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Bisbal GA. The decision maker's lament: If I only had some science! AMBIO 2024; 53:898-906. [PMID: 38468119 PMCID: PMC11058128 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-024-01986-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Environmental decision makers lament instances in which the lack of actionable science limits confident decision-making. Their reaction when the needed scientific information is of poor quality, uninformative, unintelligible, or altogether absent is often to criticize scientists, their work, or science in general. The considerations offered here encourage decision makers to explore alternative approaches to alleviate their disappointment. Ironically, many researchers lament the lack of support for the science they wish to deliver and accuse decision makers of failing to realize the value of the scientific studies they propose. Both communities would benefit by remembering that producing actionable science for a pending decision requires knowing the context for that decision beforehand. They may also look inward. Only then will they find answers to the question: What can I do within my own capacity to ensure that the necessary actionable science becomes available and facilitate its use to inform decisions?
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo A Bisbal
- United States Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, 917 National Center Room 3A400, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 20192, USA.
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2
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Haq SM, Khoja AA, Waheed M, Pieroni A, Siddiqui MH, Bussmann RW. Plant cultural indicators of forest resources from the Himalayan high mountains: implications for improving agricultural resilience, subsistence, and forest restoration. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2024; 20:44. [PMID: 38659048 PMCID: PMC11040985 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00685-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
AIM Biocultural legacy practices are intricately tied to forestry resources, ethnic identity, and social cohesiveness. This study aims to determine the plant cultural values of forest resources and identify plant cultural indicators in each ethnic group, which can aid in long-term natural resource management plans in the current debate on socio-environmental and ecological transitions. METHODS Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations were employed to collect data for a comprehensive and systematic ethnobotanical survey from February 2018 to October 2022. RESULTS A total of 330 informants reported 154 plant species from 65 families. Asteraceae was the most prominent botanical family, with herbaceous plant groups outnumbering trees and shrubs. The Gujjar and Pahari groups exhibited the highest level of overlap, followed by significant overlaps between the Gujjar and Kashmiri communities. The close affinity observed between the Gujjar and Pahari groups suggests the horizontal pattern of local plant knowledge between these communities, influenced by their sociocultural interactions and intermarriages. Notably, the Pahari community displayed a rich understanding of medicinal plants and shared unique uses for the reported taxa. This study affirms that both ecological factors and sociocultural influences have played significant roles in shaping local plant knowledge. A total of 31 plant species have been identified as plant cultural markers among all four ethnic groups. We observed a positive correlation between plant cultural values and plant use with the Gujjar and Kashmiri ethnic groups. Artemisia absinthium reported the highest use value of (0.57) with use reports of (189). Adonis aestivalis, Cynoglossum nervosum, Geum elatum, Geranium himalayense, Juncus inflexus, Oxalis acetosella, Polygonatum biflorum, and Salvia hians from the Himalayan region are among the plant taxa whose ethnomedicinal applications are described here for the first time. CONCLUSION Our data show that local and indigenous forest knowledge and practices could significantly contribute to forest conservation and ecological transition. This may happen if stakeholders generate clear frameworks and biocultural conservation strategies aimed at both dynamically preserve natural habitats and ways of traditional management of local natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiekh Marifatul Haq
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
| | | | - Muhammad Waheed
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo, Piazza V. Emanuele II 9, Pollenzo, 12042, Bra, Italy
| | - Manzer H Siddiqui
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rainer W Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Botany, Institute of Life Sciences, State Museum of Natural History, Karlsruhe, Germany
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3
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Du X, Ullah S. Environmental governance-public supervision and participation nexus under state supervision system and carbon neutrality targets in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:14208-14217. [PMID: 38273081 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31974-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
