Holism tells us that individual parts do not exist in nature, only wholes, and these form and shape each other. The science of ecology is a recognition of the fact that all organisms feel the force and molding effect of the environment as a whole. As the name Holistic Management implies, a holistic perspective is essential for management if we wish to facilitate ecological, social, and financial regeneration and resiliency.

What can happen inadvertently if we fail to take a holistic perspective? Without realizing it, American biologist Robert Paine provided dramatic evidence of the holistic nature of communities in a study he did in a seashore environment.