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Due to the removal from and dispossession of lands, Indigenous groups often need access to public land for traditional activities including ceremonies and gathering of culturally important plants. In California, USA, there is an ongoing effort to reconnect tribes with their ancestral lands by initiating tribal co-management on state-owned lands. However, its implementation is not well documented or studied. We explored the limited examples of co-management relationships occurring in California using semi-structured interviews. We found that recent policy evolution has created enabling conditions for successful co-management. However, efforts are complicated by limitations in both state employee and tribal capacities. Our 20 non-tribal participant interviews indicated that navigating the diversity of tribal interests and priorities is a hurdle to developing co-management agreements. Non-transactional gatherings are catalysts for relationship building between agencies and tribes which can facilitate social learning and the development of social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geoparks aim to conserve areas of geological significance and achieve sustainable endogenous regional development via geotourism. The management of geoparks requires the involvement of all relevant stakeholders and authorities. However, the strategies when establishing geoparks are often based on the visions of scientists and policymakers. Other stakeholders, such as local residents, often have relatively limited opportunities to become involved in the identification and communication of geoheritage values. Yet, across different social contexts, people's attitudes toward heritage may manifest differently. This adds to the complexity of building cohesive partnerships among stakeholders with the common goal of sustainable development. With a qualitative study of Zhangjiajie UNESCO Global Geopark in China, which has attracted considerable attention due to the conflicts between tourism development and heritage conservation, we aim to understand how the concept of geoheritage is institutionalized in the management of the geopark. Data were collected through interviews with government officials at different levels and various local tourism practitioners, supplemented by a policy document analysis. Results show that geoheritage management in Zhangjiajie Geopark lacked dynamism and inclusivity. The reason was the presence of dissonant understandings among various authorities regarding what constitutes geoheritage. These dissonant understandings were not negotiated strategically because of the embedding of the geopark in a highly convoluted multi‐level governance system related to natural resource management and tourism. The findings underscore that geoheritage research should shift away from an objectivist understanding of geoheritage. Perceiving geoheritage as a power‐loaded construct transforms our comprehension of geopark management dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of Pacific Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Columbia River has been declining over the past century. Yet, the Okanagan River Sockeye salmon population, which spawns in the Okanagan River, a Canadian tributary of the Columbia River, has seen a remarkable turnaround in abundance. Different hypotheses and lines of evidence covering multiple spatial scales have been proposed to explain this recovery; but they have never been comprehensively assessed. We adopted a weight-of-evidence approach to systematically assess the relative likelihood that each of these causal hypotheses contributed to the observed recovery. Our analysis disentangles the relative consequences of a set of environmental management actions that have been implemented to augment the Sockeye salmon freshwater productivity, while accounting for changes in freshwater and marine environmental conditions. Our list of potentially explanatory causal factors (anthropogenic and natural) included: (1) changes in escapement concurrent with improving local fish passage, (2) the implementation of fish-friendly flows in the Okanagan River, (3) initiating a hatchery restocking program, (4) potential improvements to Columbia dam operations to support higher relative survival of out-migrating juvenile fish, (5) possible shifts in survival-favorable conditions in the coastal marine environment for ocean-going life stages, and (6) broader changes to multi-stock harvest regimes in the Columbia River. Our assessment leveraged comparisons with the population dynamics of another Sockeye salmon stock in the Columbia River basin to differentiate between the impacts of management actions taken within the Okanagan watershed (our focus) from those occurring over the broader basin and marine scale. The results suggest that while shifts towards survival-favorable conditions in the coastal marine environment in 2007 played an important role in the upturn of the Okanagan population, alone it cannot explain the rate at which the Okanagan River Sockeye salmon recovered. Strong evidence supports the combined effect of increased escapement in conjunction with establishing and securing fish-friendly flows during spawning, incubation, and alevin emergence. Additionally, Sockeye salmon restocking improved the resilience of the stock against density-independent mortality events. These combined basin-level management actions played a pivotal role in magnifying the recovery trajectory afforded by improved marine survivorship. The spectacular response of the Okanagan River Sockeye salmon to the holistic perspectives and management interventions of Indigenous and other caretakers provides hope that other Pacific salmon stocks can be stabilized and recovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding what diversity of small‐scale fisheries translates to in practice, and what this means for management regimes seeking sustainability, continues to be a challenging undertaking. This is particularly so in the tropical Pacific Islands region, where small‐scale coastal fisheries play a significant role in domestic food and livelihood systems. A renewed regional policy focus on supporting coastal fisheries, combined with momentum built from a decades‐long 'Pacific renaissance' in community‐based fisheries management approaches, has increased resourcing and support for coastal fishery data collection and knowledge production. In this context, there is growing demand to explicitly characterise diversity and complexity of community‐based coastal fisheries to inform how national co‐management programs can adequately support the many communities within national constituencies. This study presents findings from a community‐based coastal fisheries monitoring programme implemented in ten communities across Kiribati and Vanuatu between 2019 and 2021. Findings illustrate the intra‐ and inter‐country diversity of contextual drivers, fishing practices, and fisher participation. We discuss the implications of this enhanced understanding of community‐based fisheries for applied co‐management practice in these two countries. In doing so, we add to a growing knowledge base about fishing practices in Pacific Island coastal communities and elucidate avenues through which to incorporate this knowledge into adaptive co‐management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Small Tank Cascade Systems (STCS) are interconnected small reservoirs constructed in shallow valleys in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. STCS have assumed heightened significance for their potential contribution to climate adaptation of agricultural systems. Local communities managed STCS to store water by capturing seasonal rain and cultivating crops that suited local conditions over millennia. The British colonial centralisation of STCS governance led to the degradation and deterioration of STCS. Contemporary water governance literature identifies STCSs as complex multifunctional systems. Adaptive co-management (ACM) approaches can reconcile complex resource governance issues by combining co-management with co-governance. We studied Palugaswewa STCS in North Central Sri Lanka to explore farmer and government officials' views, perceptions, knowledge, and experiences about agricultural decision-making including current governance, issues, and proposed improvements seeking evidence for ACM in practice. We interviewed eleven farmers and four extension officials selected from the analysis preceding this research. Our results show that an informal decision process (pre-cultivation meeting) precedes and informs the formal decision process (cultivation meeting), farmers use their collective knowledge and experience to anticipate seasonal weather and plan cultivation, and government officials facilitate a community-led decision process with institutional limitations. We concluded that the informal process compensates for the lack of timely meteorological information, allows space for sharing and co-development of knowledge and facilitates ACM. Future governance interventions in STCS need to recognise informal processes that drive decision-making, provide timely user-centred meteorological information, and rethink legal frameworks at local and national levels to provide flexibility for local farmers.

