Papers by Sara Jo Breslow
This paper presents outcomes of the Social Wellbeing Indicators for Marine Management (SWIMM) wor... more This paper presents outcomes of the Social Wellbeing Indicators for Marine Management (SWIMM) working group, charged with developing a protocol for selecting indicators of human wellbeing for ecosystem-based management. Initiated by NOAA, our approach was specifically designed to inform federal management of the California Current, the large marine ecosystem running from Vancouver Island to Baja California. Hence, a major challenge was scale: how can we define, operationalize, and measure human wellbeing at such a large geographic scale, which encompasses tremendous social and cultural diversity, including potentially disparate notions of what counts as “wellbeing”? How can we both serve stated management responsibilities, and expand resource agencies’ awareness of the complexity of human wellbeing? How can we ensure that human wellbeing is not only measured, but also improved as a result of measurement? In this paper we report on how the SWIMM project addressed these questions, by re-drawing a social-ecological conceptual framework, developing a comprehensive and scalable typology of human wellbeing, and focusing on attributes of wellbeing that support diverse human relationships with the ocean and coast. We also report on data gaps and research challenges that must be addressed to achieve fully integrated ecosystem assessments. We outline how the SWIMM approach fits within the nested structure of decision-making affecting Salish Sea management, and we look forward to discussing how it might complement parallel efforts to assess human wellbeing in the region
This paper presents outcomes of the Social Wellbeing Indicators for Marine Management (SWIMM) wor... more This paper presents outcomes of the Social Wellbeing Indicators for Marine Management (SWIMM) working group, charged with developing a protocol for selecting indicators of human wellbeing for ecosystem-based management. Initiated by NOAA, our approach was specifically designed to inform federal management of the California Current, the large marine ecosystem running from Vancouver Island to Baja California. Hence, a major challenge was scale: how can we define, operationalize, and measure human wellbeing at such a large geographic scale, which encompasses tremendous social and cultural diversity, including potentially disparate notions of what counts as “wellbeing”? How can we both serve stated management responsibilities, and expand resource agencies’ awareness of the complexity of human wellbeing? How can we ensure that human wellbeing is not only measured, but also improved as a result of measurement? In this paper we report on how the SWIMM project addressed these questions, by re-drawing a social-ecological conceptual framework, developing a comprehensive and scalable typology of human wellbeing, and focusing on attributes of wellbeing that support diverse human relationships with the ocean and coast. We also report on data gaps and research challenges that must be addressed to achieve fully integrated ecosystem assessments. We outline how the SWIMM approach fits within the nested structure of decision-making affecting Salish Sea management, and we look forward to discussing how it might complement parallel efforts to assess human wellbeing in the region
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Nature's contributions to people ECONOMIC ECONOMIC VALUATION Cost/benefit analysis Economic incen... more Nature's contributions to people ECONOMIC ECONOMIC VALUATION Cost/benefit analysis Economic incentives Bridging / Integration Participation/Deliberation/Power leverage Policy integration Shared responsibilities DIVERSE VALUATION Holistic Health Economic Sociocultural Biophysical Nature's contribution to people Good quality of life Nature Environmental Economic Social Pluralistic Valuation Phase Examples of data bases and other literature Examples of search terms Initial scoping literature review Web of Science, Google scholar, Springerlink, Cambridge journals, Google, Science direct Traditional bee keeping, local community knowledge and wisdom, pollination ILK scoping literature review Scopus, Research Gate, SciELO, Instituto Socioambiental (http://www.socioambiental.org/ pt-br); UN reports, books TEK, ILK, ecological, knowledge; apicultura, meliponicultura, escarabajos, savoirs locaux, savoirs traditionnels, savoirs autochtones ILK global and community dialogue Key experts and ILK holders identified through the global call and selection During dialogue themes chosen were change, diversity, multiple values and knowledge protection Gap filling literature review Web of Science, Google scholar, Google Books, World Heritage List, Intangible Cultural Heritage list Diversified farming, milpa, food and pollinators, heritage, symbolic values, innovations, wax in musical instruments
