On the methodology of biodiversity science communication
Abstract
The importance of science communication and awareness raising in order to presenve biodiversity is undisputable. This paper summarizes the main results of literature search and consultations with Alter-net (FP6) project partners and suggests guidelines for the use by ecologists and nature conservation managers to design communication actions. The use of the results and methodology of behavioral and other social sciences has the potential to help transfer messages that engage people’s emotions and minds to conserve biodiversity on Earth. The use of the suggested methods is tested in a case study: the „Berkenyeház” exhibition of the Institute of Ecology and Botany at the Vácrátót Botanical Garden, Hungary.
References
Balmford A, Bennun L, ten Brink B. et al. (2005): The Convention on Biological Diversity's 2010 target. - Science 307: 212—213.
Bator, R.J. & Cialdini, R.B. (2000): The Application of Persuasion Theory to the Development of Effective Proenvironmental Public Service Announcements. - Journal of Social Issues 56: 527 - 541.
BBSRC (2000): Communicating with the public. - Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Blackstock, K. L., Kelly, G. J. & Horsey, B. L. (2007): Developing and applying a framework to evaluate participatory research for sustainability. - Ecological Economics 60: 726-742.
Bredemeier, M., Dennis P. Sauberer, N., Petriccione, B., Török, K., Cocciufa, C., Morabito, G. & Pugnetti, A. (2007): Biodiversity assessment and change - the challenge of appropriate methods. In: Hester, R. E. & Harrison, M. R. (eds) Biodiversity under threat. Issues in Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 25. - Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing, Cambridge, pp. 217—251.
Brooker, R., Young, J. C. & Watt, A. D. (2007): Climate change and biodiversity: Impacts and policy development challenges — a European case study. - Int. J. Biodiversity Science and Management. 3: 12-30.
Buijs, A., Fischer, A., Lisievici, P., Marcelová, N., Rink, D., Sedláková, J., Tátrai I. and Young, J. (2005): Deliberative events: approaches to assess public attitudes to biodiversity and biodiversity management. - Report of Work Package R5 Alter-net FP6 project, pp. 63.
Chipeniuk, R. (1995): Childhood Foraging as a Means of Acquiring Competent Human Cognition about Biodiversity. - Environment and Behavior 27: 490-512
COM (2006): Communication: Halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 - and beyond. Sustaining Ecosystem Services for Human well-being. - European Commission, Brussels, (22.05.2006.) 216 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/current_biodiversity_policy/biodiversity_com_2006/index_en.htm
Csíkszentmihályi M. (2007): A fejlődés útjai. A harmadik évezred pszichológiája. - Nyitott Könyvműhely, Budapest, pp.413.
Ducrotoy, J-P. (2003): Education challenges in the North Sea area. - Marine Pollution Bulletin. 47: 246-252.
EC (2004): A guide to successful communications. — European Commission, Directorate-General for Research, pp. 48.
Ehrlich, P. (2002): Human nature, nature conservation and Environmental ethics. - BioScience 52: 31-43.
ESF (2003): Science communication in Europe. - European Science Foundation Policy Briefing. http://www. esf.org
Farrior, M. (2005): Breakthrough Strategies for Engaging the Public: Emerging Trends in Communications and Social Science. Biodiversity Project, http://www.biodiversityproject.org/bpemergingtrendspaper.doc
Fischer, A. & Young, J. C. (2007): Understanding mental constructs of biodiversity: implications for biodiversity management and conservation. - Biological Conservation 136: 271-282.
Fransson, N. & Gärling, T. (1999): Environmental concern: conceptual definitions, measurement methods, and research findings. - Journal of Environmental Psychology 19: 369-382.
Goldstein, W. (2005): Some lessons on communicating biodiversity and follow up actions. IUCN http://www.iucn.org/themes/cec/biodiversity/Com_ed_for_bd_workshopJan2005.pdf
Hesselink, F. J., Goldstein, W., van Kempen, P.P., Garnett, T. & Dela, J. (2007): Communication, education and public awareness. A toolkit for the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, pp. 331.
Hughes, T. P., Bellwood, D. R., Folke, C., Steneck, R. S. & Wilson, J. (2005): New paradigms for supporting the resilience of marine ecosystems. - Trends in Ecology & Evolution 20: 380-386.
IUCN (2006): Commission on Education and Communication, URL: http://www.iucn.org/themes/cec/principles/dos.htm
Juhász-Nagy, P. (1993): Természet és ember. Kis változatok egy nagy témára. - Gondolat, Budapest, pp. 245.
Kitchin, T. (2004): Assuring biodiversity. A brand-building approach. The Glasshouse Partnership. London. http://www.glasshousepartnership.com/branding.pdf#search=%22Biodiversity%20brand%22
Kontogianni, A., Tziritis, 1. & Skourtos, M. (2005): Bottom-up environmental decision making taken seriously: integrating stakeholder perceptions into scenarios of environmental change. - Human Ecology Review 12: 87—95.
KvVM (2006): Magyarország csatlakozása a „Countdown 2010” akcióhoz. Környezetvédelmi és Vízügyi Minisztérium, http://www.termeszetvedelem.hu/index.php ?pg=news_99_352
Lawton, J. (2006): European biodiversity conservation: science, policy and practice. 1st European Congress on Conservation Biology. Book of Abstracts p. 7.
