Abstract
Efforts to improve the fit between conservation initiatives (e.g., marine protected areas, no-take zones) and the dynamic social dimensions of coastal-marine systems remain underdeveloped. We empirically illustrate here how opportunities to enhance ‘conservation fit’ are influenced by bridging organizations that serve to (1) better align conservation initiatives with characteristics of the social context that influence conservation outcomes (e.g., institutions, culture, values, local practice), (2) foster coordinated and adaptive approaches to conservation that are reflective of multiple perspectives and knowledge, and (3) better connect people and conservation actions across jurisdictional and geographical boundaries. Qualitative methods were used in this research, including semi-structured interviews, observation of key events and meetings, and literature review. We draw from three coastal-marine conservation cases in Bali, Indonesia that exemplify different approaches to bridging for conservation fit: the Bali MPA Network, the Nusa Penida MPA, and the East Buleleng Conservation Zone. Our synthesis of these cases identifies different strategies used by bridging organizations to deal with conservation fit issues, including their capacity to integrate actors and perspectives using flexible approaches, actualize hybrid forms of decision-making, build capacity and leadership, and foster cross-scale conservation and scale-bridging social networks. We also examine the limitations of bridging organizations and offer direction for future research for coastal-marine conservation in Indonesia specifically, and the Coral Triangle region generally. More broadly, this analysis contributes new insights on emerging forms of governance designed to deliberatively fit conservation initiatives to coastal-marine social-ecological systems experiencing rapid change.
Highlights
The success of marine conservation in southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle (CT) requires modes of governance that deliberately fit conservation initiatives to underlying social dimensions
We investigate the issue of “conservation fit,” which we refer to here as the dynamic alignment of the governing system for conservation and Bridging for Better Conservation Fit the social dimensions of a system that influence the outcomes of conservation policy and practice
To examine the issue of conservation fit, we focus on the role of bridging organizations, which are entities that connect social actors or groups through some form of bridging process (Crona and Parker, 2012)
Summary
The success of marine conservation in southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle (CT) requires modes of governance that deliberately fit conservation initiatives to underlying social dimensions. By social dimensions we refer to the multilevel patterns of interaction between actors and organizations, their values, interests and social customs, and the processes and instruments that drive, support or constrain the practice of conservation (sensu Galaz et al, 2008; Meek, 2013; Epstein et al, 2015). This characterization recognizes that governance systems affect, are affected by, and are a part of the broader suite of social dimensions that make up coastalmarine social-ecological systems
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