Nature Sustainability, 2019
Marine protected areas are advocated as a key strategy for simultaneously protecting marine biodi... more Marine protected areas are advocated as a key strategy for simultaneously protecting marine biodiversity and supporting coastal livelihoods, but their implementation can be challenging for numerous reasons, including perceived negative effects on human well-being. We synthesized research from 118 peer-reviewed articles that analyse outcomes related to marine protected areas on people, and found that half of documented well-being outcomes were positive and about one third were negative. No-take, well-enforced and old marine protected areas had positive human well-being outcomes, which aligns with most findings from ecological studies. Marine protected areas with single zones had more positive effects on human well-being than areas with multiple zones. Most studies focused on economic and governance aspects of well-being, leaving social, health and cultural domains understudied. Well-being outcomes arose from direct effects of marine protected area governance processes or management actions and from indirect effects mediated by changes in the ecosystem. Our findings illustrate that both human well-being and biodiversity conservation can be improved through marine protected areas, yet negative impacts commonly co-occur with benefits.
Nature Sustainability, 2019
In the version of this Analysis originally published, the name of the author Elisa Oteros-Rozas w... more In the version of this Analysis originally published, the name of the author Elisa Oteros-Rozas was incorrectly given as 'Elisa Oteros-Roza'. This has now been corrected.
Nature Sustainability, 2019
Pollinators underpin sustainable livelihoods that link ecosystems, spiritual and cultural values,... more Pollinators underpin sustainable livelihoods that link ecosystems, spiritual and cultural values, and customary governance systems with indigenous peoples a and local communities (IPLC) across the world. Biocultural diversity is a shorthand term for this great variety of people-nature interlinkages that have developed over time in specific ecosystems. Biocultural approaches to conservation explicitly build on the conservation practices inherent in sustaining these livelihoods. We used the Conceptual Framework of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to analyse the biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation by indigenous peoples and local communities globally. The analysis identified biocultural approaches to pollinators across all six elements of the Conceptual Framework, with conservation-related practices occurring in sixty countries, in all continents except Antarctica. Practices of IPLC that are significant for biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation can be grouped into three categories: the practice of valuing diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; landscape management practices; and diversified farming systems. Particular IPLCs may use some or all of these practices. Policies that recognise customary tenure over traditional lands, strengthen Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas, promote heritage listing and support diversified farming within a food sovereignty approach, are among several identified that strengthen biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation, and thereby deliver mutual benefits for pollinators and people. a Here we follow the global norm of using lower case for "indigenous" while recognising the norm in Australia and New Zealand is to use upper case, following Johnson, J.T. et al. (2007) Creating anti-colonial geographies: Embracing indigenous peoples' knowledges and rights. Geographical Research 45 (2), 117-120.
Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 2017
Introduction: Interrelated social and ecological challenges demand an understanding of how enviro... more Introduction: Interrelated social and ecological challenges demand an understanding of how environmental change and management decisions affect human well-being. This paper outlines a framework for measuring human well-being for ecosystem-based management (EBM). We present a prototype that can be adapted and developed for various scales and contexts. Scientists and managers use indicators to assess status and trends in integrated ecosystem assessments (IEAs). To improve the social science rigor and success of EBM, we developed a systematic and transparent approach for evaluating indicators of human well-being for an IEA. Methods: Our process is based on a comprehensive conceptualization of human well-being, a scalable analysis of management priorities, and a set of indicator screening criteria tailored to the needs of EBM. We tested our approach by evaluating more than 2000 existing social indicators related to ocean and coastal management of the US West Coast. We focused on two foundational attributes of human well-being: resource access and self-determination. Outcomes and Discussion: Our results suggest that existing indicators and data are limited in their ability to reflect linkages between environmental change and human well-being, and extremely limited in their ability to assess social equity and justice. We reveal a critical need for new social indicators tailored to answer environmental questions and new data that are disaggregated by social variables to measure equity. In both, we stress the importance of collaborating with the people whose well-being is to be assessed. Conclusion: Our framework is designed to encourage governments and communities to carefully assess the complex tradeoffs inherent in environmental decision-making.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2017
Nature is perceived and valued in starkly different and often conflicting ways. This paper presen... more Nature is perceived and valued in starkly different and often conflicting ways. This paper presents the rationale for the inclusive valuation of nature's contributions to people (NCP) in decision making, as well as broad methodological steps for doing so. While developed within the context of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), this approach is more widely applicable to initiatives at the knowledge-policy interface, which require a pluralistic approach to recognizing the diversity of values. We argue that transformative practices aiming at sustainable futures would benefit from embracing such diversity, which require recognizing and addressing power relationships across stakeholder groups that hold different values on human naturerelations and NCP.
Environmental health perspectives, Jul 31, 2017
At a time of increasing disconnectedness from nature, scientific interest in the potential health... more At a time of increasing disconnectedness from nature, scientific interest in the potential health benefits of nature contact has grown. Research in recent decades has yielded substantial evidence, but large gaps remain in our understanding. We propose a research agenda on nature contact and health, identifying principal domains of research and key questions that, if answered, would provide the basis for evidence-based public health interventions. We identify research questions in seven domains: a) mechanistic biomedical studies; b) exposure science; c) epidemiology of health benefits; d) diversity and equity considerations; e) technological nature; f) economic and policy studies; and g) implementation science. Nature contact may offer a range of human health benefits. Although much evidence is already available, much remains unknown. A robust research effort, guided by a focus on key unanswered questions, has the potential to yield high-impact, consequential public health insights. ...
Environmental Science & Policy, 2017
Increasing recognition of the human dimensions of natural resource management issues, and of soci... more Increasing recognition of the human dimensions of natural resource management issues, and of social and ecological sustainability and resilience as being interrelated , highlights the importance of applying social science to natural resource management decision-making. Moreover, a number of laws and regulations require natural resource management agencies to consider the "best available science" (BAS) when making decisions, including social science. Yet rarely do these laws and regulations define or identify standards for BAS, and those who have tried to fill the gap have done so from the standpoint of best available natural science. This paper proposes evaluative criteria for best available social science (BASS), explaining why a broader set of criteria than those used for natural science is needed. Although the natural and social sciences share many of the same evaluative criteria for BAS, they also exhibit some differences, especially where qualitative social science is concerned. Thus we argue that the evaluative criteria for BAS should expand to include those associated with diverse social science disciplines, particularly the qualitative social sciences. We provide one example from the USA of how a federal agency − the U.S. Forest Service − has attempted to incorporate BASS in responding to its BAS mandate associated with the national forest planning process, drawing on different types of scientific information and in light of these criteria. Greater attention to including BASS in natural resource management decision-making can contribute to better, more equitable, and more defensible management decisions and policies.
Environmental Science & Policy, 2016
Higlights We present a detailed framework of human wellbeing for ecosystem-based management C... more Higlights We present a detailed framework of human wellbeing for ecosystem-based management Connections, capabilities, and conditions may be assessed using indicators Cross-cutting analyses can assess equity, security, resilience, and sustainability The framework and focal attributes should be modified to serve diverse contexts 2300 existing social indicators are compiled from which to select measures
Playing in a House of Mirrors, 2015
I am new at this. Collaborating to write a book, putting an academic lens over felt and intuitive... more I am new at this. Collaborating to write a book, putting an academic lens over felt and intuitive experience, reflecting in action and reporting on these reflections – all new. Yet I do not feel limited by this lack of experience. Moving through this writing has highlighted to me that the role of a teacher and educator is not limited to the ‘expert’, but can come from honest and thoughtful reflection on my self.
