Evaluating ecological outcomes from environmental stewardship initiatives: A comparative analysis of approaches

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

卷:297

Article

Baird, Julia^1,2  Plummer, Ryan¹  Jollineau, Marilyne¹  Dale, Gillian¹ 

[1] Brock Univ, Environm Sustainabil Res Ctr, St Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada

[2] Brock Univ, Geog & Tourism Studies, St Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada

关键词: Environmental stewardship;    Evaluation;    Monitoring;    Community science;    Remote sensing;    Perception;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113266

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Understanding the extent to which stewardship initiatives achieve objectives of enhanced ecological outcomes is important for enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of environmental management initiatives. Alternative approaches - community science, stakeholder perceptions, and remote sensing - are emerging in lieu of the conventional approach of collecting field data that present different benefits and drawbacks and to date have not been directly compared. This research compared the use of four approaches to evaluating ecological outcomes of a grassland restoration project on a 2 ha Niagara Parks Commission property in Ontario, Canada. We collected three levels of quantitative data, from general site assessments to species-specific data using standardized questionnaires and multi-spectral imagery from a remotely piloted aircraft system. We found that community scientists and stakeholders provided comparable general site assessments to the field data, but that as the assessments became more detailed, differences emerged. Further, remotely sensed data were assessed and provided a more positive site assessment than any other method. Experiences and knowledge of nature did not influence assessments by community scientists or stakeholders. Our findings show that for overall site assessments, community scientists and stakeholders may be able to provide a reasonably accurate assessment. If monitoring and evaluation needs (either research-based or practical) extend beyond a broad assessment, use of a field expert or multiple methods of data collection may be warranted.

【 授权许可】

Free