PECS approaches: Albert Nörstrom

Albert NorströmExecutive director

@AlbertNorstrm@PECS_Project

PECS approaches

1

PECS approaches - place-based social-ecological research

PECS approaches

1

2

PECS approaches – dynamic working groups

PECS working group on collaborative governance and management

Chanda MeekUniversity of Alaska-Fairbanks

RoHillCSIRO

DerekArmitageUniversity of Waterloo

ChristoFabricius &CathyRobinsonNelsonMandelaUniversity

Lisen SchultzStockholm Resilience Centre

MichaelSchoonArizona State University

GeorginaCundhillRhodes University

Balvanera et al (2016) Ecology & SocietySome lessons from all PECS cases

PECS and transdisciplinarity

Balvanera et al (2016) Ecology & Society

SURVEY to PI’s and co-PI’s of PECS-affiliated projects using questionnaire w/ open, closed and semi-structured questions.

Some lessons from all PECS cases

PECS and transdisciplinarity

Keyfeaturesformoresuccessfulplace-basedsustainabilityresearchonsocial-ecologicalsystems

SESresearchwantstogenerateknowledgethroughaproblemandsolution-orientedandtransdisciplinaryprocessthatincludesengagementandcollaborationwithactorsfromoutsideacademia.

DualchallengeofunderstandingcomplexanddynamicSES,whilefosteringatruetransdisciplinaryprocessthatiscapableoffacilitatingknowledgeexchangeacrossdisciplinaryboundariesandbetweenresearchersandusers

Howissuchresearchinitiatedandframed;howshouldpractitionersbeinvolved;howshouldtheresearchbefunded;howareestablishedacademicdisciplinesintegratedwithpracticalknowledgeandwhatnewmethodsarecapableofachievingsuchintegration;whattypeofoutreachandcommunicationisrelevantandgeneratesimpact;andhowshouldprogressandsuccessbegenerallymeasuredanddefined

Successfulresearchprojectsarethosethatenhancesocial-ecologicalunderstandingamongstbothresearchandusercommunitieswhileengenderingactionablepolicyormanagementrecommendationsandoptions.

Balvanera etal.Ecology&Society(inpress)


“…strongandtrustedrelationshipsbetweenresearchersandstakeholdergroups,butpresentsatime-consumingchallenge.Thereisagradient,andthat’snotbad…

…emphasizedtheimportanceofbuildingonapastlegacyofstakeholderdrivenresearchinaregionandtrustedcontactsdevelopedinthisresearchasanimportantenablingifnotcriticalfactortosupportPBSESR.

…essentialroleoflongstandingrelationshipswithstrategiccasestakeholderswhoactasgatekeeperstootherlocalactors.

…bepreparedtoinvestsignificanttimeininteractionswithstakeholdersthroughdifferentactivities.


“Thealignmentandrelevanceofprojectstofocalpolicyissues…

…projectsshouldbesolutions-orientedandfocusonthedevelopmentofactualinterventions,thusgoingbeyondbasicknowledgegeneration.”


“…isaboutsolutionsnotonlyaboutknowledgegeneration,andthustheproductsofthistypeofresearchconsistentlyincludeditemsbeyondtraditionalacademicproductsofpapersandresearchpresentations”

“Awiderangeofcommunicationwithstakeholdersandproduceoutreachmaterials- suchasposters,flyers,videos,postcards,blogs,twitters- explicitlygearedtowardshatstakeholderscoulduse,wasfrequentlymentioned.”


“…longinitiationperiodtobuildaneffectiveteam…”

“Start-uptimeisslowandbumpyandfundingisusuallyshort-term,e.g.3years…”

“Theseinvestmentscanoftenbeviewedasopportunitycoststoproducingconventionalresearchoutputs,commonlyresultingintensionsandcompetingprioritieswithinandbetweenteammembers.”

"Designcanbetimeconsumingandmoveprojectawayfrominterestingresearchquestions".


“Needcarefulnavigationtointegratethedifferentneedsandperspectivesofstakeholders.Theco-productionofknowledgeimpliestheintegrationofmultipleconflictingbeliefs,perceptionsandinterests.”

