What is the difference between a goal, an objective and an indicator?
Major goals are the long-range visions we wish to achieve for the Great Lakes. The goals are influenced largely by a combination of society values and the stresses that have already imposed irreversible changes on the ecosystem. We can decide to use the Great Lakes, for example, as a garbage dump, as a fish farm, as a drinking water source, as a recreational area, as an ecological preserve for rare species, etc. Once we have achieved a consensus about compatible long-term goals, we can then set quantified objectives toward which we wish to measure progress. If we achieve all the objectives, we should also achieve the broader goals. To assess progress toward the objectives, we need to measure specific components of the ecosystem. We call those measures “indicators.” 3. Why is a SOLEC Indicators List Important? The demand for high quality, relevant data concerning the health of various components of the Great Lakes ecosystem has been escalating rapidly for the past decade or so. The U.S.
