Wetlands as social-ecological systems: Bridging nature and society
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Title
Ramsar Wetlands: Values, Assessment, Management
First Page
525
Last Page
553
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Science / Centre for People, Place and Planet
RAS ID
62725
Abstract
Solutions for addressing wetland loss in the Anthropocene will need to be built on more nuanced understanding of the relationships between human society and nature, including wetlands, as well as an understanding of human context. The current framing of ecological character and wise use perpetuates a nature-human dichotomy. Social components and interactions can be brought into the ecological concepts by adopting a more inclusive and comprehensive term ‘wetland character’ and using a social-ecological systems framework framing built around system entities, interactions, and system-level emergence phenomena. Management of these complex systems needs to be underpinned by an ethic that acknowledges the diversity of worldviews and values, recognising that wise use may be defined differently by each of these. The 50th year of Ramsar Convention provides an appropriate moment to set an integrative agenda in motion allowing insights from social sciences to permeate its core concepts.
DOI
10.1016/B978-0-12-817803-4.00021-8
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Kumar, R., Horwitz, P., & Finlayson, C. M. (2023). Wetlands as social-ecological systems: Bridging nature and society. In P. A. Gell, N. C. Davidson & C. M. Finlay (Eds.), Ramsar Wetlands: Values, Assessment, Management (pp. 525-553). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817803-4.00021-8