Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses (PATH)

This project began in 1993 with a model comparison exercise, evolving into a 6-year project involving 11 agencies and about 30 scientists in a comprehensive decision analysis of what to do to preserve and recover endangered Snake River chinook salmon. Four journal articles were published, three in Volume 58 (12) of the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (2001). PATH unquestionably had a significant impact on Columbia Basin fish management, monitoring and evaluation, and has influenced other collaborative efforts at structured decision making for the preservation and recovery of listed species. In the year 2000, Dr. Randall Peterman of Simon Fraser University described PATH as “the most comprehensive decision analysis ever completed for a natural resource problem”.

The PATH process is described here: Finding a PATH towards scientific collaboration: insights from the Columbia River Basin. Conservation Ecology 5(2): 8. [online HERE]