Amy Lauren Lovecraft
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262220842
- eISBN:
- 9780262285445
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262220842.003.0005
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Climate
This chapter examines the effect of climate change on Arctic ecosystems using social-ecological systems (SES) analysis. It also considers the effect of global climate change on the social dynamics of ...
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This chapter examines the effect of climate change on Arctic ecosystems using social-ecological systems (SES) analysis. It also considers the effect of global climate change on the social dynamics of people living in the Arctic and how it might continue to do so. The chapter examines the effects of rapid climate change on Arctic SESs by focusing on two examples of ecological processes: wildfire disturbance and sea-ice coverage.Less
This chapter examines the effect of climate change on Arctic ecosystems using social-ecological systems (SES) analysis. It also considers the effect of global climate change on the social dynamics of people living in the Arctic and how it might continue to do so. The chapter examines the effects of rapid climate change on Arctic SESs by focusing on two examples of ecological processes: wildfire disturbance and sea-ice coverage.
Tim R. McClanahan and Joshua Cinner
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199754489
- eISBN:
- 9780199918843
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199754489.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
Societies must choose how they wish to deal with climate change. Not doing anything or pursuing ‘business as usual’ is likely to lead down a path that will have devastating consequences for many ...
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Societies must choose how they wish to deal with climate change. Not doing anything or pursuing ‘business as usual’ is likely to lead down a path that will have devastating consequences for many people, especially the world’s poor. Using a focal lens of coral reef fisheries, upon which millions of people depend on for their livelihood, this book provides a tool box of options for confronting the consequences of climate change through building local-scale adaptive capacity in societies and improving the condition of the natural resources. Building adaptive capacity will require strengthening appropriate aspects of a society’s flexibility, assets, learning and social organizations. They ways of doing this are diverse and will, of course, depend on existing local capacities and needs. Improving the condition of resources tends to require restricting or limiting society’s actions. These two broad concepts, of building social capacities and limiting certain types of resource use, interact in complicated ways, requiring coupled actions. One of the central themes of this book is that adaptation solutions are context dependent, determined in part by aspects of local resource conditions, adaptive capacity, and exposure to climate change impacts, but also by people’s history, culture, and aspirations. This book develops a framework to help provide governments, scientists, managers, and donors with critical information about the local context and develop nuanced actions that reflect these local conditions. This information can help to identify key opportunities and narrow the range of potential adaptation options that may be suitable for a particular location.Less
Societies must choose how they wish to deal with climate change. Not doing anything or pursuing ‘business as usual’ is likely to lead down a path that will have devastating consequences for many people, especially the world’s poor. Using a focal lens of coral reef fisheries, upon which millions of people depend on for their livelihood, this book provides a tool box of options for confronting the consequences of climate change through building local-scale adaptive capacity in societies and improving the condition of the natural resources. Building adaptive capacity will require strengthening appropriate aspects of a society’s flexibility, assets, learning and social organizations. They ways of doing this are diverse and will, of course, depend on existing local capacities and needs. Improving the condition of resources tends to require restricting or limiting society’s actions. These two broad concepts, of building social capacities and limiting certain types of resource use, interact in complicated ways, requiring coupled actions. One of the central themes of this book is that adaptation solutions are context dependent, determined in part by aspects of local resource conditions, adaptive capacity, and exposure to climate change impacts, but also by people’s history, culture, and aspirations. This book develops a framework to help provide governments, scientists, managers, and donors with critical information about the local context and develop nuanced actions that reflect these local conditions. This information can help to identify key opportunities and narrow the range of potential adaptation options that may be suitable for a particular location.
Tim R. McClanahan and Joshua E. Cinner
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199754489
- eISBN:
- 9780199918843
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199754489.003.0009
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
In many places building adaptive capacity will be a critical part of preparing for climate change. This chapter discusses ways to build adaptive capacity in society, which is defined as attempts to ...
