Complexity of sustainable trajectories of a socioecological system. An application of the wayfinder guide in the tropical andes (Colombia)

Abstract

Socioecological systems (SES) are complex and adaptive systems with variables and relationships that interact at different temporal and spatial scales. Identifying and analyzing these variables and interactions, as well as understanding the main leverage points and critical thresholds of the SES, are important to define the strategies and policies aimed at finding a sustainable SES. The Wayfinder Guide is a sustainability analysis and adaptive management planning tool to guide decision-making. The research question addressed in this study was regarding the challenges and opportunities of using the Wayfinder Guide to elucidate the complexity of sustainability trajectories and guide territorial planning in the challenging environmental conditions of the Global South, particularly the strategic mountain SES in the tropical Andes in Colombia. Using the Wayfinder Guide to begin an SES analysis may require a large number of resources and an extended period (years) to consolidate the effective implementation thereof, especially for the first phases of the guide. In this study, we propose methodological changes to apply the guidelines in the context of scarce SES information.