Understanding the adoption and spread of marine community-based conservation
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Life Sciences
Abstract
"Despite billions of dollars invested in marine biodiversity conservation projects and programs internationally, 'getting to scale' a major challenge [1, 2]. Effective community-level projects often fail to reach scales needed to achieve community or government expectations, and a growing literature recognizes the 'implementation gap' between national conservation plans and the actions actually undertaken [3, 4]. Occasionally, however, a conservation practice will 'go viral'; with rapid, widespread adoption, transforming the relationship between people and nature across large areas, and resulting in large positive biodiversity outcomes. Diffusion of innovation theory - the study of how, why, and at what rate new ideas and practices are adopted by individuals, groups, organizations, or countries - is one of the most robust social science literatures. With seven decades of research across disparate analogous fields [5] (e.g., agriculture, health, technology), but it has been overlooked by conservation science and policy to date, and promises to explain the patterns and trends in the establishment of conservation policies, programs, and practices.
In the Pacific, for example, the past 15 years have witnessed explosive growth of Locally Managed Marine Areas, an area of "inshore waters governed by local residents and involving a collective understanding of, and commitment to, management interventions in response to threats to marine resources" [6]. This involves over 500 communities in 15 countries or territories managing more than 12 000 km2 of inshore waters. However, adoption is not uniform across the Pacific and is not permanent. Using LMMAs in the Pacific as a model system, this project proposes to identify the factors that shape spatial patterns and temporal trends in the adoption and abandonment of community-based marine conservation practices.
This project will build on existing work undertaken by Dr Mills (Imperial College London) and Dr Mascia (Conservation International) and existing datasets on LMMA adoption, and collect quantitative data about LMMA characteristics, village characteristics, and broader contextual variables that predict diffusion, as well as information about LMMA abandonment. These data will be used to model the estimated impact of LMMAs in time and space, based on data regarding trends and patterns of LMMAs.
These insights will allow us to:
A. Accelerate growth of LMMAs through evidence-based refinements in conservation policy and practice (e.g., design of the LMMA, approach to engaging potential adopters, and broader policy reforms).
B. Enhance durability/longevity of LMMAs through evidence-based refinements in conservation policy and practice.
References:
1. Miller, D.C., A. Agrawal, and J.T. Roberts, Explaining the Allocation of Foreign Aid for Biodiversity Conservation. World Development, 2010. 59: p. 341-359.
2. Cumming, G.S., D.H. Cumming, and C.L. Redman. Ecology and Society, 2006. 11(1): p. 14.
3. Knight, A.T., et al. Conservation Biology, 2008. 22(3): p. 610-617.
4. Dressler, W., et al.. Environmental Conservation, 2010. 37(01): p. 5-15.
5. Rogers, E.M., Diffusion of Innovations (5th Edition). 5th ed. 2003, New York: Free Press.
6. Mills, M., et al. Conservation Biology, 2011. 25(6): p. 1155-1164."
In the Pacific, for example, the past 15 years have witnessed explosive growth of Locally Managed Marine Areas, an area of "inshore waters governed by local residents and involving a collective understanding of, and commitment to, management interventions in response to threats to marine resources" [6]. This involves over 500 communities in 15 countries or territories managing more than 12 000 km2 of inshore waters. However, adoption is not uniform across the Pacific and is not permanent. Using LMMAs in the Pacific as a model system, this project proposes to identify the factors that shape spatial patterns and temporal trends in the adoption and abandonment of community-based marine conservation practices.
This project will build on existing work undertaken by Dr Mills (Imperial College London) and Dr Mascia (Conservation International) and existing datasets on LMMA adoption, and collect quantitative data about LMMA characteristics, village characteristics, and broader contextual variables that predict diffusion, as well as information about LMMA abandonment. These data will be used to model the estimated impact of LMMAs in time and space, based on data regarding trends and patterns of LMMAs.
These insights will allow us to:
A. Accelerate growth of LMMAs through evidence-based refinements in conservation policy and practice (e.g., design of the LMMA, approach to engaging potential adopters, and broader policy reforms).
B. Enhance durability/longevity of LMMAs through evidence-based refinements in conservation policy and practice.
References:
1. Miller, D.C., A. Agrawal, and J.T. Roberts, Explaining the Allocation of Foreign Aid for Biodiversity Conservation. World Development, 2010. 59: p. 341-359.