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In many places building adaptive capacity will be a critical part of preparing for climate change. This chapter discusses ways to build adaptive capacity in society, which is defined as attempts to improve people’s broad ability to cope with and adapt to change, and to take advantages of the opportunities provided by change. This chapter explores various strategies for building adaptive capacity, by reviewing key findings from the various academic disciplines that have long histories of application and research in building adaptive capacity, including human geography, development studies, agricultural economics, and understanding social-ecological systems. The chapter is focused primarily on the individual, community, and local institution scales, and provides examples related to natural resource use and management where possible. Specific strategies include avoiding or escaping poverty traps, creating robust and flexible institutions, improving governance through increased transparency, and fostering the ability of individuals and institutions to learn about climate change. Many of the policies and programs to build adaptive capacity will require external donor pressure and aid, as well as government support.Less
In many places building adaptive capacity will be a critical part of preparing for climate change. This chapter discusses ways to build adaptive capacity in society, which is defined as attempts to improve people’s broad ability to cope with and adapt to change, and to take advantages of the opportunities provided by change. This chapter explores various strategies for building adaptive capacity, by reviewing key findings from the various academic disciplines that have long histories of application and research in building adaptive capacity, including human geography, development studies, agricultural economics, and understanding social-ecological systems. The chapter is focused primarily on the individual, community, and local institution scales, and provides examples related to natural resource use and management where possible. Specific strategies include avoiding or escaping poverty traps, creating robust and flexible institutions, improving governance through increased transparency, and fostering the ability of individuals and institutions to learn about climate change. Many of the policies and programs to build adaptive capacity will require external donor pressure and aid, as well as government support.
Alex Russ and Marianne E. Krasny
Alex Russ and Marianne E. Krasny (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781501705823
- eISBN:
- 9781501712791
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501705823.003.0031
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
This chapter discusses five trends related to urban environmental education: City as Classroom, Problem Solving, Environmental Stewardship, Individual and Community Development, and City as ...
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This chapter discusses five trends related to urban environmental education: City as Classroom, Problem Solving, Environmental Stewardship, Individual and Community Development, and City as Social-Ecological System. City as Classroom aims to facilitate learning about urban and other environments, ecology, science, geography, history, and other subjects using urban outdoor and indoor settings. Problem Solving aims to solve or mitigate environmental problems and related social problems. The goal of Environmental Stewardship is to foster community-based management of urban ecosystems, involve community members in decision making and action to improve urban natural resources. Individual and Community Development seeks to promote positive youth development and social capital. City as Social-Ecological System aims to develop an understanding of cities as social-ecological systems, and reimagine how to manage cities to achieve desired environmental and social outcomes. The chapter shows that urban environmental education contributes to urban sustainability by addressing social and environmental issues.Less
This chapter discusses five trends related to urban environmental education: City as Classroom, Problem Solving, Environmental Stewardship, Individual and Community Development, and City as Social-Ecological System. City as Classroom aims to facilitate learning about urban and other environments, ecology, science, geography, history, and other subjects using urban outdoor and indoor settings. Problem Solving aims to solve or mitigate environmental problems and related social problems. The goal of Environmental Stewardship is to foster community-based management of urban ecosystems, involve community members in decision making and action to improve urban natural resources. Individual and Community Development seeks to promote positive youth development and social capital. City as Social-Ecological System aims to develop an understanding of cities as social-ecological systems, and reimagine how to manage cities to achieve desired environmental and social outcomes. The chapter shows that urban environmental education contributes to urban sustainability by addressing social and environmental issues.
Marianne E. Krasny and Keith G. Tidball
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780262028653
- eISBN:
- 9780262327169
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262028653.003.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
Marvin Gaye Park in Washington DC wasn’t always a nice pathway along Watts Branch Creek. Not long ago, it was a “broken place” – strewn with litter and frequented by drug addicts. Still today, trash ...