China is now experiencing severe environmental issues due to its rapid socio-economic advancement. Environmental governance is crucial to preserving China's rapidly degrading natural ecology. Public supervision and participation are important factors that effectively promote environmental quality. Therefore, this analysis primarily examines the relationship between China's public participation and environmental governance. Hence, the primary focus of the analysis is to investigate the asymmetric impact of public participation on environmental governance from 1996 to 2020. We have employed the nonlinear QARDL model that estimates the short- and long-run impact across different quantiles. The study's results support that long-run estimates for positive change in environmental NGOs (ENGOs) are significantly positive for almost all quantiles, while those for negative change in ENGOs are negative and have a significant impact at higher quantiles. In the short run, the estimates of positive change in ENGOs are positive and significant; however, the negative change in ENGOs does not significantly impact environmental governance at lower quantiles. The Wald test also confirms the asymmetric impact of ENGOs on environmental governance across various quantiles in short and long run. The findings of this analysis underscore the critical role of public supervision and participation in influencing environmental governance in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Du
- School of Marxist, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Sana Ullah
- School of Economics, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Adnan Kassar School of Business, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
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Demichelis C, Oszwald J, Mckey D, Essono PYB, Sounguet GP, Braun JJ. Socio-Ecological Approach to a Forest-Swamp-Savannah Mosaic Landscape Using Remote Sensing and Local Knowledge: a Case Study in the Bas-Ogooué Ramsar Site, Gabon. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 72:1241-1258. [PMID: 37202510 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01827-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Studies of landscape dynamics in protected areas often rely exclusively on remotely-sensed data, leading to bias by neglecting how local inhabitants, who often have a long history of interaction with their environment, perceive and structure the landscape over time. Using a socio-ecological system (SES) approach in a forest-swamp-savannah mosaic within the Bas-Ogooué Ramsar site in Gabon, we assess how human populations participate in landscape dynamics over time. We first conducted a remote sensing analysis to produce a land-cover map representing the biophysical dimension of the SES. This map is based on pixel-oriented classifications, using a 2017 Sentinel-2 satellite image and 610 GPS points, that categorized the landscape in 11 ecological classes. To study the landscape's social dimension, we collected data on local knowledge to understand how local people perceive and use the landscape. These data were collected through 19 semi-structured individual interviews, three focus groups and 3 months of participant observation during an immersive field mission. We developed a systemic approach by combining data on biophysical and social dimensions of the landscape. Our analysis shows that in the absence of continued anthropic interventions, both savannahs and swamps dominated by herbaceous vegetation will experience closure by encroaching woody vegetation, leading to eventual biodiversity loss. Our methodology based on an SES approach to landscapes could improve the conservation programs developed by Ramsar site managers. Designing actions at the local scale, rather than applying one set of actions to the entire protected area, allows the integration of human perceptions, practices and expectations, a challenge that is more than essential in the context of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Oszwald
- LETG-COSTEL UMR 6554 (Univ. Rennes, CNRS), Rennes, France
| | - Doyle Mckey
- CEFE (Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD), Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Jean-Jacques Braun
- IRD GET UMR 5563 (Univ. Toulouse, CNRS, IRD), Toulouse, France
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
- LMI DYCOFAC (IRD), Yaoundé, Cameroun
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5
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Vallet A, Locatelli B, Valdivia-Díaz M, Quispe Conde Y, Matencio García G, Ramos Criales A, Valverde Huamanñahui F, Ramos Criales S, Makowski D, Lavorel S. Knowledge coproduction to improve assessments of nature's contributions to people. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14182. [PMID: 37889094 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Sustainability science needs new approaches to produce, share, and use knowledge because there are major barriers to translating research into policy and practice. Multiple actors hold relevant knowledge for sustainability including indigenous and local people who have developed over generations knowledge, methods, and practices that biodiversity and ecosystem assessments need to capture. Despite efforts to mainstream knowledge coproduction, less than 3% of the literature on nature's contributions to people (NCP) integrates indigenous and local knowledge (ILK). Approaches and tools to better integrate scientific and ILK knowledge systems in NCP assessments are urgently needed. To fill this gap, we conducted interviews with ILK experts from Abancay and Tamburco, Peru, and convened focus groups and workshops during which participatory mapping, a serious game, a Bayesian belief network based on ILK were introduced. We inventoried 60 medicinal plants used to treat different illnesses, and analyzed the spatial distribution of the 7 plants that contribute the most to a good quality of life, and delineated their nonmedicinal uses. Based on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services conceptual framework, we defined dimensions of a good quality of life according to indigenous and local worldviews. Medicinal plants contributed strongly to health and household security, among other contributions. Climate change and overexploitation were the main perceived threats to medicinal plants, despite the existence of formal and customary institutions to regulate trade. Our approach was flexible enough to integrate diverse forms of knowledge, as well as qualitative and quantitative information from, for example, the Bayesian belief network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Améline Vallet
