Learning and action in natural resource management

What is it about?

We did a systematic literature search from an academic platform Web of Science in 2015, resulting in a database of 1223 publications which write about learning in natural resource management. Based on selected publications (n=53) we conducted a qualitative review of factors which support action-oriented learning. Three internal factors support such learning: 1) participatory and collaborative processes; 2) proximity to praxis (where people can learn something from hands-on activities), and 3) intermediaries (key individuals, who lead and act as "bridges" between people). Five external (contextual) factors support learning: 1) addressing power asymmetries; 2) giving sufficient time for learning to occur; 3) crises, if addressed constructively; 4) embracing social-ecological complexity; and 5) developing a shared identity among people.

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Photo by Neslihan Gunaydin on Unsplash

Photo by Neslihan Gunaydin on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Natural resource management has a lot of empirical studies on learning. Our review presents one of the first qualitative approaches to draw this knowledge together.