A social-ecological systems approach for environmental management

Abstract

Urgent environmental issues are testing the limits of current management approaches and pushing demand for innovative approaches that integrate across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Practitioners, scholars, and policy-makers alike call for increased integration of natural and social sciences to develop new approaches that address the range of ecological and societal impacts of modern environmental issues. From a theoretical perspective, social-ecological systems (SES) science offers a compelling approach for improved environmental management through the application of transdisciplinary and resilience concepts. A framework for translating SES theory into practice, however, is lacking. In this paper, we define the key components of an SES-based environmental management approach. We offer recommendations for integrating an SES approach into existing environmental management practices. Results presented are useful for management professionals that seek to employ an SES environmental management approach and scholars aiming to advance the theoretical foundations of SES science for practical application.

MtnSEON and social–ecological systems science in complex mountain landscapes

“…This can take many different forms, as demonstrated in the articles here, but what matters is that researchers aiming for useful SES science must develop ways to enhance communication and collaboration with stakeholders, managers, and policy makers. One essential component of such an effort is recognition of the value of local, place-based knowledge that developed experientially and contextually; a second aspect is the importance of tailored SES curricula and professional development, a need tackled by another MtnSEON working group that led to the design of the Social Ecological Systems Training and Education Program (SESTEP) and an innovative curriculum that addresses the challenges and issues addressed in this issue (Virapongse et al 2016). Genuinely effective SES science should involve a reciprocal flow of knowledge among researchers, community members, and management and policy decision makers; in this way, SES may contribute L Alessa et al Mountain social-ecological systems to balancing and mitigating the different priorities and perspectives of affected stakeholders.…”

Environmental Performance Management Systems (EPMS) versus Sustainable Development/Competitive Advantage in the Case of the Tunisian Companies

“…Virapongse et al (2016) test the limits of current management approaches and pushing demand for innovative approaches that integrate across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Brzozowska et al (2015) examine the effects of implementing systems informing about the environment in an enterprise, usually focus on typical areas of their use in environmental management, with particular reference to the evaluation of their practical importance.…”

Building Resilience in Natural Capital to Reduce Disaster Risks and Adapt to Climate Change: A Case of Wetlands in the Eastern Free State; South Africa

“…The post-positivist approach is suitable for real-world problems such as the one this research investigated in order to come up with remedial solutions. Besides, post-positivists use multiple methods and a variety of measures to capture as much reality as possible (Van Wyk, 2016). Post-positivism permits a small sample size and the freedom for researchers to create measuring instruments (Okeke and Van Wyk, 2015;Van Wyk, 2016).…”

“…Besides, post-positivists use multiple methods and a variety of measures to capture as much reality as possible (Van Wyk, 2016). Post-positivism permits a small sample size and the freedom for researchers to create measuring instruments (Okeke and Van Wyk, 2015;Van Wyk, 2016). The post-positivism progressively generates cumulative knowledge that can produce objective, generalisable information, using facts (Fabinyi et al, 2014).…”