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- CIRED, AgroParisTech, Cirad, CNRS, EHESS, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Nogent-sur-Marne, France
| | - Bruno Locatelli
- Forests and Societies, CIRAD, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Center for International Forestry Research, Lima, Peru
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Santusa Ramos Criales
- Center for International Forestry Research, Lima, Peru
- Centro Poblado de Ccorhuani, Abancay, Peru
| | - David Makowski
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR MIA 518, Paris, France
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble, France
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Elegbede I, Zurba M, Hameed A, Campbell C. Gaps and Challenges in Harnessing the Benefits and Opportunities of Indigenous Certification for a Sustainable Communal Commercial Lobster Fishery. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 72:902-921. [PMID: 37474777 PMCID: PMC10509051 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01852-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The Marshall Decision of Canada's Supreme Court inspired the Mi'kmaq in the 1700s regarding recognizing fishing rights to the Mi'kmaq communities. Despite this recognition, the Mi'kmaq communities did not have access to commercial fisheries due to the denial of absolute recognition of territories and rights and underrepresentation and participation in resource allocation, governance, and decision-making processes. A potential approach to these issues is the development of third-party Indigenous community-based sustainability certification standards for the American lobster (Homarus americanus) commercial fishery of Nova Scotia by Mi'kmaq communities. An Indigenous certification is a market-based tool that focuses on a holistic approach to the sustainability of the resource, followed by independent accreditations and standards. This study identifies the gaps, challenges, and opportunities of Indigenous-based certifications for the American lobster commercial fishery. We adopt a participatory approach to conventional policy analysis and perform a secondary analysis of existing legal and scientific resources to glean valuable information for supporting the establishment of an Indigenous certification for the American lobster. Certification could provide benefits such as increased control over fisheries management, governance, rights, and socioeconomic interest, building capacity for Mi'kmaq communities, and improving stakeholder relationships. However, there are issues with the entry points of certification for Indigenous peoples related primarily to the dominant actors in accreditation. This study will support further research and engagement of the Mi'kmaq people toward developing an Indigenous certification scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isa Elegbede
- Department of Environmental Planning, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus, Germany.
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
- Department of Fisheries, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.
| | - Melanie Zurba
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ahmad Hameed
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Chelsey Campbell
- The Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq Mi'kmaw Conservation Group, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Yanou MP, Ros-Tonen MA, Reed J, Moombe K, Sunderland T. Integrating local and scientific knowledge: The need for decolonising knowledge for conservation and natural resource management. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21785. [PMID: 38027861 PMCID: PMC10679496 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrating Indigenous and local knowledge in conservation and natural resource management (NRM) initiatives is necessary to achieve sustainability, equity, and responsiveness to local realities and needs. Knowledge integration is the starting point for converging different knowledge systems and enabling knowledge co-production. This process is also a key prerequisite towards decolonising the research process. However, power imbalances may perpetuate dominant forms of knowledge over others, obstruct knowledge integration, and eventually cause the loss of knowledge of the marginal and less powerful knowledge holders. Despite increasing interest in knowledge integration for conservation, NRM, and landscape governance, documentation of integration processes remains fragmented and somewhat scarce. This semi-systematic literature review contributes to filling this gap by synthesising methods, procedures, opportunities, and challenges regarding integrating and decolonising knowledge for conservation and NRM in Southern Africa. The findings demonstrate that despite an increasing number of studies seeking to integrate Indigenous and local knowledge and scientific knowledge relevant to conservation and NRM, methods, procedures, and opportunities are poorly and vaguely documented, and challenges and colonial legacies are often overlooked. Documentation, valuing Indigenous and local knowledge, addressing power relations, and collaboration across knowledge systems are missing steps towards efficient knowledge integration. The paper concludes that there is a need for further research and relevant policies. These should address methods and implications for equitable knowledge integration processes and move beyond knowledge sharing and mutual learning towards decolonising knowledge for conservation and NRM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malaika P. Yanou
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Mirjam A.F. Ros-Tonen
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - James Reed
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
- School of International Development, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, UK
| | - Kaala Moombe
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Terry Sunderland
