Disentangling the social complexities of assisted migration through deliberative methods

Abstract

The impacts of climate change have prompted forest practitioners and decision makers to consider assisted migration (a form of plant translocation) as a management strategy. Historically, decisions around forest management, including the application of novel approaches, have been driven by the interests of particular groups and informed by a narrow range of knowledge inputs. Drawing on our program of social science research and that of others, we demonstrate: (a) the need to expand the range of groups consulted in climate-adaptive forest management; (b) the necessity to incorporate a broader range of knowledge inputs; and (c) the development and application of deliberative approaches that facilitate both. Synthesis. We identify a novel deliberative agenda for understanding the societal aspects and implications of plant translocation research and practice, and make recommendations for mixed socially based research methods that revolve around engaging a diverse set of publics and forms of knowledge in environmental decision-making and policy-setting.