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Marvin Gaye Park in Washington DC wasn’t always a nice pathway along Watts Branch Creek. Not long ago, it was a “broken place” – strewn with litter and frequented by drug addicts. Still today, trash abounds in the creek, and young people from nearby neighborhoods wade into the water to extract the trash from a weir called a Bandalong trap. The transformation of the Watts Branch to a park and the ongoing stewardship of the creek, illustrate the ten principles of civic ecology The ten principles of civic ecology address four questions. Why do people turn to community environmental stewardship in cities, after disasters, and in other harsh environments? • What are the parts—the communities, the memories, the places, the people, and the ecosystem, health, and learning outcomes—that pieced together become civic ecology practices? • How do civic ecology practices interact with the systems surrounding them, including governance and larger-scale social-ecological systems? • How might policymakers benefit from and support civic ecology practices?Less
Marvin Gaye Park in Washington DC wasn’t always a nice pathway along Watts Branch Creek. Not long ago, it was a “broken place” – strewn with litter and frequented by drug addicts. Still today, trash abounds in the creek, and young people from nearby neighborhoods wade into the water to extract the trash from a weir called a Bandalong trap. The transformation of the Watts Branch to a park and the ongoing stewardship of the creek, illustrate the ten principles of civic ecology The ten principles of civic ecology address four questions. Why do people turn to community environmental stewardship in cities, after disasters, and in other harsh environments? • What are the parts—the communities, the memories, the places, the people, and the ecosystem, health, and learning outcomes—that pieced together become civic ecology practices? • How do civic ecology practices interact with the systems surrounding them, including governance and larger-scale social-ecological systems? • How might policymakers benefit from and support civic ecology practices?
Bruce Mitchell
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- August 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190885816
- eISBN:
- 9780190885847
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190885816.003.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology, Plant Sciences and Forestry
Resource and environmental managers frequently must deal with ongoing change, complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, often meaning that there is not one obviously correct way to manage situations. In ...
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Resource and environmental managers frequently must deal with ongoing change, complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, often meaning that there is not one obviously correct way to manage situations. In that context, this chapter introduces key concepts related to resource and environmental management: complex social and ecological systems, the Anthropocene, wicked problems, ambiguity, and tipping points. The characteristics of each are described, and their significance explained. In addition, experiences from Tanzania, the Philippines, the United States, and India are presented to illustrate the importance of these concepts in practical resource and environmental management situations. Rangarirai Taruvinga shares a guest statement in which he explores the pressures and options related to social-ecological complexity in Swaziland in Africa.Less
Resource and environmental managers frequently must deal with ongoing change, complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, often meaning that there is not one obviously correct way to manage situations. In that context, this chapter introduces key concepts related to resource and environmental management: complex social and ecological systems, the Anthropocene, wicked problems, ambiguity, and tipping points. The characteristics of each are described, and their significance explained. In addition, experiences from Tanzania, the Philippines, the United States, and India are presented to illustrate the importance of these concepts in practical resource and environmental management situations. Rangarirai Taruvinga shares a guest statement in which he explores the pressures and options related to social-ecological complexity in Swaziland in Africa.
Marc J. Stern
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- August 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198793182
- eISBN:
- 9780191835117
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198793182.003.0008
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology, Ecology
This chapter covers systems theories relevant to understanding and working to enhance the resilience of social-ecological systems. Social-ecological systems contain natural resources, users of those ...
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This chapter covers systems theories relevant to understanding and working to enhance the resilience of social-ecological systems. Social-ecological systems contain natural resources, users of those resources, and the interactions between each. The theories in the chapter share lessons about how to build effective governance structures for common pool resources, how to facilitate the spread of worthwhile ideas across social networks, and how to promote collaboration for greater collective impacts than any one organization alone could achieve. Each theory is summarized succinctly and followed by guidance on how to apply it to real world problem solving.Less
This chapter covers systems theories relevant to understanding and working to enhance the resilience of social-ecological systems. Social-ecological systems contain natural resources, users of those resources, and the interactions between each. The theories in the chapter share lessons about how to build effective governance structures for common pool resources, how to facilitate the spread of worthwhile ideas across social networks, and how to promote collaboration for greater collective impacts than any one organization alone could achieve. Each theory is summarized succinctly and followed by guidance on how to apply it to real world problem solving.
