Motivating relational organizing behavior for biodiversity conservation

Conservation Science and Practice, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5(2)

Published: Jan. 12, 2023

Abstract As biodiversity loss and climate change accelerate, more people worldwide are engaging in conservation behaviors to “do their part.” Yet, individual behavior alone is insufficient for the large‐scale, rapid needed address these crises. Relational organizing, which involves individuals reaching out others social network, can enhance speed scale of complex, collective action nature many problems. However, practicing own lives do not engage relational organizing about issues. Here, we suggest this may be result specific social‐psychological factors inhibiting from others. We summarize evidence offer a research practice agenda prioritize (1) understanding barriers that prevent (2) addressing through targeted outreach interventions help accelerate community conservation.

Language: Английский

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Modes of mobilizing values for sustainability transformation

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 64, P. 101357 - 101357

Published: Sept. 19, 2023

Language: Английский

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Communicating the Biodiversity Crisis: From “Warnings” to Positive Engagement

Tropical Conservation Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 15

Published: July 1, 2022

Background: Effective communication can play a vital role in societal transformations towards sustainability and biodiversity restoration. However, the complexity long-term nature of environmental change presents challenge. If not carefully navigated, messages around degradation lead to audience disengagement issue fatigue, at time when motivation, engagement positive action is required. Methods: In this Conservation Action piece, we describe principles communication, which are being adopted by growing movement conservation organizations. We support approach reviewing evidence on emotions decision-making from diverse fields such as psychology communications, paying particularly close attention experiences climate communicators. Results: Positive emotional experiences, including feelings hope, collective efficacy, warm glow that follows actions aligned with intrinsic values, an essential sustaining contribute transformative change. While negative prime specific tendencies, enable creativity, cooperation, resilience, all for overcoming challenging acting crisis. Conclusions: Communications researchers practitioners need reflect reality some communications may seek motivate through warnings threats, trigger audiences help inspire action. suggest underutilized. Implications: present guide those working convey their ways empowering positive. As crisis intensifies, it critical professionals continue imagine develop pathways better future communicate others society way supports future.

Language: Английский

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The challenge of attaining conservation outcomes in a complex system: Agency personnel’s and academic researchers’ perspectives on the wicked problem of the exotic pet trade

NeoBiota, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 97, P. 279 - 299

Published: Feb. 27, 2025

The exotic pet trade is a wicked problem involving economic, social, political, ethical, and environmental dimensions, which cannot be resolved using conventional management strategies that are informed by restricted expertise. In 2023, we surveyed 26 government agency personnel 57 academic researchers in the United States who focus on risks of to ascertain how experts characterize their support for versus collaborative trade. Both respondents framed ecological associated with similarly, expressing greatest concern about species invasions pathogen transmission native species. Respondents exhibited low levels trust stakeholders trade, considering it likely all (except commercial industry) would fail comply regulations. Agency tended agree current regulations have been effective mitigating invasion while disagreed adequately mitigate disease or overexploitation were more enforceable. All supportive additional federal Our findings consistent argument problems perpetuated because managers scientists default cause-effect statements top-down approaches structure execution. Transitioning from regulatory decision making, agencies, scientists, work together resolve build allow flexible, adaptive

Language: Английский

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Shedding the cloak of neutrality: A guide for reflexive practices to make the sciences more inclusive and just

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Abstract The environmental sciences community cannot meaningfully address the compounding ecological and societal crises of our time without also addressing epistemic oppression—the persistent, systemic exclusion that dismisses or erases certain forms expertise in knowledge production scientific practices. Epistemic oppression is justified by inaccurate assumption neutral, value‐free, objective. This persists because science practices omit information about who we are how come to know world work. It operates through construction hierarchies at three levels: (1) privileging particular worldviews individual scientists, (2) academic disciplines, (3) Eurocentric systems. To limit harms, need acknowledge inherently relational (i.e., emerge out relationships among scientists what study) situated dependent on social context surrounding production). By recognizing reflecting assumptions neutrality, can transform toward fostering greater inclusion acceptance diverse worldviews, theories knowledge, methodologies simultaneously today's wicked problems advance true diversity, equity, belonging. Moving from concepts practice, outline several reflexive strategies offer examples guiding questions standpoints research. embracing reflexivity practices, including making positionality work explicit, become more inclusive effective this era.

Language: Английский

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Using the past to tell more persuasive conservation stories

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 28, 2025

Abstract For millennia, stories have been central to conveying human experience—a tradition through which communities continue share lessons, knowledge, and cultural values are regularly used by values. Now, conservationists beginning harness the power of telling achieve conservation goals. We introduce past hypothesis, in we argue that existing storytelling practices can be improved incorporating longer term perspectives available from geohistorical records, such as sediment cores, fossils, other natural archives past. Contextualizing problems on timescales beyond years or decades presents opportunity tell different about how biodiversity is currently changing equips with conceptual toolkit necessary for unshifting previously unrecognized shifted baselines when story starts. Geohistorical data sets thus provide an restore lost environmental memory—collective observations records environments—and avoid unintended biases. When ethics, potential outcomes, diversity backgrounds beliefs represented each audience considered, result compelling engage persuade individual community support goals while maintaining credibility trust. An inclusive approach anchored may help more effectively service identifying adapting specific These new (provided starting temporal baselines) also bring people discussion table allow a broader range entry points conversations and, thus, actions.

