The use of knowledge in evidence-informed voluntary conservation of Finnish forests

Anna Salomaa, Riikka Paloniemi, Teppo Hujala, Salla Rantala, Anni Arponen and Jari Niemelä

Forest Policy and Economics, 2016, vol. 73, issue C, 90-98

Abstract: Despite calls for evidence-based policies, the process of using evidence in forest conservation policy implementation has remained unclear. In this paper, we focus on voluntary conservation and investigate complex ways to use evidence in implementation of the Forest Biodiversity Programme METSO in Finland. Data were collected via nine focus group discussions involving a total of 59 forest conservation stakeholders. Through interpretative qualitative analysis, we found that forest owners' and forest advisers' awareness of the voluntary instrument and the smooth interplay of knowledge types are important factors in implementing voluntary conservation. Knowledge use should be locally bound for policy implementation to be effective. Social relationships enable integrating local knowledge. Forest owners, advisers, authorities and other actors interpret scientific and other knowledges (and simultaneously co-produce new knowledge) in practical action. We conclude that educating forest advisers, informing forest owners, and increasing collaboration can enhance evidence flows from research to practice.

Keywords: Conservation politics; Evidence-based policy; Forest biodiversity; Knowledge use; Policy implementation; Stakeholders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:forpol:v:73:y:2016:i:c:p:90-98

DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2016.09.004

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