Early stakeholder involvement using Group Model Building to identify ecological research questions and nature...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Management
• Social-Ecological Systems

Background:

• Tropical coastal ecosystems face significant human pressures from tourism and land/sea use.
• Massive sargassum landings present a new, critical threat to these vital ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a practical procedure for early stakeholder involvement in ecological research.
• To map the social-ecological system (SES) of Lac Bay, Bonaire, and identify research priorities.
• To address the impact of sargassum on seagrass beds and mangrove forests.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Group Model Building methodology to identify drivers, key variables, and feedback loops within the SES.
• Facilitated stakeholder sessions to reveal and share underlying feedback mechanisms.
• Integrated stakeholder input for prioritizing ecological research and nature management options.

Main Results:

• Successfully mapped the social-ecological system of Lac Bay, Bonaire.
• Identified and prioritized urgent ecological research questions for seagrass and mangrove conservation.
• Developed practical nature management options in response to sargassum threats.

Conclusions:

• The developed procedure effectively integrates stakeholders early in the research process.
• This early science-stakeholder interaction is applicable for informing scientific research and nature management plans.
• The methodology provides a framework for addressing complex environmental challenges in tropical coastal zones.