The emergence of ecosystem management as a practice has now begun to involve cooperative actions across national political boundaries. The two examples of intra-continental cooperation in environmental administration examined here demonstrate the ability of environmental policy to appropriately address ecosystem sustainability challenges created by politically fragmented spaces. They represent a clear step forward in the convergence of science, public policy, and public awareness in demonstrating the importance of mutual collaboration of all interested parties. This has led to increased sharing of information, expertise, and management approaches; to the strengthening of institutional relationships among scientific organizations, professional associations, governments, and NGOs; and to improving the capabilities for managing conservation efforts more effectively. An ecological approach to public administration builds, then, quite literally from the ground up; from the elements of a place--soils, climate, location, for example--to the people who live there--their numbers and ages and knowledge, and the ways of physical and social technology by which from the place and in the relationships with one another, they get their living.