Ann Kinzig and Charles Perrings
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199679355
- eISBN:
- 9780191758423
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199679355.003.0004
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This chapter considers the link between consumption and the sustainability of coupled social-ecological systems. The chapter argues that consumption affects the sustainability of the coupled system ...
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This chapter considers the link between consumption and the sustainability of coupled social-ecological systems. The chapter argues that consumption affects the sustainability of the coupled system if it affects the capacity of the system to accommodate stress or shock. Consumption may be sustainable if it does not compromise the stability of the coupled system. This provides a new perspective on the problem of consumption. Instead of the balance between consumption levels and the carrying capacity of the environment implicit in many discussions of overconsumption, or in the use of metrics such as the ecological footprint, it focuses our attention on the impact of interventions on the stability of the ecological components of the coupled system. Formally, the chapter demonstrates that this depends on the observability and controllability of those components of the system.Less
This chapter considers the link between consumption and the sustainability of coupled social-ecological systems. The chapter argues that consumption affects the sustainability of the coupled system if it affects the capacity of the system to accommodate stress or shock. Consumption may be sustainable if it does not compromise the stability of the coupled system. This provides a new perspective on the problem of consumption. Instead of the balance between consumption levels and the carrying capacity of the environment implicit in many discussions of overconsumption, or in the use of metrics such as the ecological footprint, it focuses our attention on the impact of interventions on the stability of the ecological components of the coupled system. Formally, the chapter demonstrates that this depends on the observability and controllability of those components of the system.
Nicole M. Ardoin, Alan Reid, Heila Lotz-Sisitka, and Édgar J. González Gaudian
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781501705823
- eISBN:
- 9781501712791
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501705823.003.0032
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
This book has discussed academic debates and practices in urban environmental education. It has highlighted challenges and opportunities facing the field of environmental education in general and ...
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This book has discussed academic debates and practices in urban environmental education. It has highlighted challenges and opportunities facing the field of environmental education in general and educators working in urban areas in particular. It has examined how the unique features of cities—as places facing major environmental and justice issues yet also as hubs of innovation—influence environmental education goals and implementation. Urban planning, social justice, climate change, and social-ecological systems resilience are areas environmental education has addressed in the past, but which are becoming increasingly salient for environmental education in cities. This afterword urges environmental educators to: First, challenge the urban/rural binary by recognizing and critiquing processes such as urban decay, suburban sprawl, migration, and gentrification. Second, spend time in the field—or, more accurately, in the streets— in order to understand urban settings in a deeper, more embodied way.Less
This book has discussed academic debates and practices in urban environmental education. It has highlighted challenges and opportunities facing the field of environmental education in general and educators working in urban areas in particular. It has examined how the unique features of cities—as places facing major environmental and justice issues yet also as hubs of innovation—influence environmental education goals and implementation. Urban planning, social justice, climate change, and social-ecological systems resilience are areas environmental education has addressed in the past, but which are becoming increasingly salient for environmental education in cities. This afterword urges environmental educators to: First, challenge the urban/rural binary by recognizing and critiquing processes such as urban decay, suburban sprawl, migration, and gentrification. Second, spend time in the field—or, more accurately, in the streets— in order to understand urban settings in a deeper, more embodied way.
John S. Dryzek and Jonathan Pickering
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198809616
- eISBN:
- 9780191846892
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198809616.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
The Anthropocene is an emerging epoch in the Earth system that requires a “state shift” in the way we think. The Earth system becomes much more unstable than it was in the last 12,000 years of the ...
