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Editorial

Editorial International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management 2 (2006) 303–304 This special issue presents many of the key results Phase two was very different. In a two-day work- of the Mountain Mistra programme, which aimed shop, researchers, from a wider range of disciplines ‘to develop scientifically based strategies for the than in phase one, together with stakeholders, management and long-term development of jointly defined the most important challenges for the [Swedish] mountain region’s resources.’ The the future management of natural resources in the programme was funded by the Swedish Foundation Swedish mountain region. From this exercise, and for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra, the results of phase one, four areas of research which supports applied environmental research focus (focal points) were identified, each including with a long-term perspective. While the need for researchers from at least three different disciplines, such a programme is clear today, in the early 21st as well as interactive work with stakeholder repre- century, it is worth noting that similar needs were sentatives. Individual papers in this special issue expressed more than 30 years ago, within Project 6 bring together key outcomes from each of the four of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) focal points: Programme (MAB-6) on the ‘impact of human • Reindeer industry under pressure (Camilla activities on mountain and tundra ecosystems.’ In Sandström et al.); 1973, a MAB-6 working group, meeting in • Strategies for fish and game (Torleif Eriksson Lillehammer, Norway, identified three ‘problem et al.); areas’ for coordinated interdisciplinary activities. • Decentralized management of large carnivores One of these was ‘land use in high-latitude moun- (Göran Ericsson et al.); tain and tundra ecosystems, with special reference • Tourism development and protected areas to grazing, industrial development and recreation.’ (Anna Zachrisson et al.). In fact, it was a quarter of a century before such work began, with the initiation of the Mountain These papers also bring in aspects of the three Mistra programme to address the key issues of land analytical frameworks chosen to systematise and, to use in the Swedish mountain region, as described some extent, synthesise the research: natural by Jon Moen in the first paper of this special issue – resource and welfare economics, natural resource whose preparation he also coordinated. ecology, and democracy and public administration The Mountain Mistra programme had three of natural resources. The links between them are phases: an initial (planning) phase (1998–99), phase also explored in the concluding paper by Tomas one (2000–2002), and phase two (2003–2006). Willebrand et al. Phase one was divided into seven sub-programmes In addition to the explicit goal of bringing based on a number of disciplinary foci, such as for- together scientists from diverse disciplines through est economics, reindeer management, biodiversity, thematic foci and analytical frameworks, one parti- tourism, and fish and wildlife ecology This phase cular innovation of phase two of the Mountain was, to a large extent, characterised by a spirit of Mistra programme was to employ a full-time profes- scientific optimism in which the researchers set out sional communicator. This is something that many, to solve conflicts in natural resource management if not all, applied interdisciplinary programmes – by producing good science. Many excellent and their stakeholders ‘on the ground’ – could scientific publications resulted. However, resources benefit from, but it is rarely done. The experiences put into synthesis, integration and outreach were gained from various processes of communication limited. After phase one, following two evaluations, and collaborative learning are described and ana- one scientific and one which emphasised the value lysed in the paper by Anders Esselin and Magnus to stakeholders, the programme was reorganised. Ljung. Correspondence: 303 Editorial Price and Willebrand In conclusion, we believe that the diverse scien- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tific and communication activities included within The editors and authors would like to thank The the Mountain Mistra programme have contributed Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research not only to advancing scientific knowledge and for funding this research and this special issue understanding, but also to a better understanding through the Mountain Mistra Programme. The of how scientists and stakeholders can collaborate, authors would further like to thank their network of to the benefit of all who are concerned with the stakeholders for many constructive discussions, and future of the Swedish mountain region and, more also all those who have participated in the studies, widely, with effective transdisciplinary research. for their time and commitment. Martin F. Price Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management Tomas Willebrand Programme Director, Mountain Mistra 304 International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Biodiversity Science & Management Taylor & Francis

Editorial

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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN
1745-1604
eISSN
1745-1590
DOI
10.1080/17451590609618150
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Abstract

