Communicating vegetation management science to land managers and other stakeholders

Abstract

Science communication, including extension services, plays a key role in achieving sustainable native vegetation management. One of the pivotal aspects of the debate on sustainable vegetation management is the scientific information underpinning policy-making. In recent years, extension services have shifted their focus from top-down technology transfer to bottom-up participation and empowerment. There has also been a broadening of communication strategies to recognise the range of stakeholders involved in native vegetation management and to encompass environmental concerns. This paper examines the differences between government approaches to extension services to deliver policy and the need for effective communication to address broader science issues that underpin native vegetation management. The importance of knowing the learning styles of the stakeholders involved in native vegetation management is discussed at a time of increasing reliance on mass communication for information exchange and the importance of personal communication to achieve on-ground sustainable management. Critical factors for effective science-management communication are identified such as: (i) undertaking scientific studies (research) with community involvement, acceptance and agreed understanding of project objectives; (ii) realistic community consultation periods; (iii) matching communication channels with stakeholder needs; (iv) combining scientific with local knowledge in an holistic (biophysical and social) approach to understanding an issue; and (v) regional partnerships. These communication factors are considered to be essential to implementing on-ground natural resource management strategies and actions, including those concerned with native vegetation management.