Editor’s note: The goal of The EBM Toolbox is to promote awareness of tools for facilitating EBM processes. It is brought to you by the EBM Tools Network (www.ebmtools.org), a voluntary alliance of tool users, developers, and training providers.
By Sarah Carr
Monitoring a variety of ecological and socioeconomic indicators is essential to planning and measuring the effectiveness of EBM. Some useful tools exist to help develop monitoring plans, including:
Miradi (https://miradi.org), a conservation planning and implementation tool that helps users identify and prioritize monitoring indicators to measure the status of conservation targets and assess the effectiveness of their strategies. Eventually, the tool will also facilitate the storage and analysis of key monitoring data.
Sampling Design Tool for ArcGIS (http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/sampling/welcome.html), a free ArcGIS 9.2 tool for selecting a sample from a population and performing sample design analysis. When these functions are done iteratively, the tool can help develop an optimal sampling design which minimizes cost.
Visual Sample Plan (http://vsp.pnl.gov), a free tool that supports the development of sampling plans. It includes sample location visualization capabilities and optimal sampling design and statistical analysis strategies.
Learn more about these tools and related resources at www.ebmtools.org/faqs.html (FAQs #22 and 23).
(Sarah Carr is coordinator for the EBM Tools Network. Learn more about EBM tools and sign up for Network updates at www.ebmtools.org.)