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Reflections on integrated research from community engagement in peatland restoration

Author

Listed:
  • A. Fleming

    (CSIRO Land and Water)

  • S. Agrawal

    (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS))

  • Dinomika

    (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS))

  • Y. Fransisca

    (RMIT University)

  • L. Graham

    (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation
    University of Sunshine Coast)

  • S. Lestari

    (Forest Research and Development Center, Ministry of Environment and Forestry)

  • D. Mendham

    (CSIRO Land and Water)

  • D. O’Connell

    (CSIRO Land and Water)

  • B. Paul

    (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS))

  • M. Po

    (CSIRO Land and Water)

  • A. Rawluk

    (University of Melbourne)

  • N. Sakuntaladewi

    (Center for Research and Development on Social Economy Policy and Climate Change)

  • B. Winarno

    (Forest Research and Development Center, Ministry of Environment and Forestry)

  • T. W. Yuwati

    (Forest Research and Development Center, Ministry of Environment and Forestry
    Banjarbaru Environment and Forestry Research and Development Institute)

Abstract

Community engagement and integrated research are key approaches to solving complex socio-ecological challenges. This paper describes the experience of bringing together a team of natural and social scientists from Australia and Indonesia in the ‘Gambut Kita’ (translated as ‘Our Peat’) project. Gambut Kita aims to produce new knowledge and support efforts to successfully, and equitably, restore Indonesia’s tropical peatlands and ensure that livelihoods can be maintained on restored (rewetted) landscapes. The paper focuses on experiences of using community engagement for integrated research. It discusses three community engagement approaches used in the project—resilience, adaptation pathways and transformation approach (RAPTA), participatory rural appraisal (PRA), and community-led analysis and planning (CLAP). It also describes the qualitative analysis of 14 interviews with the project team of lessons learned in community engagement for integrated research. ‘Criteria for success’ from the literature on international development projects is used to assess progress. The findings highlight the specific complexities of working across countries and cultures. Successful community engagement is not so much about the ‘tool’ but about the trust, agency, and support to change. The tools do, however, have different strengths. PRA and CLAP can build deep community understanding and relationships. RAPTA has strengths in framing visions and pathways to the future, systems thinking, anticipatory learning, and taking a cross-scale systems view which is required to solve many of the problems manifesting at local or community scales. Similarly, success in integrated research is not just about individuals, but structures (e.g. explicit process) and infrastructure (e.g. access to technology). These findings suggest that integrated research needs special considerations in terms of design, and these relate across scales to individual researchers as well as teams, leaders and organisations. Integrated research projects need careful, inclusive, iterative management with a lot of interaction to learn from each other, build a common vision, achieve clarity of roles, and share emerging findings.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Fleming & S. Agrawal & Dinomika & Y. Fransisca & L. Graham & S. Lestari & D. Mendham & D. O’Connell & B. Paul & M. Po & A. Rawluk & N. Sakuntaladewi & B. Winarno & T. W. Yuwati, 2021. "Reflections on integrated research from community engagement in peatland restoration," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00878-8
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00878-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anthony G. Bartlett, 2018. "Factors Affecting the Relative Success of Collaborative Forestry Research Projects in Indonesia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(5), pages 892-913, December.
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    4. Sanders, Anna J.P. & Ford, Rebecca M. & Keenan, Rodney J. & Larson, Anne M., 2020. "Learning through practice? Learning from the REDD+ demonstration project, Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) in Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Dessy Adriani & Muhammad Yazid & Riswani & Dini Damayanthy & Eunho Choi & Hyunyoung Yang, 2024. "Livelihood Alternatives in Restored Peatland Areas in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, May.
    2. Cornelia Fischer & Verena Radinger-Peer & Larissa Krainer & Marianne Penker, 2024. "Communication tools and their support for integration in transdisciplinary research projects," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.

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