ABSTRACT
As habitats for rare and declining species are reduced on private and federal lands, there is mounting pressure to manage lands in such a way as to protect these natural resources. Ecological models can be used to explore ways that activities on the land can be conducted with minimal impact on natural resources. These models can also be used to evaluate the types and sensitivity of ecosystems and organisms at risk. They can help determine whether, under certain temporal or spatial restraints, land uses can be conducted in such a way that resources are not put at risk. The advantage of using ecological models is that both land-use goals and ecological risks can be simultaneously explored without jeopard izing either of these objectives.
