Resilient Biodiversity Conservation: Working with Social–Ecological Connections to Navigate Crises

TL;DR

This paper explores how building connections in conservation can help manage biodiversity in changing and crisis-prone landscapes.

Contribution

The paper introduces a research agenda focused on strengthening social-ecological connections to enhance conservation resilience.

Findings

Connections across land uses and governance levels are crucial for conservation resilience.

Strengthening societal support and collaboration can aid recovery after disruptions.

Temporal shifts in connections inform new approaches to conservation in dynamic landscapes.

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation needs to adjust and keep adjusting to changing conditions. This is largely a matter of connections—across land uses, between people and the landscapes they inhabit, and between sectors and governance levels. Connections play an important role in shaping landscape dynamics and in the ability of conservation practitioners to be able to draw on resources outside their often limited mandates or authority. Focusing on disruptions, in this study, we discuss the current understanding of three interlinked aspects of conservation where active work with building and strengthening connections can help make recovery easier: landscape cohesion, societal appreciation and support for conservation, and the ability to rewire collaborations and bridge organizational and administrative boundaries. Specifically, we highlight how emerging insights on temporal shifts in connections, from spatial ecology to environmental psychology and crisis preparedness, inform and outline a research agenda for better situating conservation in complex landscapes undergoing frequent changes and disruptions.

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