Building collaboration and learning in integrated catchment management