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Key policy highlights People relate with nature in different ways for instance as managers, stewards, partners, participants, or observers. Here we elaborate the partnership relation between people and nature, based on the academic literature and empirical data from farmers. Partnership involves a give-and-take relationship between people and nature, where nature is seen as an active subject and collaborator. We also propose a new category of human-nature relationship which we call ‘apprentice’ where nature is seen as a teacher. When developing conservation measures, policy makers should be attentive to the different ways that people understand their relationship to nature to improve uptake of conservation measures.

Fil: Luck, Gary. Charles Sturt University. Institute for Land, Water and Society; Australia

Relational values have recently been proposed as a concept to expand our understanding of environmental values from the categories previously dominating the discourse: instrumental (nature for people's sake) and intrinsic values (nature for its own sake). Empirical and conceptual research on relational values has so far focused on the content of relational values or their relationship to other kinds of values. In this paper, we fill a key gap in understanding exactly what relational values are and how they work; we call this the ‘syntax’ of relational values. We do so by applying the Syntax of Environmental Values Framework, which describes relational values as bidirectional, expressed by genuine respect and care on the one hand and an eudaimonic contribution to wellbeing on the other. We developed a novel interview protocol which we applied in semistructured interviews with Swiss alpine farmers. We examine how both of these directions are manifested in farmers' relational values. Our results showed how the bidirectionality manifests in relational values of alpine farmers. Specifically, we identified three components of each directionality. The intrinsic element of relational values was constituted by: an attitude of respect, attention to the relationship and practices of care. The instrumental element of relational values was constituted by: emotional and experiential contributions for the valuer, satisfaction and joy in the relationship, and practical contributions to the activities associated with the relationship (e.g. farm management). We further elaborate on the conditions required to sustain relational values, including physical, emotional and sociopolitical conditions. These results informed an elaborated conceptual framework of relational values, and environmental valuing more generally. While specifically derived from our dataset, we believe our conclusions could directly or in a modified form, apply to diverse cases of relational valuing. In sum, this paper offers a concrete step towards better characterizing, distinguishing and applying the relational values concept. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Zusammenfassung auf Deutsch Der Begriff ‘relationale Werte’ wurde kürzlich in den Umweltdiskurs eingeführt, um unser Verständnis von Umweltwerten über die traditionellen Kategorien der instrumentellen Werte (Natur für Menschen) und der intrinsischen Werte (Natur um ihrer selbst willen) hinaus zu erweitern. Sowohl empirische wie konzeptionelle Studien zu relationalen Werten haben sich bisher vor allem auf den Inhalt dieser Werte oder deren Verhältnis zu intrinsischen und instrumentellen Werten konzentriert. In diesem Artikel schliessen wir eine Lücke in der Literatur, indem wir eine Interpretation dazu vorschlagen, was relationale Werte eigentlich sind und wie sie funktionieren. Wir sprechen bei dieser Interpretation von der Syntax relationaler Werte, in welcher wir relationale Werte als ‘bidirektional’ beschreiben. Damit ist gemeint, dass die Werte einerseits durch eine Kombination von Respekt und Sorge für das Objekt (intrinsisches Element) andererseits durch einem eudaimonischen Beitrag zum Wohlergehen der Wertenden (instrumentelles Element) charakterisiert sind. Wir entwickelten ein neues Interview Protokoll, mit dem wir in semistrukturierten Interviews mit Schweizer Bergbauern untersuchten, wie sich die beiden Richtungen der Bidirektionalität von relationalen Werten manifestieren. Unsere Resultate zeigten, dass sich die Bidirektionalität der relationalen Werte von Bergbauern in beide Richtungen durch drei Komponenten manifestierten. Das intrinsische Element dieser relationalen Werte zeichnete sich (1) durch eine Haltung von Respekt, (2) eine Aufmerksamkeit bezüglich der Beziehung und (3) eine Ausübung von Sorgfalt aus. Das instrumentelle Element zeigt sich (1) in positiven Emotionen oder Erfahrungen für den Wertenden, (2) in Befriedigung und Freude an der Beziehung und (3) in einem praktischen Beitrag, den die Beziehung an gewisse professionelle Aktivitäten liefert (z.B. Organization des Hofs). Wir gehen zudem auf die physischen, emotionalen und sozio‐politischen Bedingungen ein, unter welchen relationale Werte aufrechterhalten werden können. Diese Resultate flossen in unser konzeptuelles Modell von relationalen Werten und Umweltwerten im Allgemeinen ein. Während unsere Schlussfolgerungen aus einem konkreten Datensatz abgeleitet wurden, sind wir überzeugt, dass sie direkt oder mit leichten Anpassungen auf unterschiedliche Fälle von relationalen Werten angewandt werden können. Zusammengefasst zeigt dieser Artikel konkrete Schritte in Richtung einer genaueren Charakterisierung, Unterscheidung und Anwendung des Begriffes der ‘relationalen Werte’ auf. