Transforming conservation science and practice for a postnormal world

Matthew J. Colloff*, Sandra Lavorel, Lorrae E. van Kerkhoff, Carina A. Wyborn, Ioan Fazey, Russell Gorddard, Georgina M. Mace, Wendy B. Foden, Michael Dunlop, I. Colin Prentice, John Crowley, Paul Leadley, Patrick Degeorges

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    98 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We examine issues to consider when reframing conservation science and practice in the context of global change. New framings of the links between ecosystems and society are emerging that are changing peoples’ values and expectations of nature, resulting in plural perspectives on conservation. Reframing conservation for global change can thus be regarded as a stage in the evolving relationship between people and nature rather than some recent trend. New models of how conservation links with transformative adaptation include how decision contexts for conservation can be reframed and integrated with an adaptation pathways approach to create new options for global-change-ready conservation. New relationships for conservation science and governance include coproduction of knowledge that supports social learning. New processes for implementing adaptation for conservation outcomes include deliberate practices used to develop new strategies, shift world views, work with conflict, address power and intergenerational equity in decisions, and build consciousness and creativity that empower agents to act. We argue that reframing conservation for global change requires scientists and practitioners to implement approaches unconstrained by discipline and sectoral boundaries, geopolitical polarities, or technical problematization. We consider a stronger focus on inclusive creation of knowledge and the interaction of this knowledge with societal values and rules is likely to result in conservation science and practice that meets the challenges of a postnormal world.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1008-1017
    Number of pages10
    JournalConservation Biology
    Volume31
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Oct 2017

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