Navigating the space between landscape science and collective action for sustainability: identifying key factors in information processing

Paul Opdam

doi:10.1007/s10980-020-01028-2

Abstract

ContextTransitions to more sustainable landscapes require that actors change their thinking about using the landscape and act collectively to implement a shared view on the future. If landscape ecologists want their knowledge to contribute to such transitions, the information they provide need to stimulate collective decisions and action.ObjectiveTo identify key factors that determine how scientific information about landscape functioning and benefits influences actors in organizing collective action for landscape sustainability.MethodI combine a theory of knowledge management with a theory of behavioural change to construct a framework of 4 phases of interpretation and implementation of landscape information.ResultsThe 4 phases are: (1) actors accept the information as significant, (2) actors assess the saliency of the information for their case, (3) the information stimulates social network building and collective action, and (4) the information enforces the capacity to organize collaborative change. The extent to which these phases effectively develop in the interaction between scientists and practitioners depends on characteristics of the information, but to a great deal also on the process of interaction and the roles scientist play. I discuss how landscape ecologists can intervene in these phases, by providing the right information and by facilitating an interactive process of knowledge generation.ConclusionsWhether landscape information is eventually used in organizing the landscape change depends on characteristics of the information and the governance process in which the information is brought in. Knowledge from social sciences is indispensable for landscape ecology with impact.

Highlights

The existence of a gap between science and practice that prevents a proper use of scientific information by practitioners is widely accepted in science (e.g. Burbridge et al 2011; Tkachenko et al 2017), including ecosystem services research (Wright et al 2017), conservation biology (Toomey et al 2017), landscape ecology (Opdam et al 2018) and sustainability science (Miller et al 2014)
This perspective essay starts from the notion that a key aspect of landscape sustainability science is the involvement of practitioners from a landscape area in a collaborative process, in which sustainable solutions for future challenges are created
In this essay I have identified key activities that may be helpful for landscape ecologists to navigate the space between science and practice in moving towards landscape sustainability

Summary

Objective

To identify key factors that determine how scientific information about landscape functioning and benefits influences actors in organizing collective action for landscape sustainability. Method I combine a theory of knowledge management with a theory of behavioural change to construct a framework of 4 phases of interpretation and implementation of landscape information. Results The 4 phases are: (1) actors accept the information as significant, (2) actors assess the saliency of the information for their case, (3) the information stimulates social network building and collective action, and (4) the information enforces the capacity to organize collaborative change. The extent to which these phases effectively develop in the interaction between scientists and practitioners depends on characteristics of the information, but to a great deal on the process of interaction and the

Conclusions

Introduction

Enforce the capacity to implement the change during interactive process

Findings

Discussion and conclusions