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Community supported agriculture (CSA) is an alternative food network that aims to enable sustainable and just food production by bringing consumers and producers together. One version of CSA ( Solidarische Landwirtschaft in German or Solidarity Agriculture) requires active labour participation of members as part of the subscription price. This paper uses a relational values approach to explore what motivates members to join and participate in solidarity agriculture cooperatives and how the experience of participation changes their values and behaviour. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 members of three co‐operatives and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Specifically, we applied the Syntax of Environmental Values Framework, developed by Deplazes‐Zemp and Chapman. Results show that members typically hold strong intrinsic values regarding fair compensation for farmer's work and local environmental sustainability and instrumental values regarding food quality and healthy eating. We found that participation and work practices at the cooperative added to and changed values and behaviour through new relational connections to food, farmers and to nature via the agricultural landscape. These findings provide new insight into the ways that relational values can be adopted and more broadly on the relationship between values and behaviour. This paper concludes that values, especially relational values, can form and change through lived experiences. Our results can help guide programs aiming to foster pro‐environmental values in a local population by highlighting one possible mechanism to do so. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Community supported agriculture (CSA) ist ein alternatives Lebensmittelnetzwerk das Verbraucher und Produzenten zusammenbringt, um eine nachhaltige und gerechte Lebensmittelproduktion zu ermöglichen. Eine Version von CSA (Solidarische Landwirtschaft) erfordert eine aktive Arbeitsbeteiligung der Mitglieder als Teil des Abonnementpreises. Dieses Papier verwendet das «Relational Values» Konzept, um zu untersuchen, was Mitglieder motiviert, sich solidarischen Landwirtschaftskooperativen anzuschliessen, und wie diese Mitgliedschaft ihre Werte und Verhalten verändert. Es wurden qualitative Interviews mit 21 Mitgliedern von drei Genossenschaften geführt und mithilfe eines Grounded‐Theorie‐Ansatzes analysiert. Konkret haben wir das von Deplazes‐Zemp und Chapman entwickelte «Syntax of Environmental Values Framework» angewendet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Mitglieder in der Regel starke intrinsische Werte (faire Preise für die Landwirte und lokale Nachhaltigkeit) sowie instrumentelle Werte (gute Lebensmittelqualität und gesunde Ernährung) hatten. Wir fanden heraus, dass die Beteiligung und die Arbeit in der Genossenschaft diese ursprünglichen Werte und Verhaltensweisen durch neue Beziehungen zu Lebensmitteln, Landwirten und zur Natur über die Agrarlandschaft ergänzten und veränderten. Diese Erkenntnisse liefern neue Einblicke in die Art und Weise, wie relationale Werte entstehen, und allgemeiner ihre Rolle in der Verbindung zwischen Werten und Verhalten. Wir kommen zum Schluss, dass Werte, insbesondere relationale Werte, durch gelebte Erfahrungen entstehen und sich verändern können. Unsere Ergebnisse können als Leitfaden für Programme dienen, die auf die Förderung umweltfreundlicher Werte in der lokalen Bevölkerung abzielen, indem sie einen möglichen Mechanismus dafür aufzeigen. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Listening is a pervasive and significant act of conservation research and praxis, mattering greatly for the realisation of conservation agendas, not least its ambitions to be outward looking and inclusive in approach. Yet, the value and role of listening has been barely explored in a sustained and reflexive way. This paper is a preliminary schematic of what it might mean to attend to the act of listening, set within the context of a larger field of listening scholarship as well as more specific manoeuvres to embed relational approaches into the study of people and nature interactions. We explore what it means to 'listen well' within the context of conservation, highlighting the importance of recognising listening as a relationship and our positions and power within those relationships; the need to care for the relationship through respect and empathy; and the building of inclusive relationships of listening by attending to how space and time influences understanding. We offer examples of how researchers and practitioners can create spaces for listening, illustrating our discussion with personal reflections about listening practices gained through our various conservation and research careers. We provide approaches and ideas which help the reader—academic and practitioner—to both understand and articulate the value of listening in conservation and relational values of nature. We hope to inspire the wider use of listening‐based approaches in conservation research and practice, and the recognition and support from senior managers and funders of what is needed to promote long‐term and meaningful relationships between people and nature. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Agricultural producers, academics and policy‐makers are increasingly interested in multifunctional tree crop systems as a solution for maintaining ecosystem services and producing food. The US Midwest is emerging as a hotbed of such systems in the temperate North in the form of farm‐scale woody perennial polyculture enterprises, but they are currently only a tiny fraction of the landscape. Understanding how such approaches might be scaled up, thus, requires learning from the farmers that are at the forefront of the transition of land to woody perennial polyculture to answer a range of questions: What unique management knowledge is being implemented by farmers to manage complexity on multiple scales? What key challenges have farmers faced? And what values and motivations underpin these fledgling efforts? From 13 interviews with 18 midwestern perennial polyculture farmers, we found that they largely used a small portion of their farm's land for their perennial enterprises, and did not earn a large portion of their income from them, though this was projected to increase as trees matured. Through experimentation, innovation and farmer networks, the farmers had amassed unique adaptive management expertise for balancing diverse crops and livestock within multifunctional tree crop systems over time and space, an area largely absent from mainstream agricultural science and policy. The barriers these farmers report facing are largely economic rather than biophysical, involving access to capital, insurance, mid‐sized markets and regional processing infrastructure, as well as government programmes mismatched with perenniality. Cross‐cutting these topics, farmers sought to fulfil values anchored in their relationships to land, to the community or to both. The values of long‐termism, learning and sharing, diversity, stewardship and care of farmland, connection to nature and wildlife, self‐sustenance, other‐sustenance and eudaimonia were embodied and expressed in farmer decisions from the practical to the personal. Economic and agrarian policy, as well as programme development for multifunctional tree crop systems, should (a) be designed to align with farmer's values and motivations and (b) take advantage of their expert management and systems knowledge to drive appropriate and successful transitions to sustainable environments and livelihoods. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Relational values feature prominently in recent international efforts to protect global biodiversity. In this article, we provide a conceptual approach for researchers, facilitators and policy‐makers to adequately represent place‐based relational values in assessments of nature's value that inform practice and policy. We suggest employing horizontal portability as an alternative and complement to the dominant mode of assessing nature's value via vertical subsumption. Vertical subsumption is a process through which particular values are generalised into overarching categories to conform to more general value concepts and thereby stripped of their place‐specific meanings. In contrast, horizontal portability is introduced here as a conceptual approach that maintains the contextual rootedness of place‐based local expressions of value while also communicating them across places, knowledge systems, and communities. The movement (i.e. ‘porting’) is ‘horizontal’ because it allows relational values rooted in a particular biocultural context to speak to different contexts on equal terms. We discuss how research on the value of nature and people –nature relationships can support horizontal portability. Finally, we provide recommendations for the application of horizontal portability that promotes more plurality and greater inclusion of place‐based relational values in research, policy and action. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. I valori relazionali occupano un ruolo importante nei recenti sforzi internazionali per proteggere la biodiversità globale. In questo articolo presentiamo un approccio concettuale indirizzato a ricercatori, facilitatori e responsabili politici che rappresenti in modo più adeguato i valori relazionali legati a luoghi e contesti specifici nelle valutazioni sul valore della natura che informano pratiche e decisioni politiche. Suggeriamo di utilizzare un approccio che chiamiamo trasportabilità orizzontale come alternativa e complemento agli approcci dominanti di valutazione del valore della natura solitamente incentrati su modalità di sussunzione verticale. La sussunzione verticale è un processo di inclusione gerarchica in cui valori particolari vengono ricondotti nell’ambito di concetti più generali e astratti e sono quindi privati dei loro significati specifici locali. Al contrario, la trasportabilità orizzontale è mutuata da pratiche esistenti di incontro e scambio tra comunità e viene qui introdotta come approccio concettuale che nello stesso tempo mantiene il radicamento contestuale delle espressioni di valore legate a luoghi specifici e ne consente la comunicazione tra luoghi, sistemi di conoscenza e comunità diversi. Il movimento del trasportare è orizzontale perché consente ai valori relazionali radicati in un particolare contesto bioculturale di parlare a contesti diversi in modo non gerarchico. Nell’articolo discutiamo inoltre come la ricerca sui valori della natura e delle relazioni tra natura e persone possa supportare processi di trasportabilità orizzontale. Infine, presentiamo alcune raccomandazioni per l’applicazione della trasportabilità orizzontale in modo da promuovere una maggiore pluralità e inclusione dei valori relazionali locali nella ricerca, nella politica e nelle pratiche. 要旨 生物多様性保全のための国際的な取り組みが進む中、関係的価値は特に重要な役割を担っている。本稿では、研究者や計画・政策立案者に、実務や政策立案のための自然の価値評価において、場所に根差した関係的価値を適切に表現する概念的アプローチを提供する。 自然の価値評価で一般的に採用されている垂直的包摂(Vertical subsumption)による手法を代替、または補完する手法として、水平的展開(Horizontal portability)を提案する。 垂直的包摂は、特定の価値をより一般的な価値概念に合わせるために上位のカテゴリーに概括する過程で、場所特有の意味が失われるプロセスを指す。対照的に、本稿で導入する水平的展開は、地域特有の方法や形態で表現された、場所に根差した価値をその文脈性を維持したまま、異なる場所や知存体系、コミュニティへ伝達する。ある特定の生物文化的文脈に根差した関係的価値について、異なる文脈での対等な議論が可能になることで、価値は「水平的に」伝播する(展開する)。 本稿では、自然の価値と、人と自然の関係性に関する研究が、価値の水平的展開へ果たす役割について論じる。 最後に、より多元的で、場所に根差した関係的価値を研究、政策、実務に反映させるための水平的展開の応用について提言する。 Zusammenfassung Relationale Werte spielen eine wichtige Rolle in den jüngsten internationalen Bemühungen zum Schutz der globalen biologischen Vielfalt. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir einen konzeptionellen Ansatz für Forschende, Moderator*innen von gesellschaftlichen Prozessen und politische Entscheidungsträger*innen vor, um ortsbezogene relationale Werte in die Bewertung der Natur, die der Praxis und der Politik dienen, angemessen zu repräsentieren. Wir schlagen vor, einen Ansatz, den wir horizontale Übertragbarkeit nennen, als Alternative und als Ergänzung zur vorherrschenden Methode der Naturbewertung durch vertikale Subsumtion einzusetzen. Vertikale Subsumtion ist ein Prozess, bei dem einzelne, spezifische Werte unter übergreifende allgemeinere Wertkategorien geordnet werden und dadurch ihrer ortsspezifischen Bedeutung beraubt werden. Im Gegensatz dazu führen wir hier horizontale Übertragbarkeit als einen konzeptionellen Ansatz ein, der die kontextuelle Verwurzelung ortsbezogener lokaler Wertebeziehungen aufrechterhält und sie gleichzeitig über Orte, Wissenssysteme und Gemeinschaften hinweg kommuniziert. Die Übertragbarkeit (d.h. das Transportieren) ist „horizontal“, weil sie es ermöglicht, dass relationale Werte, die in einem bestimmten biokulturellen Kontext verwurzelt sind, in verschiedenen Kontexten gleichberechtigt zur Sprache kommen. Wir erörtern, wie die Forschung über den Wert der Natur und über Mensch‐Natur‐Beziehungen horizontale Übertragbarkeit unterstützen kann. Schließlich geben wir Empfehlungen für die Anwendung von horizontaler Übertragbarkeit, die eine höhere Vielfalt von Werten und eine stärkere Einbeziehung ortsbezogener relationaler Werte in Forschung, Politik und Praxis fördern. Resumo Os valores relacionais ocupam um lugar de destaque nos recentes esforços internacionais para proteger a biodiversidade global. Neste artigo, apresentamos uma abordagem conceitual para que pesquisadores, facilitadores e formuladores de políticas representem adequadamente os valores relacionais baseados no lugar, em avaliações do valor da natureza que direcionam a prática e a política. Sugerimos o uso da “portabilidade horizontal” como alternativa e complemento ao modo dominante de avaliar o valor da natureza por meio da compreensão vertical. A compreensão vertical é um processo de inclusão hierárquica por meio do qual os valores locais são incorporados a conceitos mais gerais e abstratos, destituindo‐os de seu contexto e significados locais específicos. Por outro lado, a portabilidade horizontal refere‐se às práticas de encontros e intercâmbios entre comunidades que apresentamos aqui como uma abordagem conceitual e metodológica que mantém o enraizamento contextual e as articulações dos valores locais ao comunicá‐los entre lugares, sistemas de conhecimento e comunidades. O movimento (ou seja, a “portabilidade”) é “horizontal” porque permite que os valores relacionais enraizados em um determinado contexto biocultural se comuniquem com diferentes contextos em igualdade de condições. Discutimos como a pesquisa sobre o valor da natureza e as relações entre as pessoas e a natureza podem apoiar a portabilidade horizontal. Por fim, apresentamos recomendações para a aplicação da portabilidade horizontal que promove mais pluralidade e maior inclusão de valores relacionais baseados no lugar em pesquisas, políticas e ações. Resumen Los valores relacionales han ocupado un lugar destacado en recientes esfuerzos internacionales para proteger la biodiversidad global. Sin embargo, se requieren mayores esfuerzos para operacionalizar valores relacionales en una forma que respete su contexto específico. En este artículo presentamos a investigadores, facilitadores y formuladores de políticas un enfoque para incluir adecuadamente valores relacionales en evaluaciones operativas sobre el valor de la naturaleza que fundamenten políticas y prácticas. Nos centramos en la evaluación de valores relacionales de base local y sugerimos un enfoque conceptual que denominamos traslación horizontal en contraste con la forma dominante de evaluaciones de la naturaleza a través de una subsunción vertical. La subsunción vertical es un proceso de inclusión jerárquica a través del cual los valores locales se subsumen en conceptos más generales y os despojándolos de su contexto y significados específicos locales. La traslación horizontal se refiere a las prácticas de encuentros e intercambios entre comunidades que introducimos aquí como un enfoque conceptual y metodológico que mantiene el arraigo contextual y las articulaciones de los valores locales, comunicándolos a la vez, a través de lugares, sistemas de conocimiento y comunidades. El movimiento (es decir, \"la traslación\") es \"horizontal\" porque permite que los valores relacionales arraigados en un contexto biocultural particular se comuniquen con diferentes contextos en términos iguales, sin un orden jerárquico. Discutimos cómo la investigación sobre el valor de la naturaleza puede apoyar la traslación horizontal. Finalmente, ofrecemos recomendaciones para la aplicación de la traslación horizontal, promoviendo mayor pluralidad en la operacionalización de valores relacionales locales en la investigación, las políticas y la acción. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The increasing scale and interconnection of many environmental challenges - from climate change to land use - has resulted in the need to collaborate across borders and boundaries of all types. Traditional centralized, top-down and sectoral approaches to governance of single-issue areas or species within social-ecological systems often have limited potential to alleviate issues that go beyond their jurisdiction. As a result, collaborative governance approaches have come to the forefront. A great deal of past research has examined the conditions under which collaborative efforts are likely to achieve desired outcomes. However, few studies have analyzed how the means to achieve successful collaborative outcomes differ based on context when examined across multiple studies. In this research, we begin to chart a means for doing this. Building onto a Context-Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) Framework, we provide a coding manual to analyse how contextual variables mediate the effects of mechanism variables on outcomes of the collaborative governance of social-ecological systems. Through the examination of four cases, we provide a proof-of-concept assessment and show the utility of the CMO framework and coding manual to draw comparisons across cases for understanding how collaborative outcomes are contingent on the social-ecological context in which they occur.

For cities seeking sustainability, the Ecological Footprint seems to be an excellent metric, potentially catalyzing actions directed outwards, at environmental problems beyond city limits. But does this metric actually guide cities down sustainable pathways? Through a case study of the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan, we ask what barriers and side effects accompany a city’s application of a specific metric to measure achievement towards sustainability goals. Our case study began by examining a particular approach to achieving EF reduction (proposed by the City: local beef). Through a triple-loop learning approach, we broadened our analysis to include additional policy options not originally on the table. For each of four policy options (1. local beef, 2. grass-fed beef, 3. payments for ecosystem services, and 4. using a proxy metric focused on individual and community leadership), we evaluate their ability to meet the Ecological Footprint metric, consider their potential to address the broader goal and discuss their feasibility as policy options for the city. Our analysis showed the ways the Ecological Footprint metric: (a) focused attention on non-actionable policy areas, (b) was non-responsive to promising policy options and (c) limited the types of policy options considered. In this case we demonstrate how the choice of the Ecological Footprint as a metric and goal had unintended consequences and instead shifted attention and policy inwards. By avoiding this ‘metric trap’, cities might contribute importantly to regional and global sustainability.