Helping practitioners to make and document conservation decisions: the Evidence-to-Decision tool

In this contribution post, Alec Christie introduces a novel tool guiding and encouraging practitioners to document and report the evidence and reasoning behind conservation decisions. The tool guide and template are permanently archived in Applied Ecology Resources. Originally posted and adapted from the Conservation Evidence blog and Conservation Land Management.. When undertaking actions to restore habitats or conserve wildlife, we often have to make difficult … Continue reading Helping practitioners to make and document conservation decisions: the Evidence-to-Decision tool

Effectively integrating experiments into conservation practice

How can evidence be generated from conservation practice? In their latest review, Nancy Ockendon and colleagues seek to raise awareness of opportunities to embed experiments in conservation and restoration management, in order to generate new evidence and ultimately improve practice. Originally posted and adapted from the Endangered Landscapes Programme. Why do we need more experiments? It’s widely understood that it is important to consider the … Continue reading Effectively integrating experiments into conservation practice

How can we address mismatches in conservation research and practice?

Natalie Dubois and Rebecca Jarvis reflect on the findings of a new collaborative article examining where the conservation community has made progress aligning research and practice. For too long, conservation research was viewed as a one-directional path from researchers to practitioners. The field has since moved towards a better understanding of the interdependent nature of knowledge generation and use, but mismatches in the spaces between … Continue reading How can we address mismatches in conservation research and practice?

Using grey literature as an evidence base for ecological research and practice

Applied Ecology Resources promote evidence-based decision making by curating a wide range of information sources including grey literature – but how can researchers and practitioners use this resource in their work? AER Chair Marc Cadotte provides the following advice. Information is key for evaluating the evidence base underpinning scientific understanding, and for developing effective and efficient management of ecosystems. Yet, the primary sources of information … Continue reading Using grey literature as an evidence base for ecological research and practice

Solutions science – Ciencia de soluciones

Claire Wordley (Conservation Evidence project, University of Cambridge) looks at evaluation and evidence in testing interventions and asks the question, ‘What works in conservation’? A Spanish version  of this post is also available. Evidence in conservation: does it matter? What do scaring juvenile offenders, giving steroids to head trauma patients, and bat bridges all have in common? They are all examples of interventions that were … Continue reading Solutions science – Ciencia de soluciones