detailed, complex, and elegant. This definition is incomplete; however, the experiences I have had outside of the classroom have shown there is more to add to this definition. The resource managers’ perception of sustainability in particular has important aspects to both contribute to and learn from the scientific definition of sustainability. There is potential for a valuable partnership between resource managers and scientists that could benefit from expansion. With a well-defined goal of sustainability and a working partnership of scientists and land managers, finding relevant and functional sustainable practices becomes a practical and attainable goal