Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
23.5
MPAs Educational Agenda: Implications
for Earth Stewardship
Involving decision-makers in the process is essential to transferring successful
educational experiences to policy (Abecasis et al.
2013
). The exchange of experi-
ences among different stakeholders towards a common goal contributes to enlarging
their vision along with that of managers. However, construction of the management
plan and afterwards planning of educational activities should rely in science-based
investigative data and previous experiences (Lubchenco et al.
2003
).
Although the last decades have experienced a considerable increase in the number
of MPAs, the improvement of their services still is a huge task. The integration of
disperse experiences throughout South America is a primary task in order to improve
effi ciency, to save resources, and to allow the exchange of data and experiences. The
sharing of successful local results identifi ed by research programs, through frequent
and intensive meetings, workshops, formal or informal courses, or distinct types of
media, could be the way to accelerate development, in order to fulfi ll Earth
Stewardship demands (see Chapin et al.
2015
in this volume [Chap.
12
]).
MPAs represent areas of reduced human pressure, are expected to act as reposi-
tories of species and as habitat refuges (Costa et al.
2013
). They are also marine
regions where economic activities are controlled. For these reasons, protected areas
are ideal to act as incubators of novel conservation experiences, integrating ecology,
economy, and ethics, thereby acting as an educational instrument for spreading
these concepts and abilities to society as a whole. Like LTSER sites, MPAs should
integrate ecological sciences and ethical theories and values in educational programs
(Rozzi et al.
2012
). These basic concepts and practices also are required for an Earth
Stewardship initiative, which demands an integration of theory and practice, over-
coming disciplinary constraints and producing innovative responses to address
environmental, economic, and social challenges.
References
Abecasis RC, Schmidt L, Longnecker N et al (2013) Ocean & coastal management implications of
community and stakeholder perceptions of the marine environment and its conservation for
MPA management in a small Azorean island. Ocean Coast Manag 84:208-219. doi:
10.1016/j.
Aguirre Sala J (2015) Hermeneutic and fi eld environmental philosophy to integrate ecological sci-
ences and ethics into earth stewardship. In: Rozzi R, Chapin FS III, Callicott JB et al (eds)
Earth stewardship: linking ecology and ethics in theory and practice. Springer, Dordrecht,
pp 235-247
Amado-Filho GM, Maneveldt GW, Pereira Filho GH, Manso RCC, Bahia RG, Barros-Barreto MB
et al (2010) Seaweed diversity associated with a Brazilian tropical rhodolith bed. Cienc Mar
36(4):371-391
Bates AE, Barrett NS, Stuart-Smith RD, Holbrook NJ, Thompson PA, Edgar GJ (2013) Resilience
and signatures of tropicalization in protected reef fi sh communities. Nat Clim Chang 4(1):62-67.
doi:
10.1038/nclimate2062
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