Small Tank Cascade Systems (STCS) are interconnected small reservoirs constructed in shallow valleys in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. STCS have assumed heightened significance for their potential contribution to climate adaptation of agricultural systems. Local communities managed STCS to store water by capturing seasonal rain and cultivating crops that suited local conditions over millennia. The British colonial centralisation of STCS governance led to the degradation and deterioration of STCS. Contemporary water governance literature identifies STCSs as complex multifunctional systems. Adaptive co-management (ACM) approaches can reconcile complex resource governance issues by combining co-management with co-governance. We studied Palugaswewa STCS in North Central Sri Lanka to explore farmer and government officials' views, perceptions, knowledge, and experiences about agricultural decision-making including current governance, issues, and proposed improvements seeking evidence for ACM in practice. We interviewed eleven farmers and four extension officials selected from the analysis preceding this research. Our results show that an informal decision process (pre-cultivation meeting) precedes and informs the formal decision process (cultivation meeting), farmers use their collective knowledge and experience to anticipate seasonal weather and plan cultivation, and government officials facilitate a community-led decision process with institutional limitations. We concluded that the informal process compensates for the lack of timely meteorological information, allows space for sharing and co-development of knowledge and facilitates ACM. Future governance interventions in STCS need to recognise informal processes that drive decision-making, provide timely user-centred meteorological information, and rethink legal frameworks at local and national levels to provide flexibility for local farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive co-management (ACM) has been advanced as a climate change adaptation strategy because of its social learning and collaboration dynamics. But it remains unclear whether ACM facilitates climate change adaptation in practice. Because rivers have been important laboratories for ACM efforts and research, this study examines a 30-year-old flow program on the Upper Arkansas River in Colorado (USA) to learn (a) how it is being impacted by climate change and (b) how participants are responding. The program has been largely successful in achieving its ecological and recreational flow goals, but it is being challenged by two hydroclimatic changes: earlier spring runoff and reduced stream flows. The program's ACM dynamics are enabling adaptations that include efforts to communicate more proactively (social learning) and to compromise over the use of constrained flows (collaboration). We discuss these adaptations and pose additional questions about the future of the voluntary flow management program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: There remain a number of debates and conflicts about the concept of rewilding which can be barriers to its application. Some of these conflicts stem from the variety of contextual interpretations of rewilding, leading to conflict between rewilding theories and approaches. Conclusions have also been drawn about rewilding based on limited case studies, so that emergent rewilding theories aren't applicable to all rewilding projects, limiting their support in the field. Past theories have distinguished different types of rewilding, encouraging debate over the proposed methods, although in practice these approaches often share similar goals and use similar interventions. One barrier to achieving consensus in the practice of rewilding is that there are no clear guidelines for rewilding, and there are limited broad-scale studies focusing on how rewilding is practiced. This paper addresses this by offering the first broad study of rewilding guidelines and interventions. Methods: A grounded theory study was undertaken, using data sourced from rewilding organisations, case studies, and research. Expressions were coded in the data relating to intentions for how rewilding should be practiced and the interventions used. Results: Drawing from these data, the paper offers three tools to guide rewilding practitioners: (1) an overview of guidelines for rewilding practice, (2) a list of interventions used in rewilding, considering them against rewilding goals, (3) a theory of change framework to guide rewilding application. Discussion: The tools presented here will inform work towards IUCN rewilding guidelines. Several areas that require further consideration are highlighted. We hope that this initial study of application can improve agreement and collaboration among the rewilding community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThere remain a number of debates and conflicts about the concept of rewilding which can be barriers to its application. Some of these conflicts stem from the variety of contextual interpretations of rewilding, leading to conflict between rewilding theories and approaches. Conclusions have also been drawn about rewilding based on limited case studies, so that emergent rewilding theories aren’t applicable to all rewilding projects, limiting their support in the field. Past theories have distinguished different types of rewilding, encouraging debate over the proposed methods, although in practice these approaches often share similar goals and use similar interventions. One barrier to achieving consensus in the practice of rewilding is that there are no clear guidelines for rewilding, and there are limited broad-scale studies focusing on how rewilding is practiced. This paper addresses this by offering the first broad study of rewilding guidelines and interventions.MethodsA grounded theory study was undertaken, using data sourced from rewilding organisations, case studies, and research. Expressions were coded in the data relating to intentions for how rewilding should be practiced and the interventions used.ResultsDrawing from these data, the paper offers three tools to guide rewilding practitioners: (1) an overview of guidelines for rewilding practice, (2) a list of interventions used in rewilding, considering them against rewilding goals, (3) a theory of change framework to guide rewilding application.DiscussionThe tools presented here will inform work towards IUCN rewilding guidelines. Several areas that require further consideration are highlighted. We hope that this initial study of application can improve agreement and collaboration among the rewilding community.

