Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework

Nathan J Bennett,Tara S Whitty,Jeremy Pittman,Edward H Allison,Elena Finkbeiner,Stefan Gelcich,Hannah Bassett

doi:10.1007/s00267-017-0993-2

Abstract

There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally. Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention. Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts. Here we propose such a definition and framework. First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social–ecological contexts. Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship. Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship. Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments. Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment.

Highlights

Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada 7 Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, PontificiaUniversidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, ChileThe need to promote improved human-environment interactions through stewardship is ever pressing, which applies to terrestrial, marine, aquatic, and aerial environments in both rural and urban environments (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Allsopp et al 2009; Rockström et al 2009; Chapin et al 2010; Díaz et al 2015; Davy et al 2017)
One way through which people get involved in promoting sustainability and in responding to external drivers of change, using their own expertise and knowledge, is through engaging in local environmental stewardship actions and initiatives
Building on the broader body of work on this topic that is reviewed throughout this paper, we propose the following definition for local environmental stewardship: Local environmental stewardship is the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social-ecological contexts

Summary

Introduction

The need to promote improved human-environment interactions through stewardship is ever pressing, which applies to terrestrial, marine, aquatic, and aerial environments in both rural and urban environments (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Allsopp et al 2009; Rockström et al 2009; Chapin et al 2010; Díaz et al 2015; Davy et al 2017). Stewardship actions can be targeted for individual species, multiple species, individual habitats, entire ecosystems, or even integrated human-environment systems at scales ranging from neighborhoods to landscapes These actions might include limiting the harvest of a single recreationally, commercially, and culturally important species (Groesbeck et al 2014), the establishment of no take terrestrial parks or marine protected areas to protect a species or habitat (Micheli et al 2012), the active restoration of degraded habitats through replanting stream buffers (Sheppard et al 2017), the practice of traditional comprehensive watershed management from mountaintops to the near-shore marine environment to protect ecosystems (Kaneshiro et al 2005), the creation and management of urban green spaces or community gardens (Krasny and Tidball 2012), or the strategic reduction of dependence on resource-based livelihoods to decrease harvests (McCay et al 2014). Demonstrably positive outcomes from stewardship may be necessary to establish the legitimacy of local stewardship efforts

A Definition and Analytical Framework for Environmental Stewardship

Conclusion