Language: Английский

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Seeing beyond the frames we inherit: A challenge to tenacious conservation narratives

People and Nature, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5(6), P. 2107 - 2123

Published: Nov. 8, 2023

Abstract Natural and social scientists everywhere are struggling to understand how proceed in the face of continued biodiversity loss injustices brought upon people living around conservation landscapes. This has resulted increasing calls for critical reflection on narratives driving research practice. Narratives can be understood as part a larger process “framing” within an intellectual community, which includes way studies defined discussed. Identifying, reflecting even destabilizing entrenched frames helpful understanding when where our diagnosis or problem fails. However, we also need scholarly processes that create reify some (and not others) over time. We address these needs by developing mixed‐method approach integrates qualitative frame analysis quantitative science mapping identify origins dominant trace its reproduction scientific literature demonstrate this using case Bale Mountains, internationally recognised centre species endemism Ethiopia. Our results show enduring influence perceptions values few early working with limited data. led erroneous assumptions conclusions that, cases, were corrected later research, but many cases not. was function structure network, minor consequential decisions data interpretation specific citational habits. Synthesizing results, several linked mechanisms helped retain tenacity may at work other contexts. close discussion others might apply future practice could differently. Read free Plain Language Summary article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Social valuation of biodiversity relative to other types of assets at risk in wildfire

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 38(3)

Published: Dec. 19, 2023

Environmental crises, such as wildfires, can cause major losses of human life, infrastructure, biodiversity, and cultural values. In many situations, incident controllers must make fateful choices about what to protect-and hence abandon. With an online representative survey >2000 adult Australians, we investigated social attitudes this dilemma. We used best-worst scaling assess preferences across a set 11 assets representing Survey respondents overwhelmingly prioritized single life (best-worst score 6647 out possible ranging from -10695 10695), even if that choice resulted in extinction other species. Inanimate (replaceable) objects were accorded lowest priority scores -4655 for shed -3242 house). Among biodiversity assets, protecting population the iconic koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) 1913) ahead preventing snail (score -329) plant species (-226). These results variably support current policy they emphasize importance community places on protection but diverged conventional practice rating some infrastructure. The preference koalas action taken prevent invertebrate corroborates previous research reporting biases way people value nature. If noncharismatic are not be treated expendable, then case their needs better made community. Given increasing global incidence high-severity further sampling societal among diverse asset types is needed inform planning, policy, relating wildfire. Other preemptive targeted management actions (such translocations) conserve especially noniconic species, likely imperiled by catastrophic events.

Language: Английский

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A researcher-practitioner driven framework and research agenda for promoting conservation behaviours

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 296, P. 110710 - 110710

Published: July 10, 2024

Responses to nature conservation challenges should incorporate transdisciplinary approaches, and there is growing research interest in behaviour change insights interventions. However, are knowledge gaps relating promotion of behaviours how broader systems shape intervention effectiveness. This further compounds situations where practitioners implementing programs may be ill-equipped develop implement Our researcher-practitioner collaboration focuses on policy Victoria, Australia, with a specific focus human relationships nature. Drawing from this perspective, we outline can meaningfully integrated into programs. Specifically, detail embed systems-thinking approaches within program implementation achieve objectives address pertaining behavioural science for nature, focusing engaging communities. We articulate key themes steps that needed impactful outcomes, including establishing decision framework clear monitoring protocol. In associated our context, have identified several socio-psychological questions important developing effective interventions, as well the need identify pathways incremental transformative system change. considering both implementation, ideas undertaken way sympathetic which they occur. As part this, examine realise desired changes biodiversity through approach.

Language: Английский

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Promoting Conservation Behaviors by Leveraging Optimistic and Pessimistic Messages and Emotions

Society & Natural Resources, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 37(4), P. 564 - 585

Published: Dec. 19, 2023

Meeting the challenge of global biodiversity crisis requires evidence-driven communication strategies to engage public and political audiences in conservation. This study used a real-world conservation campaign test how messages framed as pessimistic optimistic, emphasizing species losses or gains, affected emotional response behavioral intent, including willingness donate adopt specific behaviors. We administered national, web-based survey random sample U.S. adults (n = 1,998). Respondents exposed pessimistically-framed were significantly more willing than those optimistically-framed messages, emotions mediated effects. Intention behaviors was greatest when respondent's aligned with valence frame they received, such experienced negative frames positive optimistic frames. These findings contribute growing body evidence guiding strategic use communications promote

Language: Английский

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