Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCALABLE (Social-ecological pathways and gender perspectives for future conservation of biocultural mountain agro-ecosystems)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-09-01 al 2023-08-31
SCALABLE addressed the issue of how rural abandonment impact on biocultural diversity that simultaneously support the provision of multiple ecosystem services and sustain the well-being of local communities. SCALABLE is focused on understanding how cultural context and biological diversity can generate sustainability landscape management. SCALABLE builds over traditional knowledge to identify strategies for the future conservation of biocultural diversity. The overall objectives were to: i) explore drivers of change jeopardizing biocultural practices, ecosystem services and local’s well-being in agricultural mountain areas in Southern Spain; ii) evaluate and map biocultural practices and the ecosystem services provided developed by local communities for the conservation of landscapes, by using a gender perspective; iii) identify future pathways to secure the maintenance of local well-being and the conservation of biocultural landscapes to foster gender equity and landscape sustainability.
SCALABLE achieved three main results:
1. Advancing the understanding of effects of rural abandonment on biocultural diversity, as well as their drivers and effects on well-being in rural areas of South of Spain. SCALABLE has explored main drivers for rural abandonment. Among main results, human-nature connectedness has been identified as main factor in rural areas and influencing rural abandonment and depopulation. In particular, SCALABLE’s results identified: local communities are highly connected with their rural and natural environment and recognize the multiple human well-being components provided by the rural environment; ii) the connection between people and nature in rural Spain is explained by the capacity of locals to form relational values in rural environments, and the existence of philosophical worldviews and emotional attachments to rural lifestyle; iii) barriers to not abandoning rural environments include the lack of professional and economic opportunities. Our results suggest that the mitigation of depopulation in rural areas in Spain requires actions to foster land stewardship, address socio-economic imbalances and the reconsideration of good quality of life.
2. Consequently, following objective was to identify and map the biocultural diversity elements emerging from this human-nature connectedness in rural areas. Results showed that local population from (both women and men) widely perceive and recognize the biocultural diversity provided by the rural environment, identifying multiple examples. However, gender differences emerged regarding the dimensions of biocultural diversity mentioned and also in the different areas mapped. For instance, women identified broader areas in the map to locate elements of biocultural diversity, while men used reduced areas in the map to locate biocultural elements. Additionally, gender differences emerged toward the value attached to the different biocultural elements and practices.
3. Future scenarios for the conservation of biocultural diversity were identified as the last objective of SCALABLE. Results indicated an overall agreement to preserve biocultural diversity. However, significant gendered differences emerged in relation to the future strategies proposed to achieve the ideal futures. For instance, men were able to identify strategies oriented to larger actions in the landscape (such as the need for a swamp to ensure water supply for crops) while women identified strategies oriented to collective actions (such as the creation of working groups or cooperatives).
These results are covered by publications currently under review and in preparation.
1. Advancing the understanding of effects of rural abandonment on biocultural diversity, as well as their drivers and effects on well-being in rural areas of South of Spain. SCALABLE has explored main drivers for rural abandonment. Among main results, human-nature connectedness has been identified as main factor in rural areas and influencing rural abandonment and depopulation. In particular, SCALABLE’s results identified: local communities are highly connected with their rural and natural environment and recognize the multiple human well-being components provided by the rural environment; ii) the connection between people and nature in rural Spain is explained by the capacity of locals to form relational values in rural environments, and the existence of philosophical worldviews and emotional attachments to rural lifestyle; iii) barriers to not abandoning rural environments include the lack of professional and economic opportunities. Our results suggest that the mitigation of depopulation in rural areas in Spain requires actions to foster land stewardship, address socio-economic imbalances and the reconsideration of good quality of life.
2. Consequently, following objective was to identify and map the biocultural diversity elements emerging from this human-nature connectedness in rural areas. Results showed that local population from (both women and men) widely perceive and recognize the biocultural diversity provided by the rural environment, identifying multiple examples. However, gender differences emerged regarding the dimensions of biocultural diversity mentioned and also in the different areas mapped. For instance, women identified broader areas in the map to locate elements of biocultural diversity, while men used reduced areas in the map to locate biocultural elements. Additionally, gender differences emerged toward the value attached to the different biocultural elements and practices.
3. Future scenarios for the conservation of biocultural diversity were identified as the last objective of SCALABLE. Results indicated an overall agreement to preserve biocultural diversity. However, significant gendered differences emerged in relation to the future strategies proposed to achieve the ideal futures. For instance, men were able to identify strategies oriented to larger actions in the landscape (such as the need for a swamp to ensure water supply for crops) while women identified strategies oriented to collective actions (such as the creation of working groups or cooperatives).
These results are covered by publications currently under review and in preparation.
SCALABLE highlighted how crucial it is to engage with local communities, practices and their values to understand landscape sustainability management. Additionally, SCALABLE highlighted the role of gender in the relation with nature and in particular in the management of cultural rural landscapes. This clarification is vital not only for the particular case of rural mountainous regions, and instead to apply to other regions. If sustainability is one of the goals to achieve, future research will need to understand and learn from local communities and their traditional knowledge, as well as increase the support needed to increase the rural development and secure the well-being of local communities.