Project Title

Biodiversity conservation options: research underpinning decision support systems and management tools

Project Contact

Maria Nijnik

Project Summary

This project identifies institutional capabilities necessary for translation of the Convention on Biological Diversity goals and the biodiversity goals of various national natural resource management policies into local level practices by using case studies from forestry and agriculture sectors. It addresses the development of a pan-European research framework for methods, tools and policies for management of biodiversity sustainably by identifying the major research requirements of key conservation policies and management practices that are being implemented in Europe (including national biodiversity conservation strategies, the European Community Biodiversity Strategy and the Biodiversity Communication). It also focuses on the identification processes of knowledge needs though a collaborative process between researchers and other stakeholders on European, national and local level to support social learning and capacity building.

Our work is part of a "Network of Excellence" (Alter-Net) funded by the EC under the 6th Framework Programme. The network aims to facilitate long-term interdisciplinary research on the interactions between ecosystems, biodiversity and society. Click for more information on Macaulay's involvement at http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/projects/projectdetails.php?203028 and at the main ALTER-NET website at http://www.alter-net.info .