Science-policy interfaces for biodiversity: dynamic learning environments for successful impact

Tinch, Rob; Balian, Estelle; Carss, David N.; Blas, Driss Ezzine de; Geamănă, Nicoleta; Heink, Ulrich; Keune, Hans; Neßhöver, Carsten; Niemelä, Jari; Sarkki, Simo; Thibon, Maxime; Timaeus, Johannes; Vădineanu, Angheluţă; Hove, Sybille van den; Watt, Allan D.; Waylen, Kerry A.; Wittmer, Heidi; Young, Juliette

doi:10.1007/s10531-016-1155-1

Cited by 42 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…While this study provides insights arising from the particular case of the AMB, such insights provide a useful contextual orientation to other SL experiences [24,26,44]. The relevance of these empirical studies lies in the recognition that there are no standard SL processes for sustainability due to its dependence on context [53]. SL practices require participatory processes that are carefully structured, sequenced and oriented towards common goals through social research methods adapted to the context and actors involved [54].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that SL cannot be imposed upon actors, but they can be positively influenced by the creation of the conditions that facilitate its emergence [23,25]. Identifying these conditions, and factors that act as driving forces for SL arise under specific situations is considered critical to assess if they can be transferred, adapted and applied in other cases [53]. We found that a variety of operative factors contributed to the creation of four relevant conditions that, in turn, facilitated a successful SL process.…”

Section: Factors That Facilitated the Sl Process In The Governance Comentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Learning for Facilitating Dialogue and Understanding of the Ecosystem Services Approach: Lessons from a Cross-Border Experience in the Alboran Marine Basin

et al. 2019

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Social learning (SL) appears to have considerable potential to enhance the impact of the ecosystem services approach (ESA) discourse on policy and society. However, empirical research to better understand the processes that support SL, the effects it generates, and the conditions that enable such learning is limited. This study assesses the ability of SL to enhance dialogue and understanding of the ESA to support transformative social change in governance practice in the Alboran Marine Basin. To do so, we conducted a specifically designed SL process oriented towards the ESA as a governance approach in this marine region. The SL process was developed through three interlinked workshops involving scientists, decision-makers and local users from Spain and Morocco, the two countries that share the governance of this social-ecological system. The results revealed that the SL process progressively facilitated (i) a more inclusive and constructive ecosystem services dialogue, (ii) a better understanding of the social-ecological system in which the actors were embedded, (iii) an enhanced recognition of science-policy-society complementarities to address sustainability issues, and (iv) a gradual social transformation towards more sustainable and equitable governance. Via the SL process, a variety of factors were identified as contributing to the creation of four relevant conditions that facilitated its successful operationalisation. These conditions included (i) the generation of trust and shared understanding, (ii) the facilitation of knowledge exchanges between actor groups across frontiers, (iii) the promotion of more democratic participation, and (iv) the co-production of practical outcomes. These contextual insights provided empirical evidence of the prominent role SL can play to enhance dialogue and understanding of the ESA for supporting its adoption as governance practice. On this basis, it is argued that operationalising SL in those processes focused on making the ESA relevant to policy and society is pivotal to its implementation in governance practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors That Facilitated the Sl Process In The Governance Comentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Learning for Facilitating Dialogue and Understanding of the Ecosystem Services Approach: Lessons from a Cross-Border Experience in the Alboran Marine Basin

et al. 2019

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“…Biodiversity conservation often fails because of a lack of communication and understanding between researchers and practitioners (Mehring, Bernard, Hummel, Liehr, & Lux, ; Pregernig, ; Tinch et al, ). To overcome this deficiency, ConFoBi chose to apply a transdisciplinary approach to maintain a regular dialogue between science and practice.…”

Section: Rationale Of the Confobi Research Programmementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the effectiveness of retention forestry to enhance biodiversity in production forests of Central Europe using an interdisciplinary, multi‐scale approach

Storch

Penner

Asbeck

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Retention forestry, which retains a portion of the original stand at the time of harvesting to maintain continuity of structural and compositional diversity, has been originally developed to mitigate the impacts of clear‐cutting. Retention of habitat trees and deadwood has since become common practice also in continuous‐cover forests of Central Europe. While the use of retention in these forests is plausible, the evidence base for its application is lacking, trade‐offs have not been quantified, it is not clear what support it receives from forest owners and other stakeholders and how it is best integrated into forest management practices. The Research Training Group ConFoBi (Conservation of Forest Biodiversity in Multiple‐use Landscapes of Central Europe) focusses on the effectiveness of retention forestry, combining ecological studies on forest biodiversity with social and economic studies of biodiversity conservation across multiple spatial scales. The aim of ConFoBi is to assess whether and how structural retention measures are appropriate for the conservation of forest biodiversity in uneven‐aged and selectively harvested continuous‐cover forests of temperate Europe. The study design is based on a pool of 135 plots (1 ha) distributed along gradients of forest connectivity and structure. The main objectives are (a) to investigate the effects of structural elements and landscape context on multiple taxa, including different trophic and functional groups, to evaluate the effectiveness of retention practices for biodiversity conservation; (b) to analyze how forest biodiversity conservation is perceived and practiced, and what costs and benefits it creates; and (c) to identify how biodiversity conservation can be effectively integrated in multi‐functional forest management. ConFoBi will quantify retention levels required across the landscape, as well as the socio‐economic prerequisites for their implementation by forest owners and managers. ConFoBi's research results will provide an evidence base for integrating biodiversity conservation into forest management in temperate forests.

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“…Although attendance has always been good (Online Resource 5) and there is continued interest in ESCom activities (Table 2) we have struggled to keep momentum going since support from the project-funded network manager-who devoted approximately four hours a week to ESCom-came to end in November 2017. Despite sincere intentions, people have insufficient time, a recognised challenge in the literature (cf Andrade et al 2014;Tinch et al 2018). Partnership building and maintenance are rarely part of job descriptions, making it difficult to justify sustained time commitment (McKee et al (2018), and non-academic staff have reduced ability to support non-statutory activities under austerity (Kirsop-Taylor 2019).…”

Section: Challenge 1: the Voluntary Nature Of A Copmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice

et al. 2019

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The ecosystem services framework has now been embodied in policy and practice, creating the need for governance structures that allow science, policy and practice to come together and facilitate shared learning. We describe five years of progress in developing an Ecosystem Services Community of Practice in Scotland, which brings together over 600 individuals from diverse constituencies to share experiences and learn from each other. We consider the 'community' and 'practice' aspects to demonstrate the benefits of establishing an Ecosystem Services Community (ESCom). We also demonstrate how the journey involved in the creation and continuing evolution of ESCom has proved valuable to researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and students and as such has contributed to social learning. We reflect on challenges, given the voluntary nature, absence of formal institutional support and emergence of initiatives focusing on overlapping topics. Based on our experience, we provide ten recommendations to help future ecosystem services communities of practice.

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Science-policy interfaces for biodiversity: dynamic learning environments for successful impact

Cited by 42 publications

References 67 publications

Social Learning for Facilitating Dialogue and Understanding of the Ecosystem Services Approach: Lessons from a Cross-Border Experience in the Alboran Marine Basin

Social Learning for Facilitating Dialogue and Understanding of the Ecosystem Services Approach: Lessons from a Cross-Border Experience in the Alboran Marine Basin

Evaluating the effectiveness of retention forestry to enhance biodiversity in production forests of Central Europe using an interdisciplinary, multi‐scale approach

Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice

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