Abstract Globally important chalk streams in England are in poor ecological health, in part due to inadequate water quality. Addressing this issue requires an understanding of the governance systems that surround water quality. The complexity and uncertainty inherent in hydrological systems has led to the emergence of integrated and adaptive forms of governance. In these multi‐actor governance systems, the structure of the relationships between actors (the social network) has been shown to affect governance processes and outcomes. Using participatory social network analysis, we mapped and analysed the social networks for the River Test and River Itchen in Hampshire, United Kingdom, to identify actors and their roles, determine the network characteristics and identify interventions to improve governance. Although the results suggest a well‐connected network of actors from the state, private sector and civil society, we find that decision‐making is not decentralised. Bureaucratic governance by central state actors dominates. However, trust in these central state actors and private actors in the networks is low, which undermines collaboration and co‐ordination in the network. Devolving authority to local actors, building trust in the networks and improving connections to important actors could help to improve governance outcomes for water quality. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Indigenous communities have experienced a loss of access and ability to contribute to the management of natural resources due to removal from lands, marginalization, and conflicting knowledge systems. Currently, there is increasing momentum toward re-engaging tribes as stewards of their ancestral lands. This article outlines tribal views on co-management and identifies the forest management objectives of a tribal partner to help better inform a forest co-management partnership between a Native American Tribe (Wiyot Tribe) and a California Polytechnic State University (Humboldt). Qualitative research methods were used to analyze 13 semi-structured interviews utilizing an adaptive co-management framework with enrolled tribal members and representatives to understand the expectations and perceived barriers to a successful co-management relationship. Interviewees repeatedly mentioned interest in the management of wildlife, forest health and resilience, and fuels reduction. Participants also expressed interest in incorporating education and training of tribal youth in the management of forest resources and traditional ecological knowledge. The semi-structured interviews provided participants a platform to share their thoughts and express their feelings regarding the future stewardship of ancestral forest lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity management in Ecuador, and across Latin America, focuses on using protected areas for conservation purposes. However, this management strategy does not adequately consider biodiversity interactions with humans by neglecting socio-ecological systems that provide many benefits especially to indigenous and other rural peoples. This paper reviews successful examples of local applications of adaptive co-management that incorporate socio-ecological interactions and the benefits they provide to rural communities in Latin America. These examples show the potential of applying adaptive co-management to manage biodiversity and to revitalize the development of rural communities across the region.

Globally important chalk streams in England are in poor ecological health, in part due to inadequate water quality. Addressing this issue requires an understanding of the governance systems that surround water quality. The complexity and uncertainty inherent in hydrological systems has led to the emergence of integrated and adaptive forms of governance. In these multi‐actor governance systems, the structure of the relationships between actors (the social network) has been shown to affect governance processes and outcomes.Using participatory social network analysis, we mapped and analysed the social networks for the River Test and River Itchen in Hampshire, United Kingdom, to identify actors and their roles, determine the network characteristics and identify interventions to improve governance.Although the results suggest a well‐connected network of actors from the state, private sector and civil society, we find that decision‐making is not decentralised. Bureaucratic governance by central state actors dominates. However, trust in these central state actors and private actors in the networks is low, which undermines collaboration and co‐ordination in the network.Devolving authority to local actors, building trust in the networks and improving connections to important actors could help to improve governance outcomes for water quality. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts between humans about wildlife, sometimes also referred to as conservation conflicts, are a challenging issue all over the world. Comparing conservation conflicts from different settings helps to better understand general strategies for conflict management and provides opportunities for mutual learning to solve conservation conflicts. This paper analyses commonalities and differences of conservation conflicts in one Ghanaian and three German national parks, and discusses lessons and implications for conflict management. Using the social-ecological system framework and social conflict theory, we conducted focus groups and interviews with relevant actors, collected secondary sources of information and conducted a qualitative content analysis. Results describe resource systems, resource units, governance systems, and actors. Conflict issues identified for both cases revolve around wildlife populations and wildlife impacts, disagreements about conservation, hunting, disputes among actors, as well as issues of inadequate involvement of actors. Results further indicate that similar drivers such as contrary values, different interests, structural problems, legislative issues and inadequate involvement contribute to conflict development. However, the contexts of the case studies within which these conflicts develop, basically differ. From our findings, we developed both general as well as case-specific management principles necessary for conflict management. The paper concludes that root causes of conflict emergence and social processes should be addressed to facilitate conflict management. If appropriate general and case-specific instruments are chosen, a solution to conservation conflicts can be possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural-urban migration is a challenging issue for communities, and is influenced by interactions between numerous push and pull factors. To better understand the interacting drivers of rural-urban migration, the study investigates the factors which influence migration from rural areas in Sistan to Mashhad city in Iran. The investigation was conducted using questionnaires and deep interviews. The results show that the main reason for migration from Sistan to Mashhad is environmental degradation including drought and water scarcity, followed by economic and government operational plans for supporting rural people. However, some people stay in Sistan in spite of the current unpleasant environmental and economic conditions. The results demonstrated cultural and social factors as the main motivations for people remaining in villages. Since the factors could be more challenging under future global warming, adaptive participatory governance is needed to link civil society, authorities, scientists, and the land to develop nature-based and rural-urban migration solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transdisciplinary research often utilizes collaborative ways of knowledge production to enable deliberate transformations towards sustainability. Multiple concepts with varying definitions are applied, leading to confusion in the aims and uses of these concepts. In this article, we review five concepts relevant to the current debate on the new collaborative ways of knowledge production in transdisciplinary research. We focus on the concepts of co‐creation, co‐production, co‐design, co‐learning, and adaptive co‐management in the context of natural resources management (NRM). This study couples a literature review and a conceptual analysis, and aims to clarify definitions, use, the interlinkages of these concepts and to shed light on their intertwined nature. We propose an integrative understanding of the concepts to facilitate collaborative modes and to enable the transformative aims of research processes. To this end, we discuss how to harvest the transformative potential of the "co‐concepts" by focusing on reflexivity, power analysis and process orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, integrated landscape (–seascape) approaches—IL(S)As—have been gaining prominence as holistic, collaborative, and tangible solutions to biodiversity conservation and sustainability challenges. On-the-ground implementation of IL(S)As, however, is a complex task. The Xinshe "Forest–River–Village–Ocean" Eco-Agriculture Initiative (the Xinshe Initiative), established in October 2016 and facilitated by the authors, is an ILSA aimed at the socio-ecological revitalisation of the Xinshe ridge-to-reef landscape–seascape in eastern coastal Taiwan. The objective of this paper is to summarise and demonstrate our experiences with facilitating the Xinshe Initiative over the five-year period (2016–2021). This is a case study participatory action research based on mixed qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Research findings reveal the importance of: (1) locally sensitive boundary setting and checking by the means of inclusive and participatory processes; (2) various facilitation tools and engagement strategies for the continuity of multi-stakeholder interest and engagement; (3) five socio-ecological perspectives of the Satoyama Initiative for determining environmental and socio-economic objectives; (4) regular, consistent, and locally sensitive monitoring and evaluation tools for the effectiveness of adaptive co-management; and (5) enabling conditions (relational, knowledge, and political resources) for promoting the Xinshe ILSA-related experiences "from -scape to scale". