Exploring common dialectical tensions constraining collaborative communication required for post-2020 conservation

Area of Science:

• Conservation Science
• Environmental Communication
• Sociology

Background:

• Contemporary conservation necessitates enhanced collaboration among diverse actors.
• Effective communication is crucial but challenged by competing meanings and motivations (dialectical tensions).
• Existing literature lacks a clear understanding of how to improve collaborative communication in conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework identifying sources of dialectical tensions in collaborative conservation.
• To revise this framework based on empirical data from African coastal-marine conservation interventions.
• To offer insights for improving collaborative communication and social equity in conservation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to develop an initial framework.
• Interviews with 277 respondents across three African coastal-marine collaborative conservation interventions.
• Analysis of institutional, agenda, cultural, and perception-based tensions.

Main Results:

• Marginalization of certain actors' voices within governance processes was reinforced.
• Key tensions identified include formal-informal institutional interactions, gender exclusion, conflicting agendas (livelihood-ecological, economic-environmental, project-funder), indigenous/local vs. scientific knowledge, and perceived change.
• Local-scale tensions involved customary institutions, representation, and cultural diversity.

Conclusions:

• Managing identified tensions is essential for enabling effective collaborative communication.
• Co-creating communication strategies among all actors is vital for social equity and aligning with local priorities.
• The findings support achieving positive post-2020 ecological and social outcomes in multi-stakeholder environmental interventions.