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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8
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Del Carpio CA, Ford AT, Lowell ESH, Ochoa ME, Speck HP. How to diversify your department's seminar series. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:637-639. [PMID: 36959242 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02026-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina A Del Carpio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Ashlyn T Ford
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eva S Horna Lowell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marissa E Ochoa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hayden P Speck
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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9
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Das S, Mishra AJ. Climate change and the Western Himalayan community: Exploring the local perspective through food choices. AMBIO 2023; 52:534-545. [PMID: 36480087 PMCID: PMC9735043 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01810-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The local belief systems are crucial for climate change adaptation. Even climate experts are unanimous about the fundamental association between local beliefs and climate change adaptation strategies. However, the local perspective is missing from the significant policy dialog platforms. The local beliefs can potentially serve as both objective and psychological refuge for local societies during climate-related emergencies. Similarly, only limited studies have acknowledged the significance of local food choices, providing a model for global responses to climate change. The objective of the study is (i) to explore the local community's insights and awareness of climate change and (ii) to assess the impact on local food choices affecting their food security in the face of climate change in the Western Himalayan Region, India. The study is based on 210 in-depth household interviews and surveys in 10 villages of Uttarakhand, India. The exploratory factor and thematic analysis results highlight the significance of local perception of climatic variabilities, food choices, and beliefs in climate change adaptation policies. Hence, the current study's outcomes emphasize on the integration and promotion of both scientific methods and local knowledge for inclusive climate change adaptation and food security policies in the Himalayan Region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Das
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667 India
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10
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Seeking Consilience: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western Social Science Contributions to Orca Conservation Knowledge. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
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11
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Mason NWH, Kirk NA, Price RJ, Law R, Bowman R, Sprague RI. Science for social licence to arrest an ecosystem-transforming invasion. Biol Invasions 2023; 25:873-888. [PMID: 36439632 PMCID: PMC9676737 DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02953-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The primary role for scientific information in addressing complex environmental problems, such as biological invasions, is generally assumed to be as a guide for management decisions. However, scientific information often plays a minor role in decision-making, with practitioners instead relying on professional experience and local knowledge. We explore alternative pathways by which scientific information could help reduce the spread and impacts of invasive species. Our study centred on attempts to understand the main motivations and constraints of three local governance bodies responsible for the management of invasive (wilding) conifer species in the southern South Island of New Zealand in achieving strategic and operational goals. We used a combination of workshop discussions, questionnaire responses and visits to field sites to elicit feedback from study participants. We applied a mixed inductive-deductive thematic analysis approach to derive themes from the feedback received. The three main themes identified were: (1) impacts of wilding conifers and goals for wilding conifer control, (2) barriers to achieving medium- and long-term goals, and (3) science needed to support wilding conifer control. Participants identified reversal and prevention of both instrumental (e.g. reduced water availability for agriculture) and intrinsic (e.g. loss of biodiversity and landscape values) impacts of wilding conifer invasions as primary motivators behind wilding conifer control. Barriers to achieving goals were overwhelmingly social, relating either to unwillingness of landowners to participate or poorly designed regulatory frameworks. Consequently, science needs related primarily to gaining social licence to remove wilding conifers from private land and for more appropriate regulations. Scientific information provided via spread and impacts forecasting models was viewed as a key source of scientific information in gaining social licence. International experience suggests that invasive species control programmes often face significant external social barriers. Thus, for many biological invasions, the primary role of science might be to achieve social licence and regulatory support for the long-term goals of invasive species control programmes and the management interventions required to achieve those goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Richard Law
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Richard Bowman
- New Zealand Wilding Conifer Group, 200 Tuam St, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch, 8011 New Zealand
| | - Rowan I. Sprague