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coexistence with large carnivores poses challenges to human well-being, livelihoods, development, resource management, and policy. Even where people and carnivores have historically coexisted, traditional patterns of behavior toward large carnivores may be disrupted by wider processes of economic, social, political, and climate change. Conservation interventions have typically focused on changing behaviors of those living alongside large carnivores to promote sustainable practices. While these interventions remain important, their success is inextricably linked to broader socio-political contexts, including natural resource governance and equitable distribution of conservation-linked costs and benefits. In this context we propose a Theory of Change to identify logical pathways of action through which coexistence with large carnivores can be enhanced. We focus on Africa's dryland landscapes, known for their diverse guild of large carnivores that remain relatively widespread across the continent. We review the literature to understand coexistence and its challenges; explain our Theory of Change, including expected outcomes and pathways to impact; and discuss how our model could be implemented and operationalized. Our analysis draws on the experience of coauthors, who are scientists and practitioners, and on literature from conservation, political ecology, and anthropology to explore the challenges, local realities, and place-based conditions under which expected outcomes succeed or fail. Three pathways to impact were identified: (a) putting in place good governance harmonized across geographic scales; (b) addressing coexistence at the landscape level; and (c) reducing costs and increasing benefits of sharing a landscape with large carnivores. Coordinated conservation across the extensive, and potentially transboundary, landscapes needed by large carnivores requires harmonization of top-down approaches with bottom-up community-based conservation. We propose adaptive co-management approaches combined with processes for active community engagement and informed consent as useful dynamic mechanisms for navigating through this contested space, while enabling adaptation to climate change. Success depends on strengthening underlying enabling conditions, including governance, capacity, local empowerment, effective monitoring, and sustainable financial support. Implementing the Theory of Change requires ongoing monitoring and evaluation to inform adaptation and build confidence in the model. Overall, the model provides a flexible and practical framework that can be adapted to dynamic local socio-ecological contexts.

Wetlands provide critical wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and mitigate the impacts of floods, droughts, and climate change. Yet, they are drained, filled, dredged, and otherwise altered by humans, all of which contribute to their high susceptibility to plant invasions. Given the societal significance of wetlands and the disproportionately large amount of time and money spent controlling invaders in remaining wetlands, a fundamental shift must occur in how we approach restoration of plant-invaded wetlands. The need for more research is often used as an excuse for a lack of progress in invader management but, in fact, constraints to invader management are spread across the science, management, and stakeholder engagement domains. At their intersection are “implementation gap” constraints where the monumental efforts required to bridge the gap among scientists, managers, and community stakeholders are often unassigned, unrewarded, and underestimated. Here we synthesize and present a portfolio of broad structured approaches and specific actions that can be used to advance restoration of plant-invaded wetlands in a diversity of contexts immediately and over the long-term, linking these solutions to the constraints they best address. These solutions can be used by individual managers to chart a path forward when they are daunted by potentially needing to pivot from more familiar management actions to increase efficiency and efficacy in attaining restoration goals. In more complex collaborations with multiple actors, the shared vocabulary presented here for considering and selecting the most appropriate solution will be essential. Of course, every management context is unique (i.e., different constraints are at play) so we advocate that involved parties consider a range of potential solutions, rather than either assuming any single solution to be universally optimal or relying on a solution simply because it is familiar and feasible. Moving rapidly to optimally effective invasive plant management in wetlands may not be realistic, but making steady, incremental progress by implementing appropriate solutions based on clearly identified constraints will be critical to eventually attaining wetland restoration goals.

Drawing on the literature, this paper examines a set of criteria for successful adaptive governance of the commons from an entrepreneurial perspective. These criteria or success factors are definition and boundaries, regulation, learning and training, decision-making processes, and participation of different agents interested in the commons. These success factors are assessed and ranked. Multiple criteria decision analysis is used to assess and rank these success factors of adaptive governance of the commons. More specifically, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to weight each criteria and sub-criteria. This study sheds light on the role of organisational learning and knowledge management in contexts where the commons are at stake. The results indicate that regulation is the most important criterion for adaptive governance of the commons. Correctly establishing decision-making processes and implementing effective learning and training are key success factors of common resource governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewilding can be defined as the reorganisation or regeneration of wildness in an ecologically degraded landscape with minimal ongoing intervention. While proposals for rewilding are increasingly common, they are frequently controversial and divisive amongst stakeholders. If implemented, rewilding initiatives may alter the social-ecological systems within which they are situated and thus generate sudden and unforeseen outcomes. So far, however, much of the discourse on the planning and implementation of rewilding has focused on identifying and mitigating ecological risks. There has been little consideration of how rewilding could alter the human components of the social-ecological systems concerned, nor governance arrangements that can manage these dynamics. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a generic adaptive governance framework tailored to the characteristics of rewilding, based on principles of managing complex social-ecological systems. We integrate two complementary natural resource governance approaches that lend themselves to the contentious and unpredictable characteristics of rewilding. First, adaptive co-management builds stakeholder adaptive capacity through iterative knowledge generation, collaboration and power-sharing, and cross-scale learning networks. Second, social licence to operate establishes trust and transparency between project proponents and communities through new public-private partnerships. The proposed framework includes structural and process elements which incorporate a boundary organisation, a decision-into-practise social learning exercise for planning and design, and participatory evaluation. The latter assesses rewilding outcomes and pre-conditions for the continuation of adaptive governance and conservation conflict resolution.

