Holistic Resource Management - Part 1 HRM has a large presence on the net and is very popular with ranchers. It is taught in several universities and is supported by many environmental groups including chapters of the Audubon Society. Permaculture, organic farming, and biodynamic groups have all adopted a supportive relationship. Some ecology groups and urban groups find the philosophy misguided as does many wildlife groups. There is definitely a controversy surrounding HRM. I plan to explore this and test my personal bias. At present my enthusiasm for HRM is shrinking and i'm now beginning to question some of the ideas. The following FAQ for HRM can be found at: http://www.holisticmanagement.org/pages/faq.htm What is Holistic Management? Holistic Management is a decision-making process that enables people to make decisions that satisfy immediate needs without jeopardizing their future well-being, or the well-being of future generations. This decision-making process helps people identify their most deeply held values which helps to create clarity in vision and commitment in action. Using that vision to help them create a long-term picture toward which they will progress, people can then use a simple testing process to ensure that the decisions they make will be economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. I've heard about HRM. How is Holistic Management related? Holistic Resource Management (HRM) was the original trademarked name for Holistic Management. Because this process has its roots in natural resource management, many people equated Holistic Resource Management with Holistic Range Management. So, because Holistic Management is a lot more than just good range management (which is important), the Center dropped the word "resource." Afterall, people need to make good decision whether they are directly working with "natural" resources. The name Holistic Management, however, allows this process to be more readily accepted in communities, or corporate business, or by individuals for their own personal use. Furthermore, Allan Savory (the founder of the Center) says that in retrospect, he wished he'd never put the word "Resource" in the name because if you are managing holistically, you are managing resources, so the word is redundant. Isn't Holistic Management about cows? Certainly the birth of Holistic Management is connected to range management, and many ranchers and government employees have studied and are applying Holistic Management principles to their range management. In fact, a number of ranchers who are Holistic Management practitioners have received environmental stewardship awards for the work that they do for their land and the wildlife, while creating an economically viable enterprise. But, the principles of Holistic Management can be applied to any situation and any person. Communities, families, businesses (of all kinds), institutions, government agencies, and even nations have used Holistic Management in making decisions, taking actions, creating policies, and monitoring results. ---- For me the above FAQ sounds more like marketing than a definition of HRM. I plan to dig a little deeper in part 2.
