Knowledge Co-production at the Research-Practice Interface: Embedded Case Studies from Urban Forestry

Area of Science:

• Urban Forestry
• Environmental Science
• Sustainability Studies

Background:

• Cities are investing in green infrastructure and urban tree planting for sustainability.
• Developing practical knowledge for urban forest planning and management is crucial.
• Urban forestry research increasingly involves collaboration between scientists and practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine three case studies of knowledge co-production in U.S. urban forestry.
• To identify factors enabling successful researcher-practitioner collaboration.
• To understand the impacts of co-produced knowledge on urban forest management.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of three distinct urban forestry networks in the United States.
• Examination of institutional structures supporting knowledge co-production, such as participatory research and hybrid organizations.
• Reflexive commentary from authors situated within these networks.

Main Results:

• Trust, embeddedness, and innovative approaches by both researchers and practitioners foster knowledge co-production.
• Blending of roles recognizes diverse forms of capability, expertise, and ways of knowing.
• Hybrid institutional forms facilitate the co-production of applicable urban forestry knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Knowledge co-production is vital for advancing urban forestry and green infrastructure initiatives.
• Building trust and integrating diverse expertise are key to successful collaboration.
• Hybrid organizational structures can effectively support the creation and application of co-produced knowledge in urban environments.