A social-ecological systems approach for environmental management

Area of Science:

• Environmental Management
• Social-Ecological Systems (SES) Science
• Transdisciplinary Research

Background:

• Current environmental issues exceed the capacity of traditional management strategies.
• There is a growing demand for integrated approaches combining natural and social sciences.
• Existing environmental management practices lack a clear framework for incorporating social-ecological systems (SES) theory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the core components of a social-ecological systems (SES)-based environmental management approach.
• To provide practical recommendations for integrating SES principles into current environmental management practices.
• To bridge the gap between SES theory and its practical application in environmental management.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development for SES-based environmental management.
• Analysis of theoretical underpinnings of transdisciplinary and resilience concepts within SES science.
• Formulation of practical recommendations for management professionals and scholars.

Main Results:

• Key components of an SES-based environmental management approach are clearly defined.
• Actionable recommendations are provided for integrating SES principles into existing management frameworks.
• The study offers a pathway for advancing the practical application of SES science.

Conclusions:

• Integrating natural and social sciences through SES science is crucial for addressing complex environmental issues.
• The proposed framework facilitates the translation of SES theory into effective environmental management practices.
• This work supports both practitioners seeking to implement SES approaches and scholars advancing SES theory.