Marine area-based conservation measures including no-take zones (areas with no fishing allowed) are often designed through lengthy processes that aim to optimize for ecological and social objectives. Their (semi) permanence generates high stakes in what seems like a one-shot game. In this paper, we theoretically and empirically explore a model of short-term area-based conservation that prioritizes adaptive co-management: temporary areas closed to fishing, designed by the fishers they affect, approved by the government, and adapted every 5 years. In this model, no-take zones are adapted through learning and trust-building between fishers and government fisheries scientists. We use integrated social-ecological theory and a case study of a network of such fisheries closures (“fishing refugia”) in northwest Mexico to hypothesize a feedback loop between trust, design, and ecological outcomes. We argue that, with temporary and adaptive area-based management, social and ecological outcomes can be mutually reinforcing as long as initial designs are ecologically “good enough” and supported in the social-ecological context. This type of adaptive management also has the potential to adapt to climate change and other social-ecological changes. This feedback loop also predicts the dangerous possibility that low trust among stakeholders may lead to poor design, lack of ecological benefits, eroding confidence in the tool’s capacity, shrinking size, and even lower likelihood of social-ecological benefits. In our case, however, this did not occur, despite poor ecological design of some areas, likely due to buffering by social network effects and alternative benefits. We discuss both the potential and the danger of temporary area-based conservation measures as a learning tool for adaptive co-management and commoning.

The Galapagos archipelago represents an insular system with finite natural resources, a growing population, and an economy heavily weighted on tourism that leaves it vulnerable to shocks, such as the Covid-19 crisis. This work proposes an alternative scenario developed through creating intersections between water-energy-food (WEF) nexus and adaptive co-management (ACM) approaches to resource management. This framework allows the identification of novel synergies that are applied to the analysis of Galapagos as case study. Within this approach, qualitative analysis is applied to data collected via a set of interviews with local stakeholders (including community, business, third sector, and government actors) to evaluate (i) how a deeper understanding of community perceptions and needs can help to identify pathways toward more sustainable development in line with conservation goals, (ii) what governance frameworks should be implemented to promote community-based resource management and resilience, and (iii) what role education and capacitation can play in supporting alternative forms of economic activity. The research suggests that the implementation of an integrated WEF-ACM framework for resource management in Galapagos could promote resilience by opening a space for deliberation and conflict resolution between legitimate stakeholders, thus supporting more effective and balanced participative governance. The current Covid-19 crisis has led to the emergence of alternative forms of community collaboration that demonstrate the potential for a more economically diverse and more sustainable future. By placing different sources of knowledge on a level platform in such a framework, greater community ownership of resource management and conservation goals could be achieved. The incorporation of an ACM approach within the management of WEF resources would also allow Galapagueños to determine their own vision of a future sustainable socio-ecosystem, based on optimising system outcomes by co-identifying the trade-offs and synergies between the interrelated resource sectors, but requires a transformation in institutional culture.

Gillnets are a widely used fishing gear in Kenya's artisanal fisheries, yet their mesh sizes are inadequately monitored or regulated. This study evaluated the impacts of gillnets of seven stretched-mesh sizes, through comparative analysis of species-related metrics and catch per unit effort (CPUE), to inform Kenya's small-scale fisheries regulations. Data were collected from June 2014 to May 2015. Three mesh-size groups were identified from catch composition data using non-metric multidimensional scaling and comprised small (1.3, 5.1 and 7.6 cm), medium (10.2 and 15.2 cm) and large (20.3 and 25.4 cm) mesh. The dominant species (and their mean lengths) that were caught in the small, medium and large mesh sizes, respectively, were whitespotted rabbitfish Siganus sutor (21.7 cm [SD 5.3]), mackerel tuna Euthynnus affinis (40.8 cm [SD 9.1]) and honeycomb stingray Himantura uarnak (87.3 cm [SD 37.4]). Values of length at first capture (L50) for S. sutor and E. affinis caught with the small and medium mesh sizes were below length at maturity (Lm). Catches of juveniles were proportionately high in the small meshes (61.3–74.2%) and lower in the medium (38.3–50.9%) and large (9.1–36.2%) mesh sizes. Catches with small mesh tended to be species categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, in contrast to catches with large mesh which tended to be Near Threatened or Vulnerable species. Biomass CPUE differed between mesh-size groups, with the small sizes recording low CPUE. The medium sizes caught mid- to high-trophic-level species with high-income returns, displayed moderate CPUE, and had the lowest juvenile retention and capture of threatened species. Medium mesh sizes are therefore recommended for artisanal fisheries, given low trade-offs between ecological impact and fishery returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Columbia River Basin is a complex social‐ecological system, spanning political, legal, socio‐economic, geographic, and biophysical boundaries. Outreach to others in social networks develops fundamental communications needed for sustainable collaborations in adaptive management. However, operationalizing and comparing measures of social processes and outcome success in biophysical indicators remains challenging for resource managers. Using survey‐based research, we examined the interactions for water resource governance of five Columbia River reservoir basins in the northwestern US and Canada: Lakes Chelan, Roosevelt, Pend Oreille, Koocanusa, and člq'etkw (Flathead). Respondents included: water resource professionals working for Tribes/First Nations, federal, state, or provincial departments in water quality and/or fisheries, and people who engage in the networks on behalf of area businesses, government offices, public services, non‐profit organizations, and other entities. Perceived social process metrics in these governance networks included the levels of collaboration and inclusiveness, common goals, common strategies, identifying issues, implementing action, and the adequacy of available scientific data. We evaluated social measures relative to participant‐reported changes in physical lake health indicators. Qualitative data‐enhanced understanding of basin‐specific differences. Correlations of social by ecological measures varied widely between basins. Even moderate to strong functionality parameters did not scale well from individual to cross‐basin levels, as many correlations vanished with data aggregated. However, data analysis at the basin scale revealed important variability across the region in