- New Zealand Wilding Conifer Group, 200 Tuam St, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch, 8011 New Zealand
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Muhl EK, Armitage D, Silver J, Swerdfager T, Thorpe H. Indicators are Relational: Navigating Knowledge and Power in the Development and Implementation of Coastal-Marine Indicators. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 70:448-463. [PMID: 35616655 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01670-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In many environment and resource management contexts (e.g., integrated coastal management, ecosystem-based fisheries management), indicator selection and development are perceived as a largely technical, bureaucratic, and scientific challenge. As such, choices about indicators and their application are often treated as external from everyday politics and dynamics of social power. Our aim here is to highlight the value of a relational perspective that weaves power and knowledge together in the context of indicator development and implementation. We highlight four critical dimensions of this relational perspective that may lead to better indicator process outcomes: 1) centering identity and positionality to reflect power differentials; 2) emphasizing the importance of indicator 'fit' and the politics of scale; 3) engaging rather than erasing social-ecological complexity; and 4) reflecting on social norms and relationships to foster adaptation and learning. These four dimensions are rarely considered in most indicator initiatives, including those that are more participatory in design and implementation. The dimensions we outline here emerge from the grounded experience of managers and practitioners, including indicator processes in which we are currently engaged, as well as a scoping review of the literature on indicators for coastal and marine governance and conservation specifically. However, the four dimensions and relational focus are relevant to a wide range of resource and environmental management contexts and provide a pathway to catalyze more effective indicator processes for decision-making and governance more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K Muhl
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
| | - D Armitage
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - J Silver
- Department of Geography, Environment & Geomatics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - T Swerdfager
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - H Thorpe
- Parks Canada, Revelstoke, BC, Canada
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13
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Integrating Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge for Decision Making of Rice Farming in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14052952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural activities cannot be separated from indigenous knowledge (IK), which has developed and continues to be strongly maintained by Bugis–Makassar farmers in the face of rapidly developing science and technology. The objective of this study was to explore the IK practices in rice cultivation of the Bugis–Makassar farmer community, as well as the process of integrating IK and scientific knowledge into decision making. The study used a number of qualitative methodologies to gather information, including meetings, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Our results show that IK is slowly disappearing and being replaced by middle-aged people and youth, who seem to care more about modernization than assimilation. However, with the existence of Tudang Sipulung, the fading of local wisdom may be inhibited. Tudang Sipulung’s strength lies in the government’s involvement in integrating IK and scientific knowledge into formal forums and agreement. The Tudang Sipulung agreement is formally binding with constitutional sanctions applied. In order to provide optimum benefits, engaging young farmers in the understanding and preservation of indigenous and scientific knowledge is recommended to preserve local culture and transfer modern technology.
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Consorte-McCrea A, Kolipaka S, Owens JR, Ruiz-Miranda CR, Waters S. Guidelines to Facilitate Human-Wildlife Interactions in Conservation Translocations. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.788520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Species reintroductions and translocations are widely used management interventions to restore locally extinct or augment severely depleted species. In such projects, the human dimension issues that influence the success of these conservation interventions are encountered at five different stages of the project life cycle: (1) planning, (2) initiation, (3) implementation, (4) ending stage, and (5) post-exit. Overlooking or failing to consider the human dimension in any of these phases could jeopardise the conservation translocation project's success. When the human dimensions are included there is greater possibility of community involvement, peers' acceptance and support from various interest groups and avoidance of conflict situations. The Human-Wildlife Interactions Working Group (HWIWG) was formed in 2018 by members of the IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group (CTSG). HWIWG has facilitated online discussions and workshops with practitioners, researchers and academics from across the globe, on a range of aspects of human-wildlife interactions in conservation translocations, as well as leading discussion sessions during international research conferences. These events have provided a rich source of material from which to draw a series of recommendations. In this paper we discuss findings from the HWIWG that illustrate how, in each of the five stages of the project life cycle, human-dimensions influenced conservation translocation projects. Our aim is to provide useful and multidimensional insights for those working in species' reintroductions and translocations.
