A Review of Tools for Incorporating Community Knowledge, Preferences, and Values into Decision Making in Natural Resources Management

Lynam, Timothy; Jong, W. de; Sheil, Douglas; Kusumanto, T.; Evans, Kristen

doi:10.5751/es-01987-120105

Cited by 418 publications

(306 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…legitimacy, and research institutions need to put in place the incentives and time required for researchers to do this (47). In fact, because the process of knowledge generation is so important to its perception as legitimate, we measured legitimacy with a question about the process (SI Text).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Policy impacts of ecosystem services knowledge

Posner

McKenzie

Ricketts

2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

212

144

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Research about ecosystem services (ES) often aims to generate knowledge that influences policies and institutions for conservation and human development. However, we have limited understanding of how decision-makers use ES knowledge or what factors facilitate use. Here we address this gap and report on, to our knowledge, the first quantitative analysis of the factors and conditions that explain the policy impact of ES knowledge. We analyze a global sample of cases where similar ES knowledge was generated and applied to decision-making. We first test whether attributes of ES knowledge themselves predict different measures of impact on decisions. We find that legitimacy of knowledge is more often associated with impact than either the credibility or salience of the knowledge. We also examine whether predictor variables related to the science-to-policy process and the contextual conditions of a case are significant in predicting impact. Our findings indicate that, although many factors are important, attributes of the knowledge and aspects of the science-to-policy process that enhance legitimacy best explain the impact of ES science on decision-making. Our results are consistent with both theory and previous qualitative assessments in suggesting that the attributes and perceptions of scientific knowledge and process within which knowledge is coproduced are important determinants of whether that knowledge leads to action. ecosystem services | science policy interface | conservation | knowledge systems | boundary organizations T he ongoing loss of biological diversity and persistence of poverty have sparked interest in policies that protect, restore, and enhance ecosystem services (ES). In response, there has been a growth in ES research that aims to inform policies, incentives, and institutions on a large scale (1-3). Despite this goal, scientific knowledge about ES continues to have limited impact on policy and decisions (1, 4-7).The fact that most land-and resource-use policy decisions still do not take ES into account stems in part from an ineffective interface between ES science and policy, a need for scientists to better understand decision-making processes, and challenges in clarifying conflicting stakeholder values (8-11). In some cases, the science-policy interface is an important aspect of decisionmaking, but often the ES research and policy communities are disconnected from one another, with limited interactions, infrequent exchanges of information, and different objectives that hinder coordinated science and policy processes (12). Many scientists conduct ES research without fully considering how the knowledge they are producing might be used (5). If we want ES information to be incorporated into decisions, then we need to understand how and why decision-makers use certain kinds of information. We define "information" as a tangible, factual output of scientific research produced through specific ES analyses; "knowledge" as a body of information learned and conveyed through scientific and policy processes; ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Policy impacts of ecosystem services knowledge

Posner

McKenzie

Ricketts

2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

212

144

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This can be done through system interventions that alter the group composition, the way in which participants interact, the research methods or techniques used to share data or create new definitions Lynam et al, 2007). This can occur through focus groups, boundary organizations, citizens' conferences or search conferences, or through the use of methods such as narrative, network or framing analyses that help mapping different types of knowledge while retaining their original values and forms of representation (Brugnach and Ingram, 2011).…”

Section: 3mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambiguity: the challenge of knowing and deciding together

Brugnach

Ingram

2012

Environmental Science & Policy

181

158

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“…Knowledge synthesis should occur across vertical (local, regional, national) and horizontal (local organization to local organization) scales (Berkes et al 2003). In NRM, participatory approaches should recognize the multiple contexts inherent in decision making (Pero 2005, Lynam et al 2007). Local institutions are best informed about the local level, whereas state institutions have a suite of tools and techniques relevant to the regional and national scales.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tool and Process that Facilitate Community Capacity Building and Social Learning for Natural Resource Management

Raymond¹,

Cleary²

2013

E&S

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ABSTRACT. This study presents a self-assessment tool and process that facilitate community capacity building and social learning for natural resource management. The tool and process provide opportunities for rural landholders and project teams both to self-assess their capacity to plan and deliver natural resource management (NRM) programs and to reflect on their capacities relative to other organizations and institutions that operate in their region. We first outline the tool and process and then present a critical review of the pilot in the South Australian Arid Lands NRM region, South Australia. Results indicate that participants representing local, organizational, and institutional tiers of government were able to arrive at a group consensus position on the strength, importance, and confidence of a variety of capacities for NRM categorized broadly as human, social, physical, and financial. During the process, participants learned a lot about their current capacity as well as capacity needs. Broad conclusions are discussed with reference to the iterative process for assessing and reflecting on community capacity.

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A Review of Tools for Incorporating Community Knowledge, Preferences, and Values into Decision Making in Natural Resources Management

Cited by 418 publications

References 6 publications

Policy impacts of ecosystem services knowledge

Policy impacts of ecosystem services knowledge

Ambiguity: the challenge of knowing and deciding together

A Tool and Process that Facilitate Community Capacity Building and Social Learning for Natural Resource Management

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