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The Anthropocene is an emerging epoch in the Earth system that requires a “state shift” in the way we think. The Earth system becomes much more unstable than it was in the last 12,000 years of the Holocene. The “bad Anthropocene” is associated with scientists who have identified “planetary boundaries” that must not be transgressed: so the Anthropocene is mostly something to be fought. The “good Anthropocene” is proposed by technological optimists who welcome humanity asserting benign control over what was the natural world. It is preferable to think of the inescapable Anthropocene: as something that humanity must learn to live with, for it will continue to generate novel challenges and crises in the Earth system. Human activities have a decisive causal influence on the Earth system, but to date the responses of the social sciences to the challenge have been inadequate. It is necessary to do better.Less
The Anthropocene is an emerging epoch in the Earth system that requires a “state shift” in the way we think. The Earth system becomes much more unstable than it was in the last 12,000 years of the Holocene. The “bad Anthropocene” is associated with scientists who have identified “planetary boundaries” that must not be transgressed: so the Anthropocene is mostly something to be fought. The “good Anthropocene” is proposed by technological optimists who welcome humanity asserting benign control over what was the natural world. It is preferable to think of the inescapable Anthropocene: as something that humanity must learn to live with, for it will continue to generate novel challenges and crises in the Earth system. Human activities have a decisive causal influence on the Earth system, but to date the responses of the social sciences to the challenge have been inadequate. It is necessary to do better.
Jürgen H. Breuste, Thomas Elmqvist, Glenn Guntenspergen, Philip James, and Nancy E. McIntyre (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199563562
- eISBN:
- 9780191774713
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199563562.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This book deals with urbanisation which is a global phenomenon that is increasingly challenging human society and ecosystems. It is therefore crucially important to ensure that the expansion of ...
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This book deals with urbanisation which is a global phenomenon that is increasingly challenging human society and ecosystems. It is therefore crucially important to ensure that the expansion of cities and towns proceeds sustainably. Urban ecology, the interdisciplinary study of ecological patterns and processes in towns and cities, is a rapidly developing field that can provide a scientific basis for the informed decision-making and planning needed to create both viable and sustainable cities. This book discusses our current understanding of all aspects of urban environments, from the physical characteristics of cities to the ecology of the organisms that inhabit them and the diversity of ecosystem services and human social issues encountered within urban landscapes. The book is divided into five sections with the first describing the physical urban environment. Subsequent sections examine ecological patterns and processes within the urban setting, followed by the integration of ecology and biodiversity with social issues. The book concludes with a discussion of the applications of urban ecology and ecosystem services provided by urban biodiversity to land-use planning. The emphasis throughout is on what we actually know (as well as what we should know) about the complexities of social-ecological systems in urban areas, in order to develop urban ecology as a rigorous scientific discipline.Less
This book deals with urbanisation which is a global phenomenon that is increasingly challenging human society and ecosystems. It is therefore crucially important to ensure that the expansion of cities and towns proceeds sustainably. Urban ecology, the interdisciplinary study of ecological patterns and processes in towns and cities, is a rapidly developing field that can provide a scientific basis for the informed decision-making and planning needed to create both viable and sustainable cities. This book discusses our current understanding of all aspects of urban environments, from the physical characteristics of cities to the ecology of the organisms that inhabit them and the diversity of ecosystem services and human social issues encountered within urban landscapes. The book is divided into five sections with the first describing the physical urban environment. Subsequent sections examine ecological patterns and processes within the urban setting, followed by the integration of ecology and biodiversity with social issues. The book concludes with a discussion of the applications of urban ecology and ecosystem services provided by urban biodiversity to land-use planning. The emphasis throughout is on what we actually know (as well as what we should know) about the complexities of social-ecological systems in urban areas, in order to develop urban ecology as a rigorous scientific discipline.