“Conflictsandinequitablepowerrelationsamongdifferentgroupsmayrenderthisintegrationimpossibleandperhapsevenundesirable”

“However,researchcanoftenperformausefulroleinhelpingtoarticulatedifferencesinvalues,world-views,andactivities.Acommonobservationmadebytheprojectssurveyedinthisstudyisthatsharedconceptualframeworkscanbeenormouslyusefulinfacilitatingcommunicationbothwithinresearchteamsandwithlocalstakeholders.”


i)Needtofosterlong-termconnectionstoagivenplaceandgroupofstakeholders.

ii)Identificationofshort,mediumandlong-termproducts.

iii)Adoptionofinternalmonitoringprocessestoevaluatesuccess.

v)Payparticularattentionthelessonsthatcanbelearnfromfailure.

Balvanera etal.Ecology&Society(inreview)

Balancingplace-basedandglobalperspectives

betterunderstandtheinterconnectionsbetweensocial-ecologicalsystemsthatareseparatedgeographically

sustainabilityresearchneedstobetailoredtotheparticularneedsofeachsocial-ecologicalcontext.

internationalcollaborationsaroundsustainabilityissuesarefosteredinaway thatallowsglobalandlocalperspectivestobeintegrated.


RoHillCSIRO






Some lessons from a PECS working group




RoHillCSIRO






“a)Practicalexperience: Whatwerethebigchallengesandopportunitiesforcollaborativetransformationsfromourknowledgepartner’sperspectives?

b)Knowledgeneeds:Whatresearchquestionsdidournon-academicpartnersfeelwouldbeusefultotheirpractice?(Whatresearchwouldhelpthemdeveloptheircollaborativeefforts?)

c).Preferredprocessofengagement:Wouldnon-academicpartnersbewillingtoengagewithuslongtermtoexplorethesequestions?Howwouldtheyliketobeengaged,andwhatwouldtheyhopethegetfromtheirengagement?



RoHillCSIRO






1.Ensureamplefundingforfacetofaceinteractions,bothin-countryandforwholenetworks.Ourgroupmademoreheadwayin3daysoffacetofacediscussionthanwedidinthe2monthlead-uptoourface-to-faceprojectplanningmeeting.

2.Don’tforcetransdisciplinaryengagement(orknowledgeco-production)foreverystepofaresearchprocess.Forcingtransdisciplinaryengagementandnon-academicparticipationforeverystepofaresearchprocesstakesustooclosetowhatCookeandKotharicalledthe“TyrannyofParticipation”– wherenon-academicpartnersarenowexpectedtovolunteertheirtimeintheinterestsofresearchersandtheinternationalresearchcommunity.

Social-ecological dynamics of ecosystem services in the Norrström basin (SEEN)

Albert Norström, Garry Peterson, Cibele Queiroz, Megan Meacham, Kristina Richter, Erik Andersson, Jon Norberg,

Co-management of ecosystem service bundles in the Helge river

catchment areaElin Enfors, Albert Norström, Lisen Schultz, Cibele Queiroz.

Some lessons from specific PECS cases






Stockholm case-study:

Reflect critically on the research process and roles as researchers. Researchers are not completely objective, especially within the inherently normative field of sustainability science. Strive to continuously write down reflections on position and assumptions and how they might shape participation.

When initiating a research project, discuss with collaborators what the different interests, goals, and expectations are, trying to be as transparent as possible. Then explore whether project can be designed that can meet as many of goals. This also helps to build trust in the ongoing collaboration.

Important, to keep research independent in the sense that it is not funded by the collaborating organizations.

Different levels of evaluation are needed, both the more involved and the more detached. Evaluation by people involved in designing and running the process is important for them to continuously refine the process design and learn along the way, even though they are biased towards positive outcomes. The other level of evaluation would preferably be conducted by an outsider person that follows up with key actor interviews and observations of the process. In both cases, it is advisable to strategically select a person to conduct the evaluation who will benefit from the opportunity to gain a lot of tacit knowledge.






Helge Å case:

The selection of services, indicators and municipalities determines the outcome. Participatory process used to ensure relevance of analysis

Initial consultation about which ES matter to people in the area (representatives of forest owners, farmers, tourism sector, civil society organizations, municipalities and county board administrations)

Thank you

@AlbertNorstrm@PECS_Project

www.pecs-science.org

PECS approaches: Albert Nörstrom

Science

Transcript of PECS approaches: Albert Nörstrom