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Interviews are a widely used methodology in conservation research. They are flexible, allowing in-depth analysis from a relatively small sample size and place the focus of research on the views of participants. While interviews are a popular method, several critiques have been raised in response to their use, including the lack of transparency in sampling strategy, choice of questions and mode of analysis. In this paper, we analyse the use of interviews in research aimed at making decisions for conservation. Through a structured review of 227 papers, we explore where, why and how interviews were used in the context of conservation decision making The review suggests that interviews are a widely used method for a broad range of purposes. These include gaining ecological and/or socio-economic information on specific conservation issues, understanding knowledge, values, beliefs or decision-making processes of stakeholders, and strengthening research design and output. The review, however, identifies a number of concerns. Researchers are not reporting fully on their interview methodology. Specifically, results indicate that researchers are: failing to provide a rationale as to why interviews are the most suitable method, not piloting the interviews (thus questions may be poorly designed), not outlining ethical considerations, not providing clear guides to analysis and not critically reviewing their use of interviews. Based on the results of the review, we provide a detailed checklist aimed at conservation researchers who wish to use interviews in their research (whether experienced in using the methodology or not), and journal editors and reviewers to ensure the robustness of interview methodology use. © 2018 The Authors. Methods in Ecology and Evolution © 2018 British Ecological Society

1. Interviews are a widely used methodology in conservation research. They are flexible, allowing in-depth analysis from a relatively small sample size and place the focus of research on the views of participants. While interviews are a popular method, several critiques have been raised in response to their use, including the lack of transparency in sampling strategy, choice of questions and mode of analysis. 2. In this paper, we analyse the use of interviews in research aimed at making decisions for conservation. Through a structured review of 227 papers, we explore where, why and how interviews were used in the context of conservation decision making. 3. The review suggests that interviews are a widely used method for a broad range of purposes. These include gaining ecological and/or socio-economic information on specific conservation issues, understanding knowledge, values, beliefs or decision-making processes of stakeholders, and strengthening research design and output. The review, however, identifies a number of concerns. Researchers are not reporting fully on their interview methodology. Specifically, results indicate that researchers are: failing to provide a rationale as to why interviews are the most suitable method, not piloting the interviews (thus questions may be poorly designed), not outlining ethical considerations, not providing clear guides to analysis and not critically reviewing their use of interviews. 4. Based on the results of the review, we provide a detailed checklist aimed at conservation researchers who wish to use interviews in their research (whether experienced in using the methodology or not), and journal editors and reviewers to ensure the robustness of interview methodology use.

