Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004, Australia.
Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004, Australia; Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004, Australia.
J Environ Manage. 2016 Dec 1;183(Pt 3):864-874. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.09.038. Epub 2016 Sep 21.
Effective conservation requires knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers to enable learning and support evidence-based decision-making. Efforts to improve knowledge exchange have been hindered by a paucity of empirically-grounded guidance to help scientists and practitioners design and implement research programs that actively facilitate knowledge exchange. To address this, we evaluated the Ningaloo Research Program (NRP), which was designed to generate new scientific knowledge to support evidence-based decisions about the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia. Specifically, we evaluated (1) outcomes of the NRP, including the extent to which new knowledge informed management decisions; (2) the barriers that prevented knowledge exchange among scientists and managers; (3) the key requirements for improving knowledge exchange processes in the future; and (4) the core capacities that are required to support knowledge exchange processes. While the NRP generated expansive and multidisciplinary science outputs directly relevant to the management of the Ningaloo Marine Park, decision-makers are largely unaware of this knowledge and little has been integrated into decision-making processes. A range of barriers prevented efficient and effective knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers including cultural differences among the groups, institutional barriers within decision-making agencies, scientific outputs that were not translated for decision-makers and poor alignment between research design and actual knowledge needs. We identify a set of principles to be implemented routinely as part of any applied research program, including; (i) stakeholder mapping prior to the commencement of research programs to identify all stakeholders, (ii) research questions to be co-developed with stakeholders, (iii) implementation of participatory research approaches, (iv) use of a knowledge broker, and (v) tailored knowledge management systems. Finally, we articulate the individual, institutional and financial capacities that must be developed to underpin successful knowledge exchange strategies.
有效的保护需要科学家和决策者之间的知识交流，以实现学习并支持基于证据的决策。改善知识交流的努力受到阻碍，因为缺乏经验性的指导，无法帮助科学家和从业人员设计和实施积极促进知识交流的研究计划。为了解决这个问题，我们评估了宁加洛研究计划（NRP），该计划旨在生成新的科学知识，以支持关于管理澳大利亚西北部宁加洛海洋公园的基于证据的决策。具体来说，我们评估了（1）NRP 的结果，包括新知识在多大程度上为管理决策提供信息；（2）阻碍科学家和管理者之间知识交流的障碍；（3）未来改善知识交流过程的关键要求；以及（4）支持知识交流过程所需的核心能力。虽然 NRP 生成了与宁加洛海洋公园管理直接相关的广泛和多学科的科学成果，但决策者对这些知识知之甚少，而且很少将其纳入决策过程。一系列障碍阻碍了科学家和决策者之间的有效和高效的知识交流，包括两个群体之间的文化差异、决策机构内部的制度障碍、没有为决策者翻译的科学产出以及研究设计与实际知识需求之间的不匹配。我们确定了一套原则，作为任何应用研究计划的常规实施部分，包括：（i）在研究计划开始之前进行利益相关者映射，以确定所有利益相关者；（ii）与利益相关者共同制定研究问题；（iii）实施参与式研究方法；（iv）使用知识经纪人；以及（v）定制知识管理系统。最后，我们阐明了必须发展的个人、机构和财务能力，以支持成功的知识交流战略。
