Journal Article

Tailoring evidence into action: Using a co‐design approach for biodiversity information in the Tropical Andes

Prieto‐Albuja, Francisco J., Claros, Xavier R., Gill, Michael J., Castro Vergara, Lucía, Terán, Marcos F., Navarro, Laetitia M., Pereira, Henrique M., Josse, Carmen, Lafuente‐Cartagena, Indyra, Sheppard, Sidney Novoa, Orihuela, Gabriela, Valdez, Jose W., Fernandez, Miguel, Bonet Garcia, Francisco Javier, Langstroth, Robert, Acosta‐Muñoz, Cristina, Zambrana‐Torrelio, Carlos M., Quillahuaman, Natividad, Morejón, Gustavo Francisco

2023

Overview

Biodiversity conservation is a complex and transdisciplinary problem that requires engagement and cooperation among scientific, societal, economic, and political institutions. However, historical approaches have often failed to bring together and address the needs of all relevant stakeholders in decision‐making processes. The Tropical Andes, a biodiversity hotspot where conservation efforts often conflict with socioeconomic issues and policies that prioritize economic development, provides an ideal model to develop and implement more effective approaches. In this study, we present a co‐design approach that mainstreams and improves the flow of biodiversity information in the Tropical Andes, while creating tailored outputs that meet the needs of economic and societal stakeholders. We employed a consultative process that brought together biodiversity information users and producers at the local, national, and regional levels through a combination of surveys and workshops. This approach identified priority needs and limitations of the flow of biodiversity information in the region, which led to the co‐design of user‐relevant biodiversity indicators. By leveraging the existing capacities of biodiversity information users and producers, we were able to co‐design multiple biodiversity indicators and prioritize two for full implementation ensuring that the data was findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable based on the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. This approach helped address limitations that were identified in the stakeholder engagement process, including gaps in data availability and the need for more accessible biodiversity information. Additionally, capacity‐building workshops were incorporated for all producers of biodiversity information involved, which aimed to not only improve the current flow of biodiversity information in the region but also facilitate its future sustainability. Our approach can serve as a valuable blueprint for mainstreaming biodiversity information and making it more inclusive in the future, especially considering the diverse worldviews, values, and knowledge systems between science, policy, and practice. Our study presents a co‐design approach to improve biodiversity information flow in the Tropical Andes. Through stakeholder engagement and collaborative workshops, we identified priority needs and co‐designed user‐relevant indicators, addressing data gaps and enhancing inclusivity. Our approach offers a valuable framework for mainstreaming biodiversity information and fostering collaboration between science, policy, and practice in conservation efforts.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd,John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Accessibility / Biodiversity / Biodiversity conservation / Biodiversity hot spots / Bolivia / Capacity development / Co-design / Collaboration / Communication / Conservation / Cooperation / Decision making / EBV / Economic development / Economics / Ecosystems / Ecuador / essential biodiversity variables / Funding / Indicators / Interoperability / mainstreaming / Peru / policy / stakeholder engagement / Stakeholders / User needs / Wildlife conservation / Workshops