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Reciprocal Relationships in Reserves: Establishing a Community of Practitioners for Identifying and Using Cultural Ecosystem Services Approaches

Reciprocal Relationships in Reserves: Establishing a Community of Practitioners for Identifying and Using Cultural Ecosystem Services Approaches

Participants engaging in an art-based method to explore the cultural ecosystem services of Kachemak Bay Reserve

A multi-reserve science transfer project expanded collaborations initiated during a 2020 catalyst project by training a cohort from nine reserves in a variety of place-based approaches for identifying and monitoring cultural ecosystem services.

The Project

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) – or the non-material benefits that result from human relationships with the environment – support and maintain place-based values, worldviews, cultural identity, and well-being. Given their potential to reveal relationships between human and environmental well-being, the inclusion of CES in natural resource planning and decision making processes is critical to successful long-term application of stewardship and management strategies. Despite being one of four main categories of ecosystem services, CES are not often assessed due to significant theoretical and practical gaps in their identification and evaluation. This project addressed this need by establishing a sustainable network of CES practitioners that support each other, engage others through their CES experiences, and share methods that help identify and work within the unique socio-ecological contexts present across the Reserve System.

The project team employed a consultative approach to identifying and addressing reserve staff needs, which revealed a strong interest in CES and a need for practical guidance and shared examples. Through a combination of webinars focusing on commonalities observed across the Reserve System, in-person gatherings of CES practitioners, and professional sharing sessions, project participants built connections across their network and increased knowledge and skills for engaging with CES.

The Impact

  • Participation in the project increased awareness among reserve staff with respect to the value of considering cultural elements in ecosystem service assessments.
  • Project activities strengthened relationships among participating reserve staff and increased their knowledge and skills related to cultural ecosystem services. In-person gatherings contributed to participants’ shared interest in continuing to support each other in future CES work.
  • Reserve staff that use surveys and similar evaluation approaches have identified opportunities to adapt their existing efforts and include approaches that assess cultural ecosystem services.

In memoriam: Dr. Eleanor J. Sterling

The project team and global conservation community mourn the loss of our project co-investigator, colleague, and friend Dr. Eleanor Jane Sterling. Eleanor passed away peacefully in her sleep in February 2023, surrounded in love, after fighting an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. Eleanor’s visionary leadership, thoughtful approach, and devoted commitment to equity and inclusion have made, and continue to make significant contributions not only in the context of this project, but also across the conservation field. We will continue to realize the full breadth and depth of these contributions for years to come. Eleanor is deeply missed, but remains in our hearts always.