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Christie AP, Downey H, Frick WF, Grainger M, O'Brien D, Tinsley‐Marshall P, White TB, Winter M, Sutherland WJ. A practical conservation tool to combine diverse types of evidence for transparent evidence‐based decision‐making. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alec P. Christie
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's), St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
| | - Harriet Downey
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Woodland Trust Lincolnshire UK
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Bat Conservation International Washington District of Columbia USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
| | | | | | | | - Thomas B. White
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Michael Winter
- Centre for Rural Policy Research University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | - William J. Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's), St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
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Best L, Fung-Loy K, Ilahibaks N, Ramirez-Gomez SOI, Speelman EN. Toward Inclusive Landscape Governance in Contested Landscapes: Exploring the Contribution of Participatory Tools in the Upper Suriname River Basin. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 68:683-700. [PMID: 34374818 PMCID: PMC8560725 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01504-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, tropical forest landscapes are commonly characterized by a multitude of interacting institutions and actors with competing land-use interests. In these settings, indigenous and tribal communities are often marginalized in landscape-level decision making. Inclusive landscape governance inherently integrates diverse knowledge systems, including those of indigenous and tribal communities. Increasingly, geo-information tools are recognized as appropriate tools to integrate diverse interests and legitimize the voices, values, and knowledge of indigenous and tribal communities in landscape governance. In this paper, we present the contribution of the integrated application of three participatory geo-information tools to inclusive landscape governance in the Upper Suriname River Basin in Suriname: (i) Participatory 3-Dimensional Modelling, (ii) the Trade-off! game, and (iii) participatory scenario planning. The participatory 3-dimensional modelling enabled easy participation of community members, documentation of traditional, tacit knowledge and social learning. The Trade-off! game stimulated capacity building and understanding of land-use trade-offs. The participatory scenario planning exercise helped landscape actors to reflect on their own and others' desired futures while building consensus. Our results emphasize the importance of systematically considering tool attributes and key factors, such as facilitation, for participatory geo-information tools to be optimally used and fit with local contexts. The results also show how combining the tools helped to build momentum and led to diverse yet complementary insights, thereby demonstrating the benefits of integrating multiple tools to address inclusive landscape governance issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Best
- Tropenbos Suriname, Prof. Dr. Ruinardlaan (University Campus), CELOS Building, P.O. Box, 4194, Paramaribo, Suriname.
- Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Kimberley Fung-Loy
- Department of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, P.O. Box, 9212, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Nafiesa Ilahibaks
- Tropenbos Suriname, Prof. Dr. Ruinardlaan (University Campus), CELOS Building, P.O. Box, 4194, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Sara O I Ramirez-Gomez
- Tropenbos Suriname, Prof. Dr. Ruinardlaan (University Campus), CELOS Building, P.O. Box, 4194, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Erika N Speelman
- Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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McMurdo Hamilton T, Canessa S, Clark K, Gleeson P, Mackenzie F, Makan T, Moses-Te Kani G, Oliver S, Parker KA, Ewen JG. Applying a values-based decision process to facilitate comanagement of threatened species in Aotearoa New Zealand. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1162-1173. [PMID: 33034391 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Ko koe ki tēnā, ko ahau ki tēnai kīwai o te kete (you at that, and I at this handle of the basket). This Māori (New Zealanders of indigenous descent) saying conveys the principle of cooperation-we achieve more through working together, rather than separately. Despite decades of calls to rectify cultural imbalance in conservation, threatened species management still relies overwhelmingly on ideas from Western science and on top-down implementation. Values-based approaches to decision making can be used to integrate indigenous peoples' values into species conservation in a more meaningful way. We used such a values-based method, structured decision making, to develop comanagement of pekapeka (Mystacina tuberculata) (short-tailed bat) and tara iti (Sternula nereis davisae) (Fairy Tern) between Māori and Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent). We implemented this framework in a series of workshops in which facilitated discussions were used to gather expert knowledge to predict outcomes and make management recommendations. For both species, stakeholders clearly stated their values as fundamental objectives from the start, which allowed alternative strategies to be devised that naturally addressed their diverse values, including mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge and perspectives). On this shared basis, all partners willingly engaged in the process, and decisions were largely agreed to by all. Most expectations of conflicts between values of Western science and Māori culture were unfounded. Where required, positive compromises were made by jointly developing alternative strategies. The values-based process successfully taha wairua taha tangata (brought both worlds together to achieve the objective) through codeveloped recovery strategies. This approach challenges the traditional model of scientists first preparing management plans focused on biological objectives, then consulting indigenous groups for approval. We recommend values-based approaches, such as structured decision making, as powerful methods for development of comanagement conservation plans between different peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thalassa McMurdo Hamilton