LIFE Focus (2004): LIFE Focus / LIFE-Nature: communicating with stakeholders and the general public - Best practice examples for Natura 2000. European Commission, http://europa.eu.int/comm/ environment/life/infoproducts/naturecommunicating_lowres_en.pdf
Lindenberg S. & Steg, L. (2007): Normative, Gain and Hedonic Goal Frames Guiding Environmental Behavior. - Journal of Social Issue 63: 117—137
MacBeath, T. C. (2005): Knowledge sharing for sustainable development through biodiversity conservation in the Mesoamerican region. - Journal of Science Communication, 4. http://jcom.sissa.it/
McKenzie-Mohr, D. (2000): Promoting Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing. - Journal o f Social Issues 56: 543-554.
McNeely, J. A. (1995): Expanding partnership in conservation. Island Press, Washington, DC. pp. 318.
MEA 2005. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and Human Well-Being. Our human planet - Summary for Decision-Makers. Island Press, Washington D.C., pp. 109.
Metcalfe J. & Perry, D. (2001): The evaluation of science-based organisations’ communication programs. Presentation to Australian Science Communicators conference, Sydney, http://www.econnect.com.au/news_papers.htm#eval
NFÜ-KvV (2007): Nemzeti Fenntartható Fejlődési Stratégia. URL: http://www.nfu.hu/ormany_altal_ elfogadottt_nemzeti_fenntarthato_fejlodesi_strategia
Niemelä, J., Young, J., Alard, D., Askasibar, M., Henle, K., Johnson, R., Kurttila, M., Larsson, T-B., Matouch, S., Nowicki, P., Paiva, R., Portoghesi, L., Smulders, R., Stevenson, A., Tartes, U. & Watt, A. (2005): Identifying, managing and monitoring conflicts between forest biodiversity conservation and other human interests in Europe. - Forest Policy and Economics 7: 877-890.
O’Riordan, T. (2002): Protecting beyond the protected. - In: O’Riordan, T. & Stoll-Kleemann, S. (eds.) Biodiversity, sustainability and human communities: protecting beyond the protected. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp. 3-29
RCUK (2002): Dialogue with the public: practical quidelines. - Research Councils UK, http ://www.rcuk.ac.uk/NR/exeres/AF99FF8C-1313^1CE4-ABCl-FA82D7989BD2,frameless.htm? NRMODE=Published
Rogers, E.M. (2003): Diffusion of Innovations, Fifth Edition. New York, Free Press.
Saunders, C.D. (2003): Emerging Field of Conservation Psychology. - Human Ecology Review 10: 137-149.
Saunders, C.D. & Myers, O.E. (2003): Exploring the Potential of Conservation Psychology. - Human Ecology Review 10: Introduction
Saunders, C.D., Brook, A.T. & Myers, O.E. (2006): Using psychology to save biodiversity and human well-being. - Conservation Biology 20:702-705.
SIRC (2007): Guidelines for Scientists on communicating with the media. The Social Issues Research Centre. http://www.sirc.org/messenger/index.html
Stem, P.C., Dietz, T & Kalof, L. (1993): Value orientations, gender, and environmental concern. - Environment and Behavior 25: 322—348.
Stoll-Kleemann, S. & O’Riordan, T. (2002): Enhancing biodiversity and humanity. - In: O’Riordan, T. & Stoll-Kleemann, S. (eds.) Biodiversity, sustainability and human communities: protecting beyond the protected. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp. 295-310.
Thompson, C.W., Aspinall, P. & Montarzino, A. (2008): The Childhood Factor. Adult Visits to Green Places and the Significance of Childhood Experience. - Environment and Behavior 40: 111-143
Török, K. & Fodor, L. (szerk.) (2006): A Nemzeti Biodiverzitás—monitorozó Rendszer eredményei I. Élőhelyek, mohák és gombák. - Környezetvédelmi és Vízügyi Minisztérium. Budapest, pp. 197.
Turner, R. K., Paavola, J., Cooper, P., Färber, S., Jessamy, V. & Georgiou, S. (2003): Valuing nature: lessons learned and future research directions. - Ecological Economics 46: 493-510.
UNECE (1998): Aarhus Convention - Convention on access to information, public participation in decisionmaking and access to justice in environmental matters. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, (http://www.unece.org/env/pp/)
van Boven, G. & Frits, H. 2002. Mainstreaming Biological Diversity. The role of communication, education and public awareness. CBD, UNESCO, IUCN CEC brochure, pp. 8.
van den Hove, S. (2004): Review of FP5 Biodiversity Research Projects to Assess Current and Potential Policy Impact. - Report to the European Commission Research Directorate General, Unit DM. (kézirat)
Vásárhelyi T. & Victor A. (szerk.) (1998): Nemzeti Környezeti Nevelési Stratégia, http://bocs.hu/ kornev/strateg/strat.htm
Walther G-R., Post, E., Convey, P„ Menzel, A., Parmesan, C., Beebee, T. J. C., Fromentin, J-M., Hoegh-Guldberg, O. & Bairlein, F. (2002): Ecological responses to recent climate change. - Nature 416: 389-395.