International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management 2 (2006) 303–304 This special issue presents many of the key results Phase two was very different. In a two-day work- of the Mountain Mistra programme, which aimed shop, researchers, from a wider range of disciplines ‘to develop scientifically based strategies for the than in phase one, together with stakeholders, management and long-term development of jointly defined the most important challenges for the [Swedish] mountain region’s resources.’ The the future management of natural resources in the programme was funded by the Swedish Foundation Swedish mountain region. From this exercise, and for Strategic Environmental Research, Mistra, the results of phase one, four areas of research which supports applied environmental research focus (focal points) were identified, each including with a long-term perspective. While the need for researchers from at least three different disciplines, such a programme is clear today, in the early 21st as well as interactive work with stakeholder repre- century, it is worth noting that similar needs were sentatives. Individual papers in this special issue expressed more than 30 years ago, within Project 6 bring together key outcomes from each of the four of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) focal points: Programme (MAB-6) on the ‘impact of human • Reindeer industry under pressure (Camilla activities on mountain and tundra ecosystems.’ In Sandström et al.); 1973, a MAB-6 working group, meeting in • Strategies for fish and game (Torleif Eriksson Lillehammer, Norway, identified three ‘problem et al.); areas’ for coordinated interdisciplinary activities. • Decentralized management of large carnivores One of these was ‘land use in high-latitude moun- (Göran Ericsson et al.); tain and tundra ecosystems, with special reference • Tourism development and protected areas to grazing, industrial development and recreation.’ (Anna Zachrisson et al.). In fact, it was a quarter of a century before such work began, with the initiation of the Mountain These papers also bring in aspects of the three Mistra programme to address the key issues of land analytical frameworks chosen to systematise and, to use in the Swedish mountain region, as described some extent, synthesise the research: natural by Jon Moen in the first paper of this special issue – resource and welfare economics, natural resource whose preparation he also coordinated. ecology, and democracy and public administration The Mountain Mistra programme had three of natural resources. The links between them are phases: an initial (planning) phase (1998–99), phase also explored in the concluding paper by Tomas one (2000–2002), and phase two (2003–2006). Willebrand et al. Phase one was divided into seven sub-programmes In addition to the explicit goal of bringing based on a number of disciplinary foci, such as for- together scientists from diverse disciplines through est economics, reindeer management, biodiversity, thematic foci and analytical frameworks, one parti- tourism, and fish and wildlife ecology This phase cular innovation of phase two of the Mountain was, to a large extent, characterised by a spirit of Mistra programme was to employ a full-time profes- scientific optimism in which the researchers set out sional communicator. This is something that many, to solve conflicts in natural resource management if not all, applied interdisciplinary programmes – by producing good science. Many excellent and their stakeholders ‘on the ground’ – could scientific publications resulted. However, resources benefit from, but it is rarely done. The experiences put into synthesis, integration and outreach were gained from various processes of communication limited. After phase one, following two evaluations, and collaborative learning are described and ana- one scientific and one which emphasised the value lysed in the paper by Anders Esselin and Magnus to stakeholders, the programme was reorganised. Ljung. Correspondence: 303 Editorial Price and Willebrand In conclusion, we believe that the diverse scien- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tific and communication activities included within The editors and authors would like to thank The the Mountain Mistra programme have contributed Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research not only to advancing scientific knowledge and for funding this research and this special issue understanding, but also to a better understanding through the Mountain Mistra Programme. The of how scientists and stakeholders can collaborate, authors would further like to thank their network of to the benefit of all who are concerned with the stakeholders for many constructive discussions, and future of the Swedish mountain region and, more also all those who have participated in the studies, widely, with effective transdisciplinary research. for their time and commitment. Martin F. Price Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management Tomas Willebrand Programme Director, Mountain Mistra 304 International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management

Journal

International Journal of Biodiversity Science & Management – Taylor & Francis

Published: Dec 1, 2006

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