Socio-Economic Research Programme

Other Partners:

1. Kit Macleod, David Scholefield and Phil Haygarth (IGER)
2. Sigrid Stagl and Klaus Hubacek (LIfE, Leeds Univ.)
3. Andy Stirling (SPRU, Sussex Univ.)
4. Jacquie Burgess and Judy Clark (ESRU, UCL)
5. Helen Bennion, Rick Battarbee, Michael Hughes and Martin Kernan (ECRC, UCL)
6. Denis Peach and Brian Adams (BGS)
7. Linda May, Alan Jenkins and Brian Reynolds (CEH)
8. John O'Neill (IEPPP, Lancaster Univ.)

This scoping study will explore qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop an interdisciplinary framework for addressing policy challenges in catchment management. In order to achieve conceptual coherence the framework needs to account for variety in institutional contexts, emerging environmental governance issues and accommodate different spatial and temporal scales. Crucial elements are to explore the relationships between socio-economic and environmental factors, establish linkages between various drivers of change, and identify (actual and potential) conflicts. Three workshops will be held to bring together project members and invited advisors from the policy-making community to explore current knowledge and methods in managing catchments.

The general objectives are to:

• provide a forum for interdisciplinary learning by bringing together a team of highly motivated natural and social science researchers to explore synergies with respect to catchment management.
• develop a methodological approach that can deliver a multi-objective interdisciplinary framework for catchment management and ensure the framework is relevant to end users through ongoing evaluation of the process.
• compile an overview of existing databases relevant to catchment management, identify gaps and explore the potential for meta-databasing.
• define current and potential environmental, social, policy, technological and economic drivers of change relevant to catchment management in the UK .

Specific objectives are to review:

• current theories and practices with respect to establishing: the characteristics of the hydrological/ physical resource; a catchment's ecological characteristics and the impacts from agricultural and other land uses and potential impacts from global pressures; and the criteria to capture socio-cultural & economic specificities.
• available data and current theories and practices with respect to understanding and explaining ecosystem responses to changes in rural land use / catchment management; direct & indirect impacts of physical land use / catchment management changes on socio-economic factors.
• the potential for methodologies of multi-criteria analysis, scenario building and analysis, and geographic information systems to act as platforms for interdisciplinary meta-methodologies capable of integrating natural and social science elements in a transparent and end-user friendly way.
• approaches to evaluation and communication tools, with regard to their efficacy and transparency to benefit those directly involved in the project as well as end-users and the wider public.