How to Set Up a Research Framework to Analyze Social–Ecological Interactive Processes in a Rural Landscape
Marc Deconchat,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATAnnick Gibon,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATAlain Cabanettes,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATGaétan du Bus de Warnaffe,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATMark Hewison,
UR35 Centre d’Ecologie de la Faune Sauvage, INRAEric Garine,
UMR7535 Laboratoire d’Ethnologie et de Sociologie Comparative, CNRSAndré Gavaland,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATJean-Paul Lacombe,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATSylvie Ladet,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATClaude Monteil,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATAnnie Ouin,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATJean-Pierre Sarthou,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATAnne Sourdril,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSATGérard Balent,
UMR1201 Dynamiques Forestières dans l'Espace Rural, INRA, INPT-ENSAT
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Abstract
Interdisciplinary research frameworks can be useful in providing answers to the environmental challenges facing rural environments, but concrete implementation of them remains empirical and requires better control. We present our practical experience of an interdisciplinary research project dealing with non-industrial private forestry in rural landscapes. The theoretical background, management, and methodological aspects, as well as results of the project, are presented in order to identify practical key factors that may influence its outcomes. Landscape ecology plays a central role in organizing the project. The efforts allocated for communication between scientists from different disciplines must be clearly stated in order to earn reciprocal trust. Sharing the same nested sampling areas, common approaches, and analytical tools (GIS) is important, but has to be balanced by autonomy for actual implementation of field work and data analysis in a modular and evolving framework. Data sets are at the heart of the collaboration and GIS is necessary to ensure their long-term management and sharing. The experience acquired from practical development of such projects should be shared more often in networks of teams to compare their behavior and identify common rules of functioning.
Key words
fragmented forest; interdisciplinary research; landscape ecology
Ecology and Society. ISSN: 1708-3087