Gavin Van Horn and John Hausdoerffer (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780226444666
- eISBN:
- 9780226444970
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226444970.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Nature
Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed ...
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Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed authors from a variety of landscapes, cultures, and backgrounds to share their stories about the interdependence of everyday human lifeways and wildness. Far from being an all or nothing proposition, wildness exists in variations and degrees that range from cultivated soils to multigenerational forests to sunflowers pushing through cracks in a city alley. Spanning diverse geographies, these essays celebrate the continuum of wildness, revealing the many ways in which human communities can nurture, adapt to, and thrive alongside their wild nonhuman kin. From the contoured lands of Wisconsin’s Driftless region to remote Alaska, from animals and plants thriving in urban areas to indigenous lands and harvest ceremonies, from backyards to reclaimed industrial sites, from microcosms to bioregions and atmospheres, manifestations of wildness are everywhere. This book illuminates what wildness is and could be, as well as how it might be recovered in our lives—and with it, how we might unearth a more profound, wilder understanding of what it means to be human.Less
Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed authors from a variety of landscapes, cultures, and backgrounds to share their stories about the interdependence of everyday human lifeways and wildness. Far from being an all or nothing proposition, wildness exists in variations and degrees that range from cultivated soils to multigenerational forests to sunflowers pushing through cracks in a city alley. Spanning diverse geographies, these essays celebrate the continuum of wildness, revealing the many ways in which human communities can nurture, adapt to, and thrive alongside their wild nonhuman kin. From the contoured lands of Wisconsin’s Driftless region to remote Alaska, from animals and plants thriving in urban areas to indigenous lands and harvest ceremonies, from backyards to reclaimed industrial sites, from microcosms to bioregions and atmospheres, manifestations of wildness are everywhere. This book illuminates what wildness is and could be, as well as how it might be recovered in our lives—and with it, how we might unearth a more profound, wilder understanding of what it means to be human.
Dustin Eirdosh and Susan Hanisch
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190624965
- eISBN:
- 9780190051679
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190624965.003.0012
- Subject:
- Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) examines the emergence and persistence of complex adaptive systems, including human social-ecological systems. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aims to empower ...
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Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) examines the emergence and persistence of complex adaptive systems, including human social-ecological systems. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aims to empower students with the skills to develop and sustain human social-ecological systems that reflect the shared values of our species. The aims of EvoS and ESD have clear overlaps, and yet these two fields remain as distant islands of thought with few academic bridges between them. This chapter explores the connections between EvoS and ESD from historical, theoretical, and applied perspectives and presents the value of an integrated approach. The authors argue the strengths of this approach include its cumulative evidence base from wide-ranging disciplines, its explanatory power, and its overall simplicity.Less
Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) examines the emergence and persistence of complex adaptive systems, including human social-ecological systems. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aims to empower students with the skills to develop and sustain human social-ecological systems that reflect the shared values of our species. The aims of EvoS and ESD have clear overlaps, and yet these two fields remain as distant islands of thought with few academic bridges between them. This chapter explores the connections between EvoS and ESD from historical, theoretical, and applied perspectives and presents the value of an integrated approach. The authors argue the strengths of this approach include its cumulative evidence base from wide-ranging disciplines, its explanatory power, and its overall simplicity.
Harini Nagendra
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199465927
- eISBN:
- 9780199087105
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199465927.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Science, Technology and Environment, Urban and Rural Studies
In rapidly urbanizing India, cities are places of conflict between people and nature. What is the future for conservation in Indian cities? Nature in the City examines the past, present, and future ...