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Stefano Canessa
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
- Wildlife Health Ghent, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium
| | - Katie Clark
- Te Uri O Hau, Hunt Street, Whangārei, 0110, New Zealand
| | - Pani Gleeson
- Ngāti Whatua o Kaipara / Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara, Pouwhakahaere Te Tari Taiao, Commercial Road, Helensville, 0800, New Zealand
| | - Fiona Mackenzie
- Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Pou Kaitiaki, Leigh Road, Rodney, 0985, New Zealand
| | - Troy Makan
- Department of Conservation - Te Papa Atawhai, Sala Street, Rotorua, 3010, New Zealand
| | - Gena Moses-Te Kani
- Ngāti Kuia, Hōkai Nuku (Ngāti Manuhiri & Ngāti Whātua), Pou Tātaki, Rutherford Street, Nelson, 7040, New Zealand
| | - Shona Oliver
- Ngāti Whatua o Kaipara / Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara, Pouwhakahaere Te Tari Taiao, Commercial Road, Helensville, 0800, New Zealand
| | | | - John G Ewen
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
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18
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Ma H, Papworth SK, Ge T, Wu X, Yu C, Zhang H, Turvey ST. Local Awareness and Interpretations of Species Extinction in a Rural Chinese Biodiversity Hotspot. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.689561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Incorporating local perspectives is fundamental to evidence-based conservation, for both understanding complex socio-ecological systems and implementing appropriate management interventions. How local communities understand extinction, and whether these views affect perceptions of biodiversity loss and the effect of anthropogenic activities, has rarely been evaluated explicitly in conservation projects. To target this data gap, we conducted 185 interviews to assess levels and patterns of understanding about wildlife decline and extinction in rural communities around Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan, China, a priority conservation site that has experienced recent species losses. Interviewees showed varying awareness of declines and extirpation of local wildlife species. Two-thirds did not consider the permanent disappearance of wildlife to be possible; among those who did, only one-third could comprehend the scientific term “extinction.” Thinking extinction is possible was associated with identifying declined and extirpated species, but not with perceiving locally-driven human activities, such as hunting, as the reason for wildlife loss. The government was seen as the entity most responsible for conservation. Variation found around local perceptions of extinction, its drivers, and conservation responsibility demonstrates that comprehension of key conservation concepts should not be assumed to be homogenous, highlighting the challenge of transposing scientific concepts between different social and cultural settings. Proactively incorporating local perspectives and worldviews, especially by obtaining context-specific baseline understandings, has major implications for other contexts worldwide and should inform conservation planning and management.
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Robinson JM, Gellie N, MacCarthy D, Mills JG, O'Donnell K, Redvers N. Traditional ecological knowledge in restoration ecology: a call to listen deeply, to engage with, and respect Indigenous voices. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jake M. Robinson
- Department of Landscape The University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN U.K
- inVIVO Planetary Health Worldwide Universities Network West New York NJ 10704 U.S.A
| | - Nick Gellie
- School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network Ecosystem Surveillance University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
| | - Danielle MacCarthy
- School of Natural and Built Environment Queen's University Belfast Belfast U.K
| | - Jacob G. Mills
- School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
| | - Kim O'Donnell
- College of Medicine and Public Health Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre Bedford Park South Australia 5042 Australia
| | - Nicole Redvers
- inVIVO Planetary Health Worldwide Universities Network West New York NJ 10704 U.S.A
- Department of Family and Community Medicine‐INMED University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Grand Forks ND 58202 U.S.A
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20
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Kadykalo AN, Cooke SJ, Young N. The role of western‐based scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge in wildlife management and conservation. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N. Kadykalo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory Carleton University Ottawa ON Canada
- Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences Carleton University Ottawa ON Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory Carleton University Ottawa ON Canada
- Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences Carleton University Ottawa ON Canada
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Carleton University Ottawa ON Canada
| | - Nathan Young
- School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies University of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
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