Restoring watershed health: Peacetime military contributions and federalwide agency implications

Abstract

Environmental impacts of peacetime military training are under heightened scrutiny by outspoken publics all over the world. Public environmental concerns are increasingly linked to sociocultural well-being and economic vitality in affected communities. Demonstrating leadership in environmental stewardship in this broader community context is essential for the military to ensure continuing public support of its mission in a post-Cold War era. Federal land management agencies are mandated to follow an ecosystem approach to resource management, such as a watershed approach to Clean Water Act compliance. This provides promising opportunities for military installations to link peacetime activities with host community well-being. The transdisciplinary basis and policy frameworks for this approach are reviewed. Examples from Marine Corps Base Hawaii are described. Use of this approach by other resource management agencies facing similar challenges is encouraged.