Seven design principles for promoting scholars' participation in combating desertification

Abstract

Desertification has been widely recognized as a major environmental and ecological problem facing humanity today. Combating desertification is a global challenge for sustainable development and requires collective action involving government, local communities, businesses, NGOs, and international organizations. Scholars' role in this important endeavor and their mechanisms of participation, however, has received little attention in the mainstream discourse concerning global desertification control. Comparing and contrasting 30 case studies around the world, our study suggests that successful scholar-participated governance needs to satisfy seven design principles: (i) sustained participation of field-based scholars; (ii) federal organizational structure and concrete and stratified roles; (iii) democratic and collaborative management with strictly implemented mechanisms of awards and sanctions; (iv) consistent local scholar entrepreneurship; (v) realization of expected benefits; (vi) experiment-extension methods; and (vii) reliable external support. The better satisfied these principles are, the more successful is the effort to combat desertification. These findings provide evidence that stronger proactive participation of scientists and practitioners is urgently needed to tackle pressing environmental problems such as desertification.

Building a Knowledge-Driven Society: Scholar Participation and Governance in Large Public Works Projects

“…However, the mainstream discourse concerning contemporary social governance has paid little attention, to the potential role of scholars (Chang, 1955; Stavrianos, 1998; Yang, 2007a,b; Yang & Wu, 2009) as independent and major social actors in management, especially in large public works projects that require knowledge input (Yang, 2009, 2010). According to Yang and Wu (2009, 2010), scholars are among the most important actors in desertification control programs (other important actors are the public, firms, governments, religious groups, and NGOs). Researchers have also deemed scholars as playing a significant role in non‐profit social organizations (Cornforth, 2003; Gordenker & Weiss, 1995; Nelson, 1959).…”

“…Scholars bring comparatively more knowledge to projects than do other social actors because of their academic background (Yang, 2007a, b; Yang, 2009, 2010; Yang & Wu, 2009). Their knowledge, both scientific and cultural, is invisible capital that ‘plays an important role in the production and transaction process and provides structure to understanding’ (Yang & Wu, 2010: 109). For the purposes of this study, scholars include experts (Yang & Lan, 2010), academics, professors, researchers, stakeholders, and other individuals who have specialized expertise.…”

“…I develop an alternative framework that is less extreme than Lindblom's Models 1 and 2. To answer each question, based on blending elements of both models as well as my former field experiences and meta‐analysis of many cases (e.g., Yang, 2009; Yang, Lan, & Wu, 2010; Yang & Wu, 2010), I formulate the five working principles as stated in Table 1, which I call Model 3. Principle 1 addresses Lindblom's first question by arguing that a few wise and informed intellectual leaders do not monopolize knowledge production as in Model 1, nor is it shared equally by all individuals as in Model 2.…”

Patterns of carbon allocation in a chronosequence of Caragana intermedia plantations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

“…Revegetation is one of the most effective methods for combating desertification and preventing soil C loss in arid and semi-arid regions (Yang & Wu 2010, Amiraslani & Dragovich 2011, Corona et al 2012, D'Odorico et al 2013. Shrub species are usually selected for revegetation, and they are therefore the dominant vegetation in such regions (Lufafa et al 2009, Zhang et al 2009, Conti et al 2013.…”

“…Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations may cause the temperature of arid regions to increase sharply (Schlesinger et al 1990, Maestre & Cortina 2004. Areas affected by desertification have lost twothirds of their C, mainly through the loss of vegetation and soil organic matter (IPCC 1996).Revegetation is one of the most effective methods for combating desertification and preventing soil C loss in arid and semi-arid regions (Yang & Wu 2010, Amiraslani & Dragovich 2011, Corona et al 2012, D'Odorico et al 2013. Shrub species are usually selected for revegetation, and they are therefore the dominant vegetation in such regions (Lufafa et al 2009, Zhang et al 2009, Conti et al 2013.…”