The conservation of biodiverse areas around the world has contributed to the protection and recovery of endangered species. This has been the case for 11 species of Galapagos giant tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.) that today are successfully maintained over six islands: Española, Santiago, Pinzon, Isabela, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. A favourable state of conservation will depend however on future development in the islands. In Santa Cruz Island the development of the agricultural areas has encroached on the migratory routes of the southwestern species C. porteri and may be an emergent conflict for tortoise conservation. We investigated the social and ecological inter-linkages using two methods framed under a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) approach: semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to study farmers’ perceptions and attitudinal factors regarding giant tortoises; as well as the associated socio-economic impacts of the conflict. Moreover, we coupled the PRA approach with an ecological assessment of giant tortoises’ population density by performing transect counts during the two yearly phases of giant tortoises’ migration to the lowlands (January to June) and back to the highlands (July to December). Our results indicate that farmers reporting damage and cultivating crops have higher odds of taking actions (fencing and physical actions) towards giant tortoises; regardless of having (or not) a negative perception towards the species. The economic losses for crops and fences averaged 2.8 USD/m2 and 13USD/m, respectively, and provide an initial step to further analyse and characterise the direct and indirect damage costs. Finally, we estimated a density of 76 and 185 individuals of giant tortoises per km2 in the rural area for the lowland and highland migratory phases, respectively. Our approach provides grounded scientific social and ecological information to effectively inform and aid managers, policy and decision makers in the selection of adequate socia, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Interviews are a widely used methodology in conservation research. They are flexible, allowing in-depth analysis from a relatively small sample size and place the focus of research on the views of participants. While interviews are a popular method, several critiques have been raised in response to their use, including the lack of transparency in sampling strategy, choice of questions and mode of analysis. In this paper, we analyse the use of interviews in research aimed at making decisions for conservation. Through a structured review of 227 papers, we explore where, why and how interviews were used in the context of conservation decision making The review suggests that interviews are a widely used method for a broad range of purposes. These include gaining ecological and/or socio-economic information on specific conservation issues, understanding knowledge, values, beliefs or decision-making processes of stakeholders, and strengthening research design and output. The review, however, identifies a number of concerns. Researchers are not reporting fully on their interview methodology. Specifically, results indicate that researchers are: failing to provide a rationale as to why interviews are the most suitable method, not piloting the interviews (thus questions may be poorly designed), not outlining ethical considerations, not providing clear guides to analysis and not critically reviewing their use of interviews. Based on the results of the review, we provide a detailed checklist aimed at conservation researchers who wish to use interviews in their research (whether experienced in using the methodology or not), and journal editors and reviewers to ensure the robustness of interview methodology use., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Les concepts de durabilité (ou développement durable) et de la conservation de la biodiversité visent à la protection des écosystèmes naturels. Bien que les deux concepts soient intrinsèquement liés, les différences pratiques concernant leur conceptualisation et leur mise en ouvre amènent le risque de divergence entre les objectifs de conservation et de la durabilité. Ceci est lié à la compréhension multidimensionnelle du concept de développement durable et aux approches bio-centriques de la conservation, qui ont eu tendance à déconnecter les systèmes humains des systèmes naturels, au lieu de considérer ces premiers comme une partie intégrante des systèmes naturels. Pour surmonter ces défis, il faut comprendre les liens entre les systèmes sociaux et les systèmes écologiques. Cependant, ces liens sont complexes et interagissent à différents niveaux. Simultanément, des processus de gouvernance interagissent à plusieurs à plusieurs échelles (du niveau local au niveau global). La compréhension de ces liens nécessite l'échange et la production de connaissances cohérentes et actionnables; connaissances qui sont idéalement pertinentes dans toutes les disciplines scientifiques, ainsi que pour la société. De cette façon des solutions pratiques, contribuant à la réalisation de la transition vers la durabilité et de la conservation de la biodiversité, peuvent être développées. Par conséquent, des approches inter- et transdisciplinaires sont nécessaires pour produire et combiner les différents types de connaissances, notamment pour combler l’écart entre les connaissances souvent déconnectées générées par les sciences naturelles et sociales. Dans cette thèse, nous adoptons donc une approche inter- et transdisciplinaire afin d’étudier la conservation de la biodiversité et la durabilité des systèmes socio- écologiques. Cette thèse s’appuie sur trois études de cas empiriques effectuées pour étudier les problèmes de conservation et de développement durable dans les îles Galapagos. C, Sustainability and biodiversity conservation aim at the protection and maintenance of natural ecosystems. Although both are inherently related concepts, practical differences in their conceptualization and implementation carry the risk of discrepancies between conservation and sustainability objectives. This is related to the multi-dimensional understanding of the sustainability concept and the bio-centric approaches to conservation that have tended to disconnect human systems instead of considering these as an integral part of natural systems. Overcoming these challenges requires the understanding of the linkages between the social and ecological systems. However, these linkages are complex and interact at different interconnected levels from social to ecological and government processes which are at the same time interacting at several scales, ranging from local to global. Understanding these linkages requires the exchange and generation of cohesive and actionable knowledge that is relevant across scientific disciplines, as well as for society, so that practical solutions contribute to the transition towards sustainability and biodiversity conservation. Consequently, inter and transdisciplinary approaches are required to yield and aggregate knowledge, in particular to bridge the gap between the often-disconnected insights generated by natural and social sciences.I therefore consider it adequate to have a transdisciplinary approach to study biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of social ecological systems. This thesis builds on three empirical case studies to study conservation and sustainability challenges on the Galapagos Islands. In doing so, I used three different participatory methodologies (Delphi-Q-PRA) that either synthesised and/or generated knowledge from a wide variety of Galapagos societal actors. Thus, in Chapter 3, we first characterised the general dynamic inter-linkages and causal relationships of the Galapagos social-ecological system t, Doctorat en Sciences, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

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Conservation discourses change rapidly both at global and local scales. To be able to capture these shifts and the relationships between humans and nature, we focused on a local and iconic conservation case: the Galapagos giant tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.). We used the Q methodology to contextualize conservation for science and decision making and to explore the multidimensionality of the conservation concept in Galapagos. The results indicate four prevailing discourses: (1) Multi-actor governance; (2) giant tortoise and ecosystems conservation; (3) community governance; and (4) market and tourism centred. These findings allow us to identify foreseeable points of disagreement, as well as areas of consensus, and to discuss the implication of the findings to address socio-ecological conservation and sustainability challenges. This can help the different involved stakeholders (managers, scientists and local communities) to the design and apply contextualized conservation actions and policies to contribute to a better sustainable management of the archipelago., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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Recognizing the urgent need for sustainability, we argue that to move beyond the rhetoric and to actually realize sustainable development, it must be considered as a decision-making strategy. We demonstrate that sustainability assessment and sustainability indicators can be powerful decision-supporting tools that foster sustainable development by addressing three sustainability decision-making challenges: interpretation, information-structuring, and influence. Particularly, since the 1990s many substantial and often promising sustainability assessment and sustainability indicators efforts are made. However, better practices and a broader shared understanding are still required. We aim to contribute to that objective by adopting a theoretical perspective that frames SA and SI in the context of sustainable development as a decision-making strategy and that introduces both fields along several essential aspects in a structured and comparable manner. © 2014 by the authors., SCOPUS: re.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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