scope and governance functionality. Process indicators such as identifying issues and implementing action yielded stronger relationships for 10‐year horizons than for 2 years, reflecting the lag‐time in resource action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Bull by the Horns” -project initiated landscape management and promoted biodiversity associated with diminishing High Nature Value farmland habitats in Finland. A specific focus was on grazed semi-natural grasslands and wood-pastures which are collectively referred to as traditional rural biotopes (TRBs). Collaboration among project workers, non-farming landowners, and cattle owners reintroduced grazing to abandoned pastures, and management was financed through agri-environmental payments. Using adaptive co-management principles, the project enabled collective definition of integrated site-specific management objectives. A better understanding of contemporary challenges and opportunities to advance TRB management cumulated through incorporation of local actors into collaborative management planning. Authority-driven measures failed to engage locals, but supporting existing networks among landowners and cattle farmers was successful. The project gave insight into good practices on collaborative landscape management, and it proved to be efficient in directing management actions to biologically valuable sites. Due to a short operative period and lack of follow-up procedures, the actual environmental outcomes of established management could not be verified. Concernedly, environmental administration is becoming heavily reliant on projects, which creates further risks because of their short time frames and narrow focus. Functional governance practices that are tested in projects should be consolidated through more permanent resources.

• The analysis offers a detailed case study of knowledge integration and co-production that involves scientific and Indigenous knowledge. • The ethnoecological approach used recognizes that knowledge is entangled with practices and worldviews. • Uneven power relations and dichotomies between knowledge systems form a challenge for co-production processes. • Knowledge outcomes are seen as legitimate and usable if they include terms and meanings that their users recognize. • Practical ethics, continuous reflection, and adaptation and bricolage are paramount in guiding knowledge integration and co-production. Environmental policies that aim to enhance nature conservation, biodiversity, and well-being of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) rely on knowledge integration and co-production processes that include both science and Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) systems. While these processes are expected to safeguard the diversity of knowledge systems, uneven power relations among participants often prevent them from achieving this which can affect the legitimacy and usability of the outcomes of these processes. Using a case study in the Acre state (Brazil), where policy practitioners implemented the REDD + policy System of Incentives for Ecosystem Services in the Brazilian Kaxinawá Nova Olinda Indigenous Land, we investigate how participants manage challenges to safeguard knowledge diversity and usability during policy assessment and planning. Our findings show how, despite the use of participatory approaches, knowledge diversity ended up being compromised because policy practitioners were insufficiently attentive to power asymmetries and their implications. This, however, did not negatively affect the usability of the knowledge outcomes. Rather than focusing on the perfection of participatory methods, we call for a practical ethics that relies on culturally and ethically sensitive dialogues and that include continuous reflection. Such reflection will enable adaptation and improvisation to be able to respond to emerging power dynamics in an adequate and timely manner, thereby ensuring both the legitimacy and the usability of the outcomes of knowledge integration and co-production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating conservation and sustainable development is difficult, but organisations charged with this mandate must move forward with implementation. Adaptive Co-Management (ACM), an approach that brings together the learning function of adaptation with the linking function of collaboration, has been identified as a promising way to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development without compromising conservation efforts. We examine four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs) to better understand the extent to which they exhibit characteristics of ACM integrated conservation and sustainable development and gain insights into how they do so. We find that the BRs we studied in Canada and Sweden undertake a substantial number of activities strongly oriented towards integration of conservation and development objectives. These activities involve a wide variety of actors in both on-the-ground implementation efforts and decision-making activities, create novel spaces for interaction among participants which contributes to their bridging ability, and draw on social networks, available assets and individuals' contributions to enable actions in pursuit of their integrative mandate. Insights into these activities and how they were undertaken can offer lessons for future practice and research within the World Biosphere Reserve Network, as well as conservation organisations more broadly. Although we demonstrate that significant efforts are being made towards integration of conservation and development, we nonetheless suggest that further studies should explicitly investigate if and how such integration actually lead to more desirable social and ecological outcomes.

Information and collaboration patterns embedded in social networks play key roles in multilevel and polycentric modes of governance. However, modeling the dynamics of such social networks in multilevel settings has been seldom addressed in the literature. Here we use an adaptive social network model to elaborate the interplay between a central and a local government in order to maintain a polycentric governance. More specifically, our analysis explores in what ways specific policy choices made by a central agent affect the features of an emerging social network composed of local organizations and local users. Using two types of stylized policies, adaptive co-management and adaptive one-level management, we focus on the benefits of multi-level adaptive cooperation for network management. Our analysis uses viability theory to explore and to quantify the ability of these policies to achieve specific network properties. Viability theory gives the family of policies that enables maintaining the polycentric governance unlike optimal control that gives a unique blueprint. We found that the viability of the policies can change dramatically depending on the goals and features of the social network. For some social networks, we also found a very large difference between the viability of the adaptive one-level management and adaptive co-management policies. However, results also show that adaptive co-management doesn’t always provide benefits. Hence, we argue that applying viability theory to governance networks can help policy design by analyzing the trade-off between the costs of adaptive co-management and the benefits associated with its ability to maintain desirable social network properties in a polycentric governance framework.

