Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
''Complex'' contexts to landscape sustainability problems are synonymous with
systems thinking and trans-disciplinary research, and involve problems that are
inherently ''wicked'' with no clear solution or resolution (Brown et al. 2010 ). They
are unpredictable with emergent behaviour, no clear cause-and-effect relation-
ships, no right answers, high uncertainty, and they are riddled with ambiguity,
dilemmas and hard choices (Snowden and Boone 2007 ). Complex problems often
result from over exploitation of natural resources and governance failure (Jentoft
and Chuenpagdee 2009 ), but increasingly include novel drivers arising from cli-
mate change, and their cumulative impact on landscape pattern and processes.
Inherently, decision-making approaches to resolving complex problems are par-
ticipatory, trans-disciplinary, based on multiple models and support tools, and
focused on the governance system.
2.3 Towards an Improved Problem-Solving Framework
We suggest that landscape ecology will be better able to provide the scientific
basis for the design and planning of sustainable landscapes by becoming a more
applied problem-solving science (sensu McAlpine et al. 2010 ), which searches for
real, integrated solutions to landscape sustainability problems (c.f. Costanza 2009 ).
The framework we propose explicitly draws on the decision and planning sciences
and this allows a formal integration of the different problem-solving components
(see Fig. 2.1 ). Earlier problem solving frameworks have been criticised for being:
(a) elitist (highly expert orientated with limited public participation and recogni-
tion of non-expert knowledge); (b) overly dependent on the capacity of the steering
group/technology/facilitator; and (c) politically simplistic in assuming that it is
possible to produce an enduring consensus which will be easy to implement (Staes
et al. 2008 ). We believe that the modification of the problem-solving framework
by landscape ecologists and planning scientists will facilitate greater disciplinary
integration because it requires explicit acknowledgement of the multiple facets of
each problem and the involvement of multiple stakeholders.
The framework has seven stages, which are: (1) identify and contextualise the
problem; (2) set agreed objectives and management actions; (3) conduct data
analysis and integration; (4) understand risks and uncertainties; (5) conduct
objective and participatory decision analysis; (6) apply landscape management and
planning actions; and (7) implement monitoring and adaptive management pro-
grams. While the stages take place sequentially, the implementation process can be
iterative, involving modification of early stages (e.g., management objectives)
based on feedback from subsequent stages (e.g., data analysis and integration) of the
problem-solving process. Furthermore, stakeholder participation via an indepen-
dent facilitator occurs throughout the process, for the purposes of both legitimacy
(stakeholder buy-in) and efficiency (stakeholder knowledge) (Friedmann 1987 ).
An important component of an applied problem-solving approach is to bring the
social and institutional dimensions of the problem to the fore. This is done by
 
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