A collaborative approach to evidence based conservation
Transcript of A collaborative approach to evidence based conservation
Andrew S. Pullin Centre for Evidence-Based ConservationBangor University, UK
Acollaborativeapproachtoevidence‐basedconservation
Contents
1. The need for collective evidence synthesis
2. What is a Systematic Review?
3. When is a SR useful?
4. Introducing the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE)
The Need for Evidenced‐Based Conservation
• Lots to do• Limited resources• Difficult decisions
EBCseekstoinformdecisionmaking,reduceuncertaintyandincreaseeffectiveness.
First do no harm
• The presumption of good in conservation action is persuasive
• But many conservation interventions are contested by stakeholders
• Need for evidence of what works and what does not work
The need for collective synthesis• Data are ubiquitous and ever
increasing
• Scientific articles are published at faster rates than ever before, but on average, are read by very few people
• Wide range in quality of science and peer review
Susceptibility to bias
• Primary studies are more or less ‘trustworthy’ depending on their study design.
• Selective use of scientific evidence is easy to employ by vested interest groups
What is a Systematic Review?
• A methodology for collecting, critically appraising and synthesising evidence
• Conducted in relation to a specific question
• Designed to minimise bias and maximise transparency of conduct
• Assesses the strength of the evidence base
• Attempts to produce a summary effect and reasons for variation in that effect
• An open community of scientists and managers working towards a sustainable global environment and the conservation of biodiversity.
• Synthesises evidence on issues of greatest concern to environmental policy and practice.
• Serves as a reliable source of evidence to inform decisions
www.environmentalevidence.org
• Formally constituted in 2008, a global, not-for-profit, open collaboration of scientists, managers and policy formers interested in evidence synthesis.
• Provides guidelines for Review Teams encouraging systematic review activity to high standards.
• A repository of systematic reviews to inform decision making
• Disseminates results of SRs through an open-access website and journal.
www.environmentalevidence.org
CEEStructureCEEGovernance‐ BoardofTrustees,EditorialBoard,WebsiteCEECentres– Regionalco‐ordination,training,liaisonwithCommissionersandnetworkingacrosscollaboration(e.g.Guidelines).
CEEStructure
CEEMethodsGroups– DevelopmentofSRmethodologyandGuidelines
CEEReviewGroups– subject‐baseddevelopmentofSRquestionsandco‐ordinatingconductofreviews– subject(handling)editors
Steps in a CEE systematic review
Question
Protocol Peerreviewed,publishedandregisteredwithCEE
Search
Studyinclusion
Criticalappraisal
Dataextraction
Writereport
Peerreviewandpublishedinfull
Finalisedreview
Datasynthesis
When is a SR useful?
• When evidence needs can be formulated into a specific question
• When evidence is apparently conflicting or inconclusive
• When demonstrating impact is necessary to inform decision making
• When stakeholders hold conflicting beliefs• To interpret results of new studies in context
of results from previous research.
So how do CEE SRs get started?
• Curiosity and enthusiasm
• Evidence needs
• Conflict and controversy
• Evaluation of effectiveness
• Demonstration of knowledge gap
Systematic Review Questions
• Closed framed questions similar to those posed for primary research
• What is the impact of x on y?
• What is the effectiveness of intervention x in providing desired outcome y?
Pre‐releasepacksocialisationiseffectiveinpromotingshort‐termsuccessinWilddogreintroductions
Evidence Boosters
Gussett etal.2010.JournalforNatureConservation 18,230‐234.
Effectiveness of Community Forest Management for
conserving biodiversity and improving local human
welfare
Identifying knowledge gaps
Bowleretal.2012.FrontiersinEcologyandtheEnvironment 10;29‐36.
Do instream devices increase salmonid populations?
Busting Myths
Stewart et al. 2009 Ecol. Appl.19, 931-941.
Identification of effect modifiers
Inwhatsituationsarewindfarmsdeleterioustobirdpopulations?
Stewartetal.2007 EnvironmentalConservation 34,1‐11.
Broader question and Systematic Mapping
• Moreopenframedquestionscanbeaddressedusingsystematicmapping
• Followssameprinciplesbuttheoutputisamapofevidenceratherthananestimateofeffect.
• AsystematicmapmayinformchoiceformorespecificSRs
Example:Theeffectivenessofintegratedfarmmanagement,organicfarmingandagri‐environmentschemesasinterventionsforconservingbiodiversityintemperateEurope.
Randall&James2012 EnvironmentalEvidence 1:4
To date 50+ SRs completed ‐ A similar number is in progress.
Systematic reviews now commissioned by diversity of funders – DEMAND DRIVEN
UK GovernmentUK Research CouncilDonor agenciesEurope ‐ EU FP7, US Forest Service, USDA, AusAid, Aus Land & Water, UNEP, FAO
CEE Growth
Science informing Policy?
• Scienceisanobjectivemethods‐basedprocesstoincreaseknowledgeandunderstandingoftheworld.
• Policyisfundamentallyasocialprocessthatsciencecanonlyinform.
Communicating evidence
• Usingappropriatelanguage• Usingappropriatemediaformats