A step-by-step approach to building land management scenarios based on multiple viewpoints on multi-agent system simulations

A multi-agent system was developed to simulate strategies of natural resource management in the Causse Mejan, a limestone plateau dominated by a rare grassland-dominated ecosystem endangered by pine invasion. To stimulate the emergence of alternative long-term management strategies for the sheep farms and the woodlands, contrasting dynamic viewpoints on land resources were designed at different space scales. To begin with, they were individually used to validate the model with each type of main stakeholders (foresters, farmers and the National Park of Uvennes rangers), to improve it and to propose individual scenarios of natural resource management. Once the model improved, the set of viewpoints made it possible to assess the impact of the individual scenarios on the main productive (sheep stocking rate, timber growth) and environmental (endangered species, landscape value) stakes on any spatial entity considered as relevant by any stakeholder. As the different opinions were collectively viewed and confronted, the need to agree to a compromise was highlighted and led to new scenarios based on more collective management of the pine woodlands. The results of these alternative scenarios were collectively evaluated anew and it was then possible to select a set of feasible scenarios stemming from current actors' perceptions and practices and to suggest alternative sylvopastoral management based on innovative practices. The paper underlines the usefulness of the representation of viewpoints in that it allowed for scenario description and impact assessment of the compared management strategies. It also shows how the step-by-step approach contributed to improve decision-making by National Park managers.