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In rapidly urbanizing India, cities are places of conflict between people and nature. What is the future for conservation in Indian cities? Nature in the City examines the past, present, and future of nature in Bengaluru. One of India’s largest and fastest growing cities, Bengaluru was once known as the Garden City of India. The city’s ecology and environment have been degraded and destroyed in recent years. Yet nature still exhibits a remarkable tenacity. The book has a broad historical focus. Moving from early settlements in the 6th century CE to the 21st century city, it concludes by outlining a vision of a better future. The book draws on extensive research, integrated with stories of people, places, and examples of positive change. Detailed chapters demonstrate how nature has looked, behaved, and has been perceived differently in the home gardens, slums, streets, parks, sacred spaces, and lakes of Bengaluru. Nature in the city is shaped by human preferences and prejudices, as the book demonstrates. Of interest to local residents, visitors, and outside readers alike, the present volume provides an accessible, informative, and interesting tour of the social spaces where nature thrives and strives in Bengaluru. With heterogeneous environments, population densities, and urban poor, cities like Bengaluru must pay attention to the cultural and social contexts within which nature is embedded. The book further suggests an organic approach for urban conservation in the Indian context that builds on the capacities of people and communities, drawing on the close integration of the socio-cultural and ecological in urban India.Less
In rapidly urbanizing India, cities are places of conflict between people and nature. What is the future for conservation in Indian cities? Nature in the City examines the past, present, and future of nature in Bengaluru. One of India’s largest and fastest growing cities, Bengaluru was once known as the Garden City of India. The city’s ecology and environment have been degraded and destroyed in recent years. Yet nature still exhibits a remarkable tenacity. The book has a broad historical focus. Moving from early settlements in the 6th century CE to the 21st century city, it concludes by outlining a vision of a better future. The book draws on extensive research, integrated with stories of people, places, and examples of positive change. Detailed chapters demonstrate how nature has looked, behaved, and has been perceived differently in the home gardens, slums, streets, parks, sacred spaces, and lakes of Bengaluru. Nature in the city is shaped by human preferences and prejudices, as the book demonstrates. Of interest to local residents, visitors, and outside readers alike, the present volume provides an accessible, informative, and interesting tour of the social spaces where nature thrives and strives in Bengaluru. With heterogeneous environments, population densities, and urban poor, cities like Bengaluru must pay attention to the cultural and social contexts within which nature is embedded. The book further suggests an organic approach for urban conservation in the Indian context that builds on the capacities of people and communities, drawing on the close integration of the socio-cultural and ecological in urban India.
Harini Nagendra
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199465927
- eISBN:
- 9780199087105
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199465927.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Science, Technology and Environment, Urban and Rural Studies
Slums constitute a fast growing proportion of Bengaluru’s housing that needs greater attention. Vegetation in slums functions as both a common pool resource and a private resource. Most trees in ...
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Slums constitute a fast growing proportion of Bengaluru’s housing that needs greater attention. Vegetation in slums functions as both a common pool resource and a private resource. Most trees in slums were native. The most preferred species were the drumstick and peepal. Newer slums had higher tree density, and a greater proportion of native trees, as well as higher plant diversity and more native plants compared to old slums. In contrast to trees, which represented a community resource, most plants were located in private domestic spaces. Most slum residents wanted more vegetation in their neighbourhood. Nature plays a role much ignored but of great importance in situations of urban poverty. Vegetation in slums provides tangible components of physical sustenance, and plays an equally important, intangible aesthetic, cultural, and sacred role in daily life. The aspect of nature as nurture in slums has been largely ignored in planning.Less
Slums constitute a fast growing proportion of Bengaluru’s housing that needs greater attention. Vegetation in slums functions as both a common pool resource and a private resource. Most trees in slums were native. The most preferred species were the drumstick and peepal. Newer slums had higher tree density, and a greater proportion of native trees, as well as higher plant diversity and more native plants compared to old slums. In contrast to trees, which represented a community resource, most plants were located in private domestic spaces. Most slum residents wanted more vegetation in their neighbourhood. Nature plays a role much ignored but of great importance in situations of urban poverty. Vegetation in slums provides tangible components of physical sustenance, and plays an equally important, intangible aesthetic, cultural, and sacred role in daily life. The aspect of nature as nurture in slums has been largely ignored in planning.