Uncertainty and disturbance from the external world challenge the sustainable development of cities. With the rise of tourism and global economic change, tourism and urban development have become intertwined. This study develops a macro–micro hierarchical resilience measurement model for tourism city from a resident perception-based perspective. Using Sanya, on China's Hainan province, as a case, rigorous procedures were followed for measurement development. First, a measurement scale was designed. Thereafter, exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) was conducted to explore the multidimensionality of each domain, and bifactor-exploratory structural equation modelling (bifactor-ESEM) was carried out to identify the overarching construct of city tourism resilience. From both a macro level and a micro level, with five domains (social, economy, environment, institution and knowledge), ten overarching factors addressing the resilience structure of urban tourism destination were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This article explores the prospects for adaptive governance in a proposed marine transboundary conservation initiative in East Africa. Adaptive governance that involves interdependent state and non-state actors learning and taking action on joint environmental problems is suggested for effective transboundary resource governance. Using the concept of adaptive co-management, the current multi-stakeholder marine governance systems in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania are compared to illuminate opportunities and constraints for adaptive marine transboundary conservation governance between Kenya and Tanzania. The concept of networks and the formal method of social network analysis (SNA) are applied as the main methodological device. Using questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, social network data of 70 organizations (local resources users, government agencies and NGOs) was generated from Kenya (n = 33) and Tanzania (n = 37). Results show the existence of strong collaboration networks for marine resource governance in both Kenya and Tanzania. Social proximity is the common driver of network formation. Collaboration networks in Kenya and Tanzania have contributed to enhanced learning among marine resource managers. Conclusions point to the need to focus on common challenges relating to low levels of rule-compliance, limited access to information on the state of resources and poor integration of science into marine management decisions. Finally, differences in views regarding the state of marine ecosystems need to be addressed to improve prospects for joint problem-solving in marine transboundary conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resource management (NRM) has been increasingly guided by governance arrangements seeking less centralized and hierarchical and more integrated and adaptive approaches to achieve desired social-ecological outcomes. Successful implementation of these approaches requires adaptive learning which entails the application of individual, institutional and social learning to adaptive co-management. This paper proposes and validates a conceptual model that identifies components of adaptive learning and their relationships with desired NRM outcomes. Supported by on-ground experience of Australian NRM planners, it discusses three key insights to enable bridging between adaptive learning and NRM outcomes: changing focus away from economic-efficiency culture, supporting learning and knowledge exchange structures, and reinventing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Urban green infrastructure (UGI) and nature-based solutions are increasingly recognized as instruments to address urban sustainability challenges, yet rely on a good understanding of complex social-ecological system (SES) to function adequately. Adaptive co-management (ACM), engaging a broad variety of stakeholders in collaborative learning, is an effective strategy to improve the resilience of a SES. However, ACM studies have been criticized for neglecting the urban context, while also offering little clarity on process objectives and outcomes. To address these knowledge gaps, while also drawing attention to the important issue of socially inclusive UGI development, we present a guiding framework and approach to encourage the ACM of UGI featuring two main components. Firstly, a Learning Alliance (LA) serves as an instrument for collaborative learning and experimentation across different scales. To facilitate upscaling, we propose to establish a complementary Urban Learning Lab (ULL) to facilitate a regular exchange between the LA and legitimate peripheral networks and stakeholders in the city region. Secondly, a stepwise approach to SES analysis serves to engage a representative group of stakeholders in the LAs and ULLs, and support the processes of setting LA objectives and monitoring of adaptive capacity. We illustrate our approach to the ACM of UGI with a case study of LivadaLAB in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Applying the framework and approach, we demonstrate increased adaptive capacity of the SES around UGI as indicated by: 1) improved overall stakeholder salience, in particular for previously disempowered actor groups, 2) increased number and strength of connections between stakeholders, and 3) the consideration of a broader range of sustainable development objectives by stakeholders in their daily practice. Highlights • Learning Alliances are a suitable tool for adaptive co-management. • Urban Learning Labs facilitate the upscaling of co-produced knowledge. • Tools for stakeholder analysis can be used to analyse adaptive capacity. • The Stakeholder Monitoring Graph visualizes stakeholder empowerment over time. • The collaborative learning platforms resulted in double- and triple-loop learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rural landscapes of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta have undergone a dramatic change, where flood management and adaptation are at the forefront. This article investigates how these synergies facilitate policy change. Drawing on qualitative information from the literature, focus group discussions, and interviews, the article argues that there are confrontational but complementary effects between them, which evolve towards adaptive co-management. Collaborative learning between local governments and farmers enables shared understanding of water management drawbacks, leading to policy change. The article recommends that more attention be given to this approach to guide strategic water policy development in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Landscapes and territories are entwined in an adaptive social-ecological system. • Social-ecological networks of multiple space-time scales co-produce a landscape. • Networks have agency to shape landscapes via knowledge, practices and worldviews. • Landscape approaches may balance trade-offs between local and global needs. • Integrated landscape assessments include diverse disciplines, knowledges and needs. Abstract Landscape approaches are prominent in current policy debates about how to achieve ecological, economic and social sustainability. These approaches assess local social-ecological contexts to plan adaptive management and often include indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC). An important aim of landscape approaches is to integrate different scientific disciplines, indigenous and local knowledge systems (ILK) and Western science, and global and local needs. In practice, such integration tends to favor globalized knowledge models and global needs over local ones. This article introduces a Territorial Social-Ecological Networks (TSEN) Framework for an integrated assessment of landscape settings and dynamics to overcome such tendencies. We argue that both scientific knowledge and ILK are entwined with practice and informed by worldviews. Moreover, these assemblages of knowledges-practice-worldviews are produced by social