Institutional challenges in putting ecosystem service knowledge in practice

Saarikoski, Heli; Primmer, Eeva; Saarela, Sanna-Riikka; Antunes, Paula; Aszalós, Réka; Baró, Francesc; Berry, Pam; Blanko, Gemma Garcia; Goméz-Baggethun, Erik; Carvalho, Laurence; Dick, Jan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4180-9338; Dunford, Robert; Hanzu, Mihail; Harrison, Paula A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9873-3338; Izakovicova, Zita; Kertész, Miklós; Kopperoinen, Leena; Köhler, Berit; Langemeyer, Johannes; Lapola, David; Liquete, Camino; Luque, Sandra; Mederly, Peter; Niemelä, Jari; Palomo, Ignacio; Pastur, Guillermo Martinez; Peri, Pablo Luis; Preda, Elena; Priess, Jörg A.; Santos, Rui; Schleyer, Christian; Turkelboom, Francis; Vadineanu, Angheluta; Verheyden, Wim; Vikström, Suvi; Young, Juliette. 2018 Institutional challenges in putting ecosystem service knowledge in practice [in special issue: SI: Synthesizing OpenNESS] Ecosystem Services, 29 (C). 579-598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.07.019

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.07.019

Abstract/Summary

The promise that ecosystem service assessments will contribute to better decision-making is not yet proven. We analyse how knowledge on ecosystem services is actually used to inform land and water management in 22 case studies covering different social-ecological systems in European and Latin American countries. None of the case studies reported instrumental use of knowledge in a sense that ecosystem service knowledge would have served as an impartial arbiter between policy options. Yet, in most cases, there was some evidence of conceptual learning as a result of close interaction between researchers, practitioners and stakeholders. We observed several factors that constrained knowledge uptake, including competing interests and political agendas, scientific disputes, professional norms and competencies, and lack of vertical and horizontal integration. Ecosystem knowledge played a small role particularly in those planning and policy-making situations where it challenged established interests and the current distribution of benefits from ecosystems. The factors that facilitated knowledge use included application of transparent participatory methods, social capital, policy champions and clear synergies between ecosystem services and human well-being. The results are aligned with previous studies which have emphasized the importance of building local capacity, ownership and trust for the long-term success of ecosystem service research.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.07.019
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-) Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-) Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2212-0416
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	09 Nov 2017 11:35 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/518217

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.07.019

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

2212-0416

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment