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Start date
19 June 2024
Pre-Congress Workshop Science-Society Interactions: Making Science Work for Policy and Practice
End date
22 June 2024
Location
SLU Ultuna Campus, Uppsala, Sweden
Major Sponsors
Key skills to be developed over the course of the workshop:
Participants enhanced their understanding of the interconnected realms of forest science and policy and practical forest management. The workshop discussed approaches and tools to successfully bridge these two spheres for improved science-policy/practice interactions and joint learning of scientists, policy makers and forest practitioners.
Lead Facilitator:
Steve Makungwa, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Malawi;
SPDC has a long history of organising Training Workshops on pertinent subjects relevant to forest scientists in conjunction with large IUFRO conferences and congresses. The IUFRO World Congress 2024 in Sweden represents another ideal opportunity for selected early- and mid-career scientists to enhance essential skills for generating high-quality research results and for communicating such results to policy and practice.
This workshop module presented a framework for preparing a scientific research study plan.
The workshop explored policy and governance approaches, as well as technical and managerial solutions, needed to enhance science-society interactions for effective forest and landscape conservation, restoration, and management.
Science-society interactions serve as platforms for exchanging knowledge between scientists and various stakeholders including policy makers and practitioners. This fosters mutual understanding and collaboration. By engaging with diverse stakeholders, these interactions enhance the relevance and applicability of scientific research, leading to informed decision-making and more effective policies.
This workshop discussed ways and means of transforming scientific knowledge into useful information for decision-making in policy and forest landscape management on the ground. Topics addressed in the workshop include:
- The nature of science to policy and practice interactions,
- Approaches and methods suitable to successful transforming scientific knowledge for policy making and practical implementation,
- Examples of relevant science-policy/practice initiatives from various regions of the world mainly Africa and Europe, and
- Capacity development for increased impact of scientific information on policy and forest management on the ground.