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; - -- jx { The Audubon Co erative Sanctuar S stem The Audubon Society of New York State•131 Rarick Road•SeMrk.New York 12158•(518)767-9051 C OPERAT_V aKC OL VcTr PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT In an attempt to promote more sustainable patterns of land use, the Audubon Society of New York proposes a set of principles to guide land management toward better compatibility and harmony with the environment. New York Audubon believes that wouess must be redefined and become synonymous with sustainable. Simply put, "sustainable" means a pattern of human activity that can be supported indefinitely. It means living in such a way that we do not-diminish the opportunity for future generations to live at least as well as we do. It is, for example, the act of taking only one tree a year from a forest that is producing only one tree a year. It means weaning ourselves from non-renewable resources. In our society, however, sustainability must embrace more than harvesting trees. We must reduce the use of non-renewable resources in all aspects of life. We must not manipulate the environment to support activities it is not capable of supporting, and we must not add to the environment substances that alter its ability to function properly. By functioning properly, we mean that the natural cycles of the earth which control the climate, weather, migration of animals, the functioning of ecosystems, and atmospheric composition should not be impaired or altered. Plants and animals should not be subjected to chemicals that can impair their health. Using land in a sustainable manner includes considering the effects of transportation and recreation on developed and adjacent lands and green spaces. Building and community designs are also an integral part of a sustainable land-use program. Sustainability is at least partially achieved when a resource can be conserved, recycled, reused, or obtained from a renewable source. There is also a proliferation of technology that can increase sustainability in most areas of modern living. New York Audubon realizes that a portion of achieving sustainability will occur as the technology becomes practical and possible to implement. There is, however, a present lack of infrastructure to support the technological advances that are necessary. In many cases cultural patterns undoubtedly will have to change in order to achieve sustainability. For example, electric cars are a practical and existing alternative to the internal combustion VI-35