Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states
Abstract Supporting biodiversity conservation in an effective and sustainable way requires addressing biodiversity loss while satisfying the dependency of people on nature. Critical to this goal is to understand how the benefits and services delivered by ecosystems influence human values, and how th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10783 |
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| author | K. C. Zoeller G. S. Smith A. Coggan D. Grainger N. J. Grigg K. Szetey |
| author_facet | K. C. Zoeller G. S. Smith A. Coggan D. Grainger N. J. Grigg K. Szetey |
| author_sort | K. C. Zoeller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Supporting biodiversity conservation in an effective and sustainable way requires addressing biodiversity loss while satisfying the dependency of people on nature. Critical to this goal is to understand how the benefits and services delivered by ecosystems influence human values, and how these values can be leveraged to promote equitable economic, social and environmental outcomes. However, these values are challenging to capture in complex social‐ecological systems, particularly when the values are not consistent among different groups of stakeholders. We examined the values associated with Box Gum Grassy Woodland agro‐ecological systems in Australia, focusing on two key stakeholder groups that influence management decisions: farmers and ecological specialists. Using a state‐and‐transition model as a boundary object, we identified various dimensions of values—instrumental, intrinsic and relational—across four distinct states of the Box Gum Grassy Woodland: Grassy Woodland, Native Pastures, Crops and Sown/Fertilised Pastures and Revegetated Areas. We found that both groups of stakeholders identified multiple dimensions of values, although the intensity of values (i.e., the total number of values) associated with different states varied significantly—the values of ecological specialist respondents were concentrated in intact Grassy Woodlands, whereas the values of farmer respondents were concentrated in Native Pastures. These results demonstrate that ecological systems influence the values that are generated in human communities, and these values are likely to result in actions that may promote or diminish the presence of certain values. Characterising values and analysing their distribution between ecosystem states for different groups of stakeholders can offer valuable insights into the dynamics of human‐nature interactions and the values that influence human behaviour which can directly transform nature. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2822799c2d5b4a9682160921ff2c8448 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj-art-2822799c2d5b4a9682160921ff2c84482025-02-06T05:27:38ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142025-02-017243444810.1002/pan3.10783Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem statesK. C. Zoeller0G. S. Smith1A. Coggan2D. Grainger3N. J. Grigg4K. Szetey5CSIRO Environment EcoSciences Precinct Brisbane Queensland AustraliaCSIRO Environment Sandy Bay Tasmania AustraliaCSIRO Environment EcoSciences Precinct Brisbane Queensland AustraliaCSIRO Environment Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovation Precinct Townsville Queensland AustraliaCSIRO, Black Mountain Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaCSIRO, Black Mountain Canberra Australian Capital Territory AustraliaAbstract Supporting biodiversity conservation in an effective and sustainable way requires addressing biodiversity loss while satisfying the dependency of people on nature. Critical to this goal is to understand how the benefits and services delivered by ecosystems influence human values, and how these values can be leveraged to promote equitable economic, social and environmental outcomes. However, these values are challenging to capture in complex social‐ecological systems, particularly when the values are not consistent among different groups of stakeholders. We examined the values associated with Box Gum Grassy Woodland agro‐ecological systems in Australia, focusing on two key stakeholder groups that influence management decisions: farmers and ecological specialists. Using a state‐and‐transition model as a boundary object, we identified various dimensions of values—instrumental, intrinsic and relational—across four distinct states of the Box Gum Grassy Woodland: Grassy Woodland, Native Pastures, Crops and Sown/Fertilised Pastures and Revegetated Areas. We found that both groups of stakeholders identified multiple dimensions of values, although the intensity of values (i.e., the total number of values) associated with different states varied significantly—the values of ecological specialist respondents were concentrated in intact Grassy Woodlands, whereas the values of farmer respondents were concentrated in Native Pastures. These results demonstrate that ecological systems influence the values that are generated in human communities, and these values are likely to result in actions that may promote or diminish the presence of certain values. Characterising values and analysing their distribution between ecosystem states for different groups of stakeholders can offer valuable insights into the dynamics of human‐nature interactions and the values that influence human behaviour which can directly transform nature. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10783agro‐ecological landscapesecological specialistsfarmersmanagement decisionsplural values |
| spellingShingle | K. C. Zoeller G. S. Smith A. Coggan D. Grainger N. J. Grigg K. Szetey Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states People and Nature agro‐ecological landscapes ecological specialists farmers management decisions plural values |
| title | Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| title_full | Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| title_fullStr | Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| title_full_unstemmed | Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| title_short | Navigating human‐nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| title_sort | navigating human nature interactions by exploring plural values across ecosystem states |
| topic | agro‐ecological landscapes ecological specialists farmers management decisions plural values |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10783 |
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