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Jayne Glass1, Alister Scott2 and Martin Price1

1 Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College UHI Millennium Institute 2 Birmingham City University

Global Change and the World’s Moutains Conference Wednesday 29th September 2010

Knowledge systems and mountain sustainability concerns

Beyond the usual suspects?

The role of expert knowledge in sustainability indicator development for Scotland’s upland estates

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Outline

• Research context

• Methodology

• A toolkit for sustainable upland estate management

• Using the toolkit

• Reflections

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Research context I

Upland estate management in Scotland

• Diverse models (Warren 2009) • Uncertain futures (Reed et al. 2009) • Uncertainty about sustainability ‘on the ground’

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Research context II

Sustainable upland management

• Conflicts between sustainability principles present a stumbling

block (Jordan 2008) • ‘Learning from doing’ (Berkes 2009;

Ioris et al. 2008) • Integrating approaches and

interests (Bonn et al. 2009)

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Research context III

Sustainability indicators for natural resource management

• ‘Top-down’ vs. ‘bottom-up’

approaches (Reed et al. 2006) • Local experience and values of

relevant stakeholders (Holden 2008) • ‘Governance thinking’ (Rist et al.2007) • Wider range of actors (Holman 2009)

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Methodology I

Estate management professionals

Academics & consultants

NGOs & other interest groups

Government agencies &

other bodies

Representative bodies

Land Agents

Landowners Land managers

LINK

RICS

SRPBA

SAC

Relu programme

Consultants International

Scottish Government

DCS

Sustainable Development Commission

CNPA

RSPB NTS

JMT

Moorland Forum

Southern Uplands Partnership

PanelPanel

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Methodology II

Round One: Establishing a context for

sustainability Compiling and feeding back ideas

Redrafting and piloting the toolkit

Developing second draft

Developing first draft

Round Two: Discussing practical

management strategies

Round Four: Reflecting on the second

draft

Round Three: Reflecting on the first draft

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Sustainability classes

Creativity

Innovation

Novel approaches

Leadership

Pre-empting change

Positive impacts

Sound science

A long-term view

Willing to collaborate

Adapting to change

Maintaining a status quo

A short-term view

Unwilling to collaborate

Not responding to change

Managing for personal preference

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Outcomes and opportunities

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Adapting management

Broadening options

Ecosystem thinking

Linking into social fabric

Thinking beyond the

estate

►Developing and implementing long-term management plans for all aspects of estate management

► Developing long-term income streams to cope with shocks

► Maintaining and enhancing environments for priority habitats and species ► Restoring key habitats

► Playing a role in delivering community aspirations ► Involving communities in estate decision-making and management

► Reducing carbon-focussed impacts of estate activities ► Supporting local trades, suppliers and markets

► Adapting management on the basis of sound knowledge and understanding

► Adding value to estate products and services

► Maximising the carbon storage potential of the estate ► Maintaining and enhancing catchments to good ecological condition ► Conserving and protecting landscapes and upland cultural heritage

► Facilitating employment and people development opportunities

► Involvement in planning and delivery beyond the estate scale ► Sharing knowledge and learning from others

Long-term planning

Economic resilience and

financial viability

A biodiverse environment

Improved quality of life and

representation

Environmentally and socially responsible

business(es)

Risk management Customer-led

approach

Well-maintained and enhanced

ecosystem services

Improved livelihood

opportunities

External collaboration and

dialogue

Adapting management

►Developing and implementing long-term management plans for all aspects of estate management

► Adapting management on the basis of sound knowledge and understanding

Long-term planning

Risk management

Proactive

Active

Under-active

!

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Using the toolkit

• Management plans and other documentation

• In-depth interview with estate representative

• Triangulating data

• Feeding back

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Reflections

• Creating a deliberative space for reflection and learning

• A qualitative tool that facilitates monitoring and learning

•Building on sustainability perceptions

• Active role of the researcher in stimulating knowledge generation for sustainability

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For more information about the research, please contact: jayne.glass@perth.uhi.ac.uk

References Berkes, F., 2009. Evolution of co-management: Role of knowledge generation, bridging organizations and social learning. Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 1692-1702.

Holman, N., 2009. Incorporating local sustainability indicators into structures of local governance: a review of the literature. Local Environment, 14 (4), 365-375.

Ioris, A.A.R., Hunter, C. and Walker, S., 2008. The development and application of water management sustainability indicators in Brazil and Scotland. Journal of Environmental Management, 88 (4), 1190-1201.

Jordan, A., 2008. The governance of sustainable development: taking stock and looking forwards. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 26, 17-33.

Reed, M.S. et al., 2006. An adaptive learning process for developing and applying sustainability indicators with local communities. Ecological Economics, 59(4), 406-418.

Reed, M.S., et al., 2009. The future of the uplands. Land Use Policy, 26S, S204-S216.

Warren, C., 2009. Managing Scotland’s Environment. Second edition. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.

Thank you