2. Cumming, G.S., D.H. Cumming, and C.L. Redman. Ecology and Society, 2006. 11(1): p. 14.
3. Knight, A.T., et al. Conservation Biology, 2008. 22(3): p. 610-617.
4. Dressler, W., et al.. Environmental Conservation, 2010. 37(01): p. 5-15.
5. Rogers, E.M., Diffusion of Innovations (5th Edition). 5th ed. 2003, New York: Free Press.
6. Mills, M., et al. Conservation Biology, 2011. 25(6): p. 1155-1164."
People |
ORCID iD |
Morena Mills (Primary Supervisor) | |
Emily-Jane Lewis-Brown (Student) |
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NE/S007415/1 | 01/10/2019 | 30/09/2027 | |||
1956145 | Studentship | NE/S007415/1 | 01/10/2017 | 31/03/2023 | Emily-Jane Lewis-Brown |
Description | The need to increase the pace and scale of conservation is widely accepted, however, understanding how to catalyse the adoption of conservation initiatives remains illusive. To address this challenge, we apply diffusion of innovation theory and Best-Worst Scaling experiments to understand the adoption of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in Madagascar and provide insights for conservation more broadly. We found that when villages established LMMAs, they favoured benefits to future generations. However, conflict in and between villages was the strongest concern, and was attributed in part to the un-even distribution of incentives provided to support adoption. This emphasis on relative advantages and disadvantages is consistent with diffusion theory, but benevolent values played a stronger role here than is reported for non-conservation innovations. Therefore, diffusion theory can be a useful tool to increase the diffusion of conservation initiatives, but conservation-specific considerations detailed in this research are important. |
Exploitation Route | Any NGO involved in conservation will be able to use the research to date to: 1. understand what influences the adoption of the conservation initiative studied and adapt their work to enhance adoption of their conservation initiatives 2. use our methods and model provided to identify the key drivers and barriers to the adoption of different conservation initiatives and in different contexts than our research to enhance adoption of other conservation initiatives 3. use our second paper to identify what outcomes are working well in LMMAs to improve the outcomes of conservation initiatives |
Sectors | Environment |
Description | The initial findings from our field work and my analysis and presentations have been used by an NGO, the Marine Stewardship Council, to inform their policies on their work to conserve marine fish. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Title | Best-Worst Scaling discrete choice experiment and modelling |
Description | The core of our survey is a Case 1 Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) choice experiment (Louviere et al., 2015) which invites survey respondents to indicate a Best and a Worst choice from a set of four choice items. Through repeating this several times with a sample of respondents, a robust preference scale can be derived which is considered more robust than Likert-Scale survey data. Louviere, J. J., Flynn, T. N., & Marley, A. A. J. (2015). Best-Worst Scaling: Theory, Methods and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2007 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This methods helps researchers identify how to help create behaviour change to improve the wellbeing of people's lives, such as smoking cessation. We are applying it to nature conservation behaviour change. |
URL | https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/bestworst-scaling/E0DC2818A7EC1D1AE2C7F008ADC4DFA9 |
Title | Importance-Performance Analsysis |
Description | Importance-Performance Analysis identifies areas of service provision or products that can be improved to improve outcomes for service or product users. Martilla, J. A., & James, J. C. (1977). Importance-Performance Analysis. Journal of Marketing, 41(1), 77-79. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | It has allowed companies and organisations to focus improvements in products and services to meet the needs to customers and companies. We are applying this to conservation initiatives to improve the adoption and outcomes of these initiatives fro people and nature. |
URL | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517714002222 |
Title | Adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar |
Description | This database is the result of 170 household surveys conducted in NE Madagascar using a newly developed survey instrument. It includes Best-Worst Scaling choice experiment data. It will be deposited with the UK Data Service on publication. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Feedback to the NGO involved in the establishment of LMMAs in the villages surveyed has been provided. |
Title | Best-Worst Scaling models and code |
Description | Two Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) models have been written to analyse the data gathered in this project. 1. A sample Excel-based model to analyse BWS choice experiment data has been prepared for publication and to provide to organisations to conduct their own BWS analysis. 2. The Code for cleaning, setting up and running Conditional Logit and Heterscedastic Models in Stata have been prepared for publication. |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | These models will be published and publicly available shortly. The impact already however, during the development of these models was that an NGO has already adopted Best-Worst Scaling methodology and modelling to are using it to inform the development of their conservation programmes. The organisation is the Marine Stewardship Council. Other NGOs are also interested. |
Description | Drivers and Barriers of Adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Oxford University Innovation |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I am leading two research papers from research into LMMAs in NE Madagascar, which will form two chapters of my PhD |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Davis, Oxford University, has provided advice and code for Best-Worst Scaling choice modelling for a joint paper on the adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar. |
Impact | A paper is due to be submitted to a journal in Feb 2020 |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Drivers and Barriers to Adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar |
Organisation | Catholic University of Madagascar |
Country | Madagascar |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am leading two research papers from research into LMMAs in NE Madagascar, which will form two chapters of my PhD |
Collaborator Contribution | A professor at the University of Madagascar provided the necessary research permits for the field work to be undertaken. |
Impact | Paper 1 due to be submitted imminently. Paper 2 to be submitted by the end of this year. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Drivers and Barriers to Adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar |
Organisation | Conservation International |
Country | United States |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I am leading two research papers from research into LMMAs in NE Madagascar, which will form two chapters of my PhD |
Collaborator Contribution | Conservation International have facilitated field research in NE Madagascar by providing access to villages they have worked with in establishing LMMAs, lists of field research assistants and office support in the field. |
Impact | A paper is due to be submitted shortly. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Adoption of LMMAs speech at UCL Sept 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | I gave a presentation to a DTP PhD conference at UCL in London on the drivers and barriers to the adoption of LMMAs in NE Madagascar. Present were PhD students from different DTP universities and lecturers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://london-nerc-dtp.org/2019/07/22/abstract-submission-deadline-today-2019-dynamic-earth-the-joi... |
Description | Blue Ventures policy research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | I provided advice to Blue Ventures through a consultancy, on successful advocacy strategies for the adoption of policies that support conservation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation to the Marine Stewardship Council 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | I met with and presented to the Marine Stewardship Council three times in 2019. I undertook preliminary research with them also to help them identify the main drivers and barriers to the adoption of the MSC sustainable fishery certification. I introduced the MSC to the BWS methodology. They were interested in us undertaking further work jointly, but this has been paused. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.msc.org |