Critical research needs for managing coral reef marine protected areas: Perspectives of academics and managers

Marshall²,

Wilson³

et al. 2014

E&S

. 2014. Perceptions of Australian marine protected area managers regarding the role, importance, and achievability of adaptation for managing the risks of climate change. ABSTRACT. The rapid development of adaptation as a mainstream strategy for managing the risks of climate change has led to the emergence of a broad range of adaptation policies and management strategies globally. However, the success of such policies or management interventions depends on the effective integration of new scientific research into the decision-making process. Ineffective communication between scientists and environmental decision makers represents one of the key barriers limiting the integration of science into the decision-making process in many areas of natural resource management. This can be overcome by understanding the perceptions of end users, so as to identify knowledge gaps and develop improved and targeted strategies for communication and engagement. We assessed what one group of environmental decision makers, Australian marine protected area (MPA) managers, viewed as the major risks associated with climate change, and their perceptions regarding the role, importance, and achievability of adaptation for managing these risks. We also assessed what these managers perceived as the role of science in managing the risks from climate change, and identified the factors that increased their trust in scientific information. We do so by quantitatively surveying 30 MPA managers across 3 Australian management agencies. We found that although MPA managers have a very strong awareness of the range and severity of risks posed by climate change, their understanding of adaptation as an option for managing these risks is less comprehensive. We also found that although MPA managers view science as a critical source of information for informing the decision-making process, it should be considered in context with other knowledge types such as community and cultural knowledge, and be impartial, evidence based, and pragmatic in outlining policy and management recommendations that are realistically achievable.

Section: Survey Administrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Survey Administrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptions of Australian marine protected area managers regarding the role, importance, and achievability of adaptation for managing the risks of climate change

Marshall²,

Wilson³

et al. 2014

E&S

“…Specifically in relation to marine systems it was recently shown that although marine resource managers and scientists have similar research interests and identify similar future research priorities, decision-makers may be unaware of the full breadth of existing scientific information that they could use to inform their decision-making processes (Cvitanovic et al, 2013). Subsequently, marine resource decision-makers from a range of agencies and locations were found to rely on individual experiences or other secondary sources of information when developing and implementing conservation actions in isolation from scientific evidence (Cvitanovic et al, 2014a;Addison et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers to facilitate the adaptive governance of marine resources: A review of knowledge and research needs

Hobday²,

Kerkhoff³

et al. 2017

Preprint

152

a b s t r a c tThe science-based management of natural resources requires knowledge exchange between scientists and environmental decision-makers, however, this exchange remains a significant challenge. Rather, evidence suggests that decision-makers rely on individual experience or other secondary sources of knowledge in isolation from scientific evidence when formulating decisions, potentially compromising the effectiveness of their decisions. As a result a new field of research broadly characterised as 'knowledge exchange' has emerged, focused largely on identifying and overcoming the barriers to knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers. More recently knowledge exchange research has also begun to explore the relationship between science and decision-making specifically in relation to marine ecosystems and resources. The aim of this paper is to review the literature in relation to knowledge exchange for natural resource management, with a focus on recent evidence in relation to the management of marine resources. This review identifies critical barriers inhibiting knowledge exchange among marine scientists and decisions-makers, such as the inaccessibility of science to decisionmakers as well as institutional barriers that limit the extent to which scientists and decision-makers can prioritise knowledge exchange activities. Options for overcoming these barriers, such as novel approaches to knowledge exchange (e.g. e knowledge co-production, knowledge brokers and boundary organisations) and the enabling environments and institutional reforms needed to complement efforts to improve knowledge exchange, are also identified. This review concludes by articulating the gaps in our understanding of knowledge exchange, to help guide future research in this field and improve the sustainable management of marine resources.

“…In doing so, we build upon a recent study which found that managers of coral-dominated MPAs perceive there is less scientific literature available to inform their decisions on key issues than academic researchers working in the same regions (Cvitanovic et al 2013). Given that MPAs are one of the primary conservation tools for managing coral reef resources, which support the livelihoods of over 500 million people globally (Moberg and Folke, 1999), it is critical we overcome any barriers to knowledge transfer and improve the uptake of science into the decision making process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of primary scientific literature to environmental managers: an international case study on coral-dominated marine protected areas

Fulton²,

Wilson³

et al. 2017

Preprint

Integration of scientific information into the decision-making process for the management of marine resources remains a significant challenge, with the inaccessibility of primary scientific literature to environmental practitioners identified as a key limiting factor. Here, we quantify the use of primary scientific literature in environmental management plans, and explore potential barriers to the efficient integration of such scientific information into the decision-making process. Through a case study of coral dominated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) spanning three countries (Australia, Kenya and Belize), we find that primary scientific literature represents only 14% of information cited in management plans. Such a low proportion is likely to be symptomatic of several issues regarding the accessibility of primary scientific literature to MPA managers, such as: 1. Long publication times for articles (average 40.2 ± 1.8 months); 2. Subscription-only access (up to 56% of articles behind paywalls); and/or 3. Poor articulation of management implications (only 19% of articles provided clear outcomes relevant to management). Such impediments can undermine the adaptive governance of MPAs, so we suggest improvements to knowledge transfer among scientists and managers via a diversity of approaches including knowledge brokers, boundary organisations, knowledge co-production and management-orientated summaries in research articles.