Drivers of landscape change in the Appalachians: Risks
Identifying key drivers of change that place ecosystem services at risk, and describing their impacts, is one of the basic goals of ecosystem assessment efforts. Some of these risk factors, such as urban growth and energy extraction, provide important services, but trade-offs must be considered when they compromise other ecosystem benefits. Implementing approaches that work towards sustainable landscapes by addressing these trade-offs is one of the great challenges in natural resource management and conservation practice. These pages summarize findings concerning key risk factors from assessment efforts in the Appalachian region.
