Transformation beyond conservation: how critical social science can contribute to a radical new agenda in biodiversity conservation

Massarella, Kate; Nygren, Anja; Fletcher, Robert; Büscher, Bram; Kiwango, Wilhelm A.; Komi, Sanna; Krauss, Judith E.; Mabele, Mathew Bukhi; McInturff, Alex; Sandroni, Laila; Alagona, Peter S.; Brockington, Dan; Coates, Robert; Duffy, Rosaleen; Ferraz, Kátia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros; Koot, Stasja; Marchini, Silvio; Percequillo, Alexandre Reis

doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2021.03.005

Cited by 54 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Research on multi-level social-ecological interactions is crucial in facilitating the sustainability transition. Our findings suggest that ECRs with a conservation background identify also with elements of critical social science (e.g., Massarella et al, 2021), showing a deep level of transdisciplinary awareness. Considering researchers as active practitioners and members in communities, the participants acknowledged a merging of researchers' professional, political, and private lives.…”

Section: A Crossing Of Reformist and Radical Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 64%

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early‐career conservation researchers

Raatikainen

Purhonen

Pohjanmies

et al. 2021

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Section: A Crossing Of Reformist and Radical Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 64%

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early‐career conservation researchers

Raatikainen

Purhonen

Pohjanmies

et al. 2021

Conservat Sci and Prac

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“…Calls for ‘transformative change’ have increased commensurately in conservation, energy, business, and urban planning sectors, and a variety of academic disciplines (Scoones et al, 2020). The term has popular appeal because it points to the fundamental, broad, and durable changes necessary to stem catastrophe, but it is not always clear what ‘transformation’ means (Massarella et al, 2021; Mehta et al, 2021; Scoones et al, 2020). Within the field of ecosystem stewardship, ‘transformation’ derives from Holling's (2001) concept of panarchy, which foregrounds the interdependent relationship between social and ecological systems and seeks to enhance sustainability in a rapidly changing world (Chapin et al, 2009).…”

Section: Promises and Potential Hazards Of Transformative Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Transformative Conservation of Ecosystems

et al. 2022

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Non-technical summary Many conservation initiatives call for ‘transformative change’ to counter biodiversity loss, climate change, and injustice. The term connotes fundamental, broad, and durable changes to human relationships with nature. However, if oversimplified or overcomplicated, or not focused enough on power and the political action necessary for change, associated initiatives can perpetuate or exacerbate existing crises. This article aims to help practitioners deliberately catalyze and steer transformation processes. It provides a theoretically and practically grounded definition of ‘transformative conservation’, along with six strategic, interlocking recommendations. These cover systems pedagogy, political mobilization, inner transformation, as well as planning, action, and continual adjustment. Technical summary Calls for ‘transformative change’ point to the fundamental reorganization necessary for global conservation initiatives to stem ecological catastrophe. However, the concept risks being oversimplified or overcomplicated, and focusing too little on power and the political action necessary for change. Accordingly, its intersection with contemporary biodiversity and climate change mitigation initiatives needs explicit deliberation and clarification. This article advances the praxis of ‘transformative conservation’ as both (1) a desired process that rethinks the relationships between individuals, society, and nature, and restructures systems accordingly, and (2) a desired outcome that conserves biodiversity while justly transitioning to net zero emission economies and securing the sustainable and regenerative use of natural resources. It first reviews criticisms of area-based conservation targets, natural climate solutions, and nature-based solutions that are framed as transformative, including issues of ecological integrity, livelihoods, gender, equity, growth, power, participation, knowledge, and governance. It then substantiates six strategic recommendations designed to help practitioners deliberately steer transformation processes. These include taking a systems approach; partnering with political movements to achieve equitable and just transformation; linking societal with personal (‘inner’) transformation; updating how we plan; facilitating shifts from diagnosis and planning to action; and improving our ability to adjust to transformation as it occurs. Social media summary Curious about stemming the global biodiversity and climate crises? Browse this article on transformative conservation!

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“…In the HWI literature, the factors that more proximally and directly determine the situation, at the upper levels of analysis in Figure 2, have received more attention. However, the large-scale and sustained condition implied by coexistence-as opposed to a temporary truce-requires a more in depth understanding of the system, which is achieved by addressing the factors at the social, institutional and societal levels of analysis (Massarella et al, 2021). Besides, while it is generally easier to detect the effects of actions implemented at the ecological, behavioral and personal factors, the more fundamental the level of intervention, the higher the leverage.…”

Section: How To Get There-and Show That You Did It: Systems Thinking and Theory Of Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Planning for Human-Wildlife Coexistence: Conceptual Framework, Workshop Process, and a Model for Transdisciplinary Collaboration

Marchini¹,

Ferraz²,

Foster³

et al. 2021

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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Coexistence, as a concept and as a management goal and practice, has attracted increasing attention from researchers, managers and decision-makers dedicated to understanding and improving human-wildlife interactions. Although it still lacks a universally agreed definition, coexistence has increasingly been associated with a broad spectrum of human-wildlife interactions, including positive interactions, transcending a conservation focus on endangered wildlife, and involving explicitly considerations of power, equity and justice. In a growingly complex and interconnected human-dominated world, the key to turning human-wildlife interactions into large-scale coexistence is thorough planning. We present an approach for evidence-based, structured, and participatory decision-making in planning for human-wildlife coexistence. More specifically, we propose (i) a conceptual framework for describing the situation and setting the goals, (ii) a process for examining the causes of the situation and creating a theory of change, and (iii) a model for transdisciplinary research and collaboration integrating researchers, decision-makers and residents along with the interests of wildlife. To illustrate the approach, we report on the workshop considering the Jaguars of Iguaçu, a conservation project whose strategy includes the improvement of the relationship between ranchers and jaguars outside Iguaçu National Park, Brazil.

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Transformation beyond conservation: how critical social science can contribute to a radical new agenda in biodiversity conservation

Cited by 54 publications

References 64 publications

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early‐career conservation researchers

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early‐career conservation researchers

Transformative Conservation of Ecosystems

Planning for Human-Wildlife Coexistence: Conceptual Framework, Workshop Process, and a Model for Transdisciplinary Collaboration

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