Involving Academic Scientists in Conservation Research: Perspectives of a Plant Ecologist

Abstract

While academic scientists often wish to contribute to conservation efforts, differences between the academic and conservation arenas can sometimes frustrate their efforts. To increase awareness of both the opportunities and the potential pitfalls of such interactions, I examined and contrasted the perspectives of biologists in academia and in land management and conservation. Those responsible for protecting "sensitive" plants and vegetation possess a wealth of empirical evidence that could be used to test predictions of ecological and conservation biology theory. Real‐life management issues offer perfect laboratories for research by academic scientists in population and community ecology, e.g., identifying factors important in regulating population size or assessing community responses to disturbance or to the introduction of a species. While such research combines basic questions with tangible application and (sometimes) financial support, it may also offer obstacles to participation by academic ecologists. Some of these are: difficulty of obtaining permits for experimentation on protected species; logistic and ethical questions of experimenting in preserves; and the sometimes small influence of science in decision‐making in a multiple‐use environment. Communication and collaboration between managers and scientists might be facilitated by state Heritage programs and recovery teams and by scientists taking advantage of existing agency outreach mechanisms.