Program Coordinators: Wichertje Bron and Arnold van Vliet
Both biodiversity conservation and Local sustainable development and land use depend on the one hand on knowledge on ecosystem processes, land use systems, policy developments and management approaches and on the other hand on local governance, social constructs and processes, civil and institutional networks, management of change, local values and belief systems. Communication and capacity building are crucial to enable sustainable development of local communities, research, policy, and society.
FSD is involved in enabling communication, knowledge dissemination and capacity building. Our domain of experience lies in facilitating to eductional programms, collaborative and participative networks and research/knowledge dissemination (both civil and scientific) into practical information and applicable (web)tools.
Over the years FSD has specialized in the facilitation of communication and network processes and dissemination of research information. The active involvement of stakeholders, teachers, students and other partners is pivotal in our approach. Our work is closely related to and entwined with environmental communication and education.
Current Projects
- Ecosystem Services Partnership
- ‘Natuurbericht‘: Update about topical developments in nature
- The Albufera Initiative for Biodiversity at the Biodiversity Centre, Mallorca
- ‘De Natuurkalender‘: Dutch national phenological monitoring network
Completed Projects
- Civinet.eu: Community-based environmental management and knowledge dissemination
- Workshop on Communication, Dissemination & Capacity building in the context of the European Phenology Network
- Global Phenological Monitoring Network
- NOP-Impact Biodiversity
- ISB-Commission on Phenology
Ecosystem management / sustainable development and environmental communication and education
The IUCN’s Commission for Ecosystem Management (IUCN-CEM) defines ecosystem management as “a process that integrates ecological, socio-economic, and institutional factors into comprehensive analysis and action in order to sustain and enhance the quality of the ecosystem to meet current and future needs.” The core objective of ecosystem management is the sustainable, efficient and equitable use of natural resources.
Ecosystem management recognises that the inter-connectivity of ecological, socio-cultural, economic and institutional systems is fundamental to our understanding of the factors which influence environmental objectives and outcomes. It is a holistic, multi-disciplinary and integrated approach, which requires a substantial shift in the way we perceive and approach the management of both our natural and modified environments.
Many conventional approaches to resource management have usually been single-purpose and limited in space (e.g. local, regional, national and transboundary) and time (e.g. short-, medium- and long-term). The resulting decision-making processes have therefore generally failed in being able to address the human induced pressures on the environment in terms of understanding their effects on essential ecosystem services.
In recognising the critical role humans have as managers of biodiversity, FSD aims to avoid these short-comings by identifying and communicating the benefits and values of healthy ecosystems in ensuring both species survival and human well-being.