Creating Effective Learning Spaces to Narrow the Science to Management Knowledge Gap

SW CASC co-principal investigator, Dr. Alison Meadow (University of Arizona), co-authored a recent publication in Conservation Science and Practice, advocating for the use of learning spaces to accelerate the development of actionable knowledge. The researchers describe the “science-management knowledge gap,” or the limited application of science to environmental management, and they argue for an alternative model of knowledge creation to narrow this gap. This model stresses that knowledge can be converted into more usable forms through effective learning spaces, which require trust and social learning, to enable open and honest interactions among scientific and management communities. The researchers argue that implementing these principles may require a reorganization of environmental research and decision-making processes, but they will inevitably improve environmental sustainability and human well-being.