and ecological interrelations (or networks) that shape human appropriation of territory. We use an approach of methodological bricolage to apply the TSEN Framework to the case of the Brazilian Malhada Grande Maroon Territory. The results highlight how social-ecological networks of different space-time scales co-produce landscapes. Trade-offs and synergies between global and local needs are also discussed and used to identify priority needs that can be addressed by a landscape approach in the area. The analysis suggests that the TSEN Framework may be used by both scientists and practitioners to perform environmental assessments that are inclusive of social and ecological disciplines, of local and Western scientific knowledge, and of global and local needs in a landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following severe flooding in 2007, a decision was taken in 2012 to explore nature‐based solutions in 250‐km2 river catchment in the southern Cotswolds in the United Kingdom. The project involves working with landowners to create in channel, riparian, field, and woodland structures aimed at attenuating high flows or increasing infiltration rates to reduce flood risk. After 3 years, it is clear that the threshold for effectiveness requires the implementation of measures throughout large areas of the upstream catchment. Early results suggest that social, as well as natural, capital has been enhanced through the project. What is clear is the beneficial role of working with multiple stakeholders to implement natural flood management on a catchment wide scale. In this sense, the project has adopted a comanagement approach that brings together the knowledge of hydrologists, ecologists, farmers, woodland owners, and the local community to implement locally agreed solutions within a broader project framework. This paper will outline the initial findings and the governance structure within a theoretical framework of comanagement and suggest how this type of framework is suitable for a range of nature‐based solutions across Europe. However, the challenge remains in capturing the multiple benefits that such projects offer as these are often missed through conventional approaches such as cost–benefit analysis. The paper concludes by presented along with a potential way forward for a proof of concept for nature‐based solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, adaptive co‐management has been recommended as a policy framework to address complex and uncertain resources management issues. Implementing this theoretical management concept requires the integration of multidisciplinary research and local knowledge. Yet practical protocols to link science, policymaking and societies have yet to be developed. We designed a protocol to produce legitimate, credible and relevant solutions to a regional resources management issue. This is a two‐component protocol. A stakeholder grid categorizes stakeholder representatives in three distinct specialized dialogue arenas: institution representatives, technical experts and local end‐users. An iterative co‐design process then builds on these arenas to assess the institutional legitimacy, technical credibility and empirical relevance dimensions of a common solution initiated by an initial plausible promise. We tested this framework in Réunion to address organic waste management issues at the regional level. The plausible solution explored was the introduction of a recycling industry involved in collecting organic waste and producing and selling organic fertilizers tailored for local crop systems. The protocol application outcomes were consolidated and documented scenarios accepted by all, with knowledge exchange and the broad spread of a stabilized expectation contributing to private initiatives and public policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ecosystem Services provision is, in part, closely linked to biodiversity and forest cover. • We analyse forest cover data for 4 countries that experience armed conflicts in the last 20 years. • The results show alarming forest loss right after armed conflicts end. • We propose adaptive co-management to address governance challenges during the transition period. Abstract Ecosystem Services are commonly understood as the goods and services people obtain from nature, such as carbon sequestration, provision of food and fibres, pollination, etc. The provision of these services is in part closely related to the level of biodiversity in a region. Since some forested regions are considered biodiversity hotspots, the loss of such forested areas would affect the provision of ecosystem services. Among others, expansion of the agricultural frontier, demand for timber, weak enforcement of environmental regulations, or illegal logging are some of the key factors contributing to forest loss. These factors can be supported or enhanced during or after periods of extreme social instability such as armed conflicts or wars. Analyzing forest cover data for four different countries that have experienced armed conflicts in the recent past (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast and Peru), we seek to understand the influence of armed conflicts in ecosystem services provision, aiming to identify social, political and institutional drivers. Our four case studies show that at the end of their armed conflicts, on an average there was a 68.08% increase of annual forest loss in the five years following the end of conflict, as compared to the worldwide 7.20% mean. We identified inappropriate governance and institutional arrangements as the key driver during the transition period. We argue that as part of a family of bottom-up approaches, the adaptiveco-management approach is a promising option to deal with similar situations in the future, helping to keep a sustainable provision of ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper combines the Social-Ecological System (SES), the Driving Forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) and Adaptive Co-management frameworks to provide practical guidelines to address environmental issues facing surf breaks. We applied these frameworks to Bahía de Todos Santos World Surfing Reserve (BTSWSR), located in Ensenada, Baja California in northern Mexico. We gathered information through a literature review and a review of activities undertaken by the BTSWSR Local Stewardship Council (LSC) together with the local community (Ensenada town), regional and international environmental organizations, and government agencies. We also conducted participatory meetings with different stakeholders between 2014 and 2017. The SES framework provides the analytical perspective to have a better understanding of the multiple interactions among elements of the social and ecological systems to influence the opportunities for conservation strategies. DPSIR allows us to identify specific anthropogenic pressures threatening surf breaks within BTSWSR, their impact on the environment, and actual or possible responses to human activities, facilitating the development of an adaptive co-management plan. By combining these frameworks, we were able to describe the interactions between human and natural systems in BTSWSR, and we provide initial directions to improve the understanding of the anthropogenic activities affecting surf breaks, and targeted responses to address environmental impacts to the system. The surf break conservation and management framework presented in this paper is based on a transdisciplinary approach that emphases the need to address socio-environmental issues through openness to new forms of scientific and place-based knowledge. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • We present an integrated transdisciplinary framework to improve coastal management. • We combine SES, DPSIR, and Adaptive Co-management approaches. • The combined framework is applied to Bahia Todos Santos World Surf Reserve. • Integrating scientific and place-based knowledge improves surf break management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]