Expanding the social dimensions of conservation translocations

2025/10/01 by Aisling Rayne, Axel Moehrenschlager, Tammy E. Steeves +1 · 2 voices · 4 citations
Environmental Science · #Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management #Dimension (graph theory) #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Environmental Philosophy and Ethics #Human Dimension #Social dynamics #Social learning #Social relation #Vision

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.009

published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution 40(12), 1171-1179 (Elsevier BV)

openalex publication_date 2025/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

Human or 'social' dimensions are increasingly prominent in the conservation translocation literature yet in practice they tend to be infrequently or narrowly applied. To assist biophysical scientists and practitioners to act upon social dimensions, we distinguish four ways of thinking about the social dynamics of translocations: identified stakeholders, processes of decision-making, visions of nature, and values in science. We use three case studies to show how working through these four social dimensions together can help to illuminate the multiple meanings and effects of translocations. We discuss how biophysical scientists and practitioners can take responsibility for each social dimension and thus make better choices for people and nature.

Citations

• Stakeholder participation for environmental management: A literature review
• Conservation social science: Understanding and integrating human dimensions to improve conservation

Cited by

• Engaging European local communities in biodiversity genomics research: A five-step framework for scientists
• Community attitudes and support for the restoration of a cryptic seabird in a peopled landscape

Discussions

• What are the ‘social dimensions’ of moving species for conservation and why does engaging with them matter? This is the focus of our new paper doi.org/10.1016/j.tr... published in @cp-trendsecolevo. [bsky, 30 points, 0 comments]
• Expanding the social dimensions of conservation translocations doi.org/10.1016/j.tr... [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]

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