What is the (potential) place of the social sciences and arts and humanities within the Ecosystem Approach and associated decision making.

1. ‘In, out or shake it all about’:
what is the (potential) place of the social
sciences and arts and humanities within
the Ecosystem Approach and associated
decision making.
Chris Short, Owain Jones and Jane Mills (CCRI)
RGS 2013

2. Nature & Society links
• Strong in the Malawi principles (MEA 2010)
– Guiding principles and core values
• EcA central to new policy agendas (Fish 2011)
– CaBA (Catchment-based Approach) (Defra/EA)
– Systems-based approach in WG
• But MEA prioritises Nature to Society
• Social sciences (at best) ‘sceptically engaged’

3. New advances in SocSci and A&H
• Society interactions with nature are complex
– Articulated through emotion and practice
– Experiential knowledge, local conditions (RELU)
• How nature engages society …
– multiple, fragmented, incoherent and contested
– ‘hard to reach’ just as valid, moving target
• Strong sense of ‘local’ amongst users
– Important re policy and national overview

4. Opportunities for SocSci and A&H
• SocSci/A&H impact across EcA
• Through ‘lived’ engagement
– How to capture richness and complexity?
• Mapping cultural value networks & EcA/ES
– Reveal social-ecological systems
• Participatory approaches & techniques
– Digital story telling, deep mapping, art, poetry
– Incorporate into governance & decision making

5. Concluding thoughts
• Increase discussion on EcA (cp ES)
• Need to mainstream soc sci and EcA
– Examples from outside UK/Europe
– Literature around social-ecological systems
– Policy on ICCA and CBA – largely absent in UK
• Signs of hope?
– River Severn, National Parks, Biospheres

6. EcA-led projects for 2014 …
Thank you, see hand out for contact details