Challenges and Rewards of Trans- Disciplinary Collaboration To Sustain Ecosystem Services Christine Feurt Ph.D. Wells National Estuarine Research

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1 Challenges and Rewards of Trans- Disciplinary Collaboration To Sustain Ecosystem Services Christine Feurt Ph.D. Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve & University of New England

2 Beyond Disciplines Multidisciplinarity draws on knowledge from different disciplines but stays within their boundaries. Interdisciplinarity analyzes, synthesizes and harmonizes links between disciplines into a coordinated and coherent whole. Transdisciplinarity integrates the natural and social sciences and the humanities and transcends their traditional boundaries with the possibility of producing new perspectives. Manfredo et al, Understanding Society and Natural Resources, Forging New Strands of Integration Across the Social Sciences. Available open access from Springer

3 Challenge Use Ecosystem Service Valuation to model a new paradigm of research in the NERRS that integrates ecological and social sciences within an Ecosystem-based Management framework

4 Moving Knowledge to Action Using knowledge of ecosystem service values and tradeoffs to inform decision making to sustain what people care about Collaborative Learning PRODUCTS OF SCIENCE Data/Models Ecosystem Assessments Choice Experiments Ecosystem Service Valuation Perceptual Barriers Institutional Barriers Disciplinary Barriers POLICY AND MANAGEMENT Actions to sustain & restore Riparian Buffer Ecosystem services Applying Social Science Tools Stakeholder Analysis Institutional Analysis Cultural Analysis (Feurt, 2007)

5 Community-based Ecosystem Management Theory, Principles and Practices for sustaining ecosystems and the communities dependent upon them (Meffe et al., 2002) 1. Sustainable: An approach to maintaining or restoring natural and modified ecosystems to sustain the provision of benefits and services that people want and need (ecosystem services). 2. Place-based: Make the places we live, work and play noticeably better today and in the future. 3. Holistic: Based upon a collaboratively developed vision of desired future outcomes that integrates ecological, social, and economic perspectives.

6 The Stakeholder Network working to sustain Riparian Buffers in the Little River Watershed Maine Geological Survey Maine Coastal Program Maine Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Maine Sea Grant Maine Drinking Water Program Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maine Department of Environmental Protection Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission Mt A to the Sea Conservation Initiative Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge University of New England Laudholm Trust Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership Town of Wells, Planning Department Town of Sanford, Planning Department Town of Kennebunk Planning Department

7 The Kaleidoscope of Expertise Engaged in sustaining ecosystem services Regulations, Ordinances & Enforcement Land Conservation Planning & Land Use Management Drinking/Source Water Protection Engineering Public Works and Wastewater (Feurt, 2007) Science: Water Research & Monitoring Education & Community Outreach Citizen & Business Watershed Stewardship

8 Challenge Responding to a locally articulated need to make a stronger case for natural resource protection based upon economic as well as ecological arguments (2009) What does an economic argument sound like?...in the long run, the economics of natural resources and the environment is as important to our well-being as the economics of money and banking Robert Solow Nobel Prize Economist

9 Preconceived notions about economics are often wrong An economic benefit or value is something that makes at least one person better off. Values are provided by ecosystem services (non-market). Money transactions are not required for economic values. A large proportion of the benefit from environmental policy is in the form of non-market value.

10 Ecosystem Service Values and Tradeoffs for Riparian Buffers in the Little River Watershed: A Choice Experiment Dr. Robert J. Johnston Director, George Perkins Marsh Institute Professor, Department of Economics Clark University Economic valuation of ecosystem services quantifies the human benefit or value provided by natural systems.

11 Choices for Our Land and Water Quantifying Non-Market Values through a Choice Experiment What do 1,000 + residents of Sanford, Wells and Kennebunk, Maine think about riparian buffers and what choices are they willing to make to protect them?

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13 Describing the Situation

14 The Survey 3816 surveys mailed to randomly selected residents of Kennebunk, Sanford and Wells. Sampled all residents of the Little River Watershed. Out of 3472 deliverable surveys, 1126 were returned for a response rate of 32.4%.

15 Example Choice Question

16 Illustrative Scenario Attribute No Change Option A Option B Land Condition 85% 90% 95% River Condition 55% 60% 65% Recreational Fish 55% 65% 65% Swim Safety 85% 85% 88% Setbacks Enforcement No Change Increased Increased Cost per Year $0 $25 $45 Predicted Vote 22% 48% 30%

17 Survey Summary and Conclusions 1. There is considerable support and value for restoration and protection of buffers. 2. Most residents support greater development restrictions and more enforcement to obtain improvements in land and water. 3. Results can be used to predict the types of programs that residents would support most strongly. 4. Findings challenge common preconceptions.

18 Rewards are just beginning Increasing the impact of NERRS science with targeted communication, restoration projects and collaborative research designed to support stakeholder s work protecting the things people care about and value

19 Developing competencies and best practices for the new research paradigm in the NERRS

20 Trainings Developed Working Together to Get Things Done 9 trainings delivered nationwide to NERRS Qualitative Research Methods Course Webinar Delivered Winter 2013 Mental Modeling to Improve Communication of Science Course Webinar under development Fall 2014 Bridging the Gulfs Two-day training: Maine September 2014 Texas January 2015

21 Panel and Audience Dialogue Barriers and bridges to ecosystem service valuation for restoration practice and policy

22 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves Mission: To practice and promote coastal and estuarine stewardship through innovative research and education, using a system of protected areas.

23 Challenges posed in NERRS Strategic Plan & Addressed through this Project Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate tools and practices using Reserves as a living laboratory/platform for research in coastal management Characterize coastal watersheds and estuary ecosystems and quantify ecosystem services to support ecosystem-based management of natural and built communities.

24 Challenges posed in NERRS Strategic Plan & Addressed through this Project Lead collaborative projects that connect scientists with intended users from problem definition through implementation. Build reserve capacity to conduct and use social science. Expand training for coastal decision makers

25 Moving Knowledge to Action Using knowledge of ecosystem service values and tradeoffs to inform decision making to sustain what people care about Collaborative Learning PRODUCTS OF SCIENCE Data/Models Ecosystem Assessments Choice Experiments Ecosystem Service Valuation Perceptual Barriers Institutional Barriers Disciplinary Barriers POLICY AND MANAGEMENT Actions to sustain & restore Riparian Buffer Ecosystem services Applying Social Science Tools Stakeholder Analysis Institutional Analysis Cultural Analysis (Feurt, 2007)

26 Collaborative Research in the NERRS Facilitates Boundary Spanning Salience, Credibility, Legitimacy and Boundaries: Linking Research, Assessment and Decision Making David Cash, William Clark, Frank Alcock, Nancy Dickson, Noelle Eckley, and Jill Jäger November

27 Moving knowledge to action requires information that is Credible authoritative, believable, and trusted Salient - relevant to decision making bodies or the public Legitimate created through a process viewed as fair and considerate of appropriate values, concerns, and perspectives of different actors Cash et al, 2002

28 Reflections and the path ahead Responding to diverse user groups for research findings: NOAA, NERRS, Maine Stakeholders, landowners Survey response and Watershed Moment event Translating research results into usable elements

29 Collaborative Learning Projects Dr. Christine Feurt