Coastal Management, 2014
ABSTRACT Salmon recovery has been described as a “wicked” problem in that it is so complex it is ... more ABSTRACT Salmon recovery has been described as a “wicked” problem in that it is so complex it is seemingly impossible to solve. Through a detailed case study, this article models how the field of political ecology can provide rich insight into such problems, and can help managers navigate the complex human dimensions of their work. Protracted disputes over salmon habitat restoration have earned the Skagit Valley of Washington State a reputation for being mired in intractable conflict. Goals of recovering salmon and protecting farmland are seemingly pitted against each other in competition for the same land. Using ethnographic methods and a political ecology framework, I argue that social hierarchies and mistrusts, conflicting senses of place, prevailing cultural narratives, and legal and institutional constraints contribute to the dispute over habitat restoration. Closer attention to sociocultural factors such as these may help managers identify and implement locally supported recovery opportunities, facilitate cooperation among stakeholders, improve agency approaches, and reframe management agendas to better address collective needs. I conclude that ecosystem recovery requires not only the renewal of ecological health, but also the renewal of social trust and cooperation, new cultural narratives, and a richer language that can capture its complex social realities.
Anthropological Quarterly, 2014
In the northwest corner of the US, commercial farmers defend their place-based heritage against t... more In the northwest corner of the US, commercial farmers defend their place-based heritage against the scientific and regulatory strategies of local Native American tribes seeking to restore salmon habitat in agricultural areas. The apparent irony of this scenario stems from a set of unique circumstances in the American Northwest that complicates dominant narratives and allegiances in political ecology and related fields. Ethnographic and historical evidence shows how a century of tribal activism to regain treaty fishing rights, and now to restore fish habitat, has collided with new forms of activism among county-supported farmers, whose counter-discourses depict themselves as stewards of the land. This case represents an exception to the more commonly observed pattern in which Western science and state power threaten to erode indigenous culture. It nevertheless suggests that the instrumentalist approach to salmon habitat restoration in Washington state, on the part of tribal and non-tribal entities alike, constrains ecosystem recovery by preventing a sophisticated understanding of its complex social and cultural dimensions. A detailed understanding of the histories and place-based identities that motivate the political engagement of both tribal and agricultural communities could inform more socially effective strategies for achieving actual habitat restoration goals.
Science (New York, N.Y.), 2016
I recently completed a small survey of volunteers who offered their time and energy on two cool a... more I recently completed a small survey of volunteers who offered their time and energy on two cool and drizzly Saturday mornings to plant ocean spray, mooseberry, Nootka rose and other native trees and shrubs on the banks of the Skagit River, the largest river draining from the Cascade Mountains to the Puget Sound, located in the northwest corner of Washington State. The volunteers' good-natured work constitutes one of the more participatory pieces of the enormously complex and passionately contested effort to restore the hydrological and ecological functions of river systems-and thereby salmon habitat-currently taking place in the Pacific Northwest. The replacement of domesticated crops and invasive species with native plants (often including spruce and cedar saplings) along rivers and stream banks has multiple intended effects: among them, to control erosion, provide food and shelter for wildlife, shade and cool the water, and, eventually, topple in and create pools and other hiding places for fish. This particular planting took place at one of the most visible sites in the County, at a large public park in the middle of Mount Vernon, the County's largest, centrally-located town. It is in plain sight of anybody who crosses the bridge that spans the river and connects the most urban area of the County across the river with the farmland to the West, farmland that earns its reputation as some of the best agricultural property in the world due in part to its former life as an estuary. The location was strategically chosen to demonstrate to a wider audience that habitat restoration can be nice to look at, that it can be enjoyable, and that it works. The broadest purpose of these plantings is to build community and political support for salmon-recovery efforts in the Valley. The organizers have their fingers crossed, tightly, that the new plants keep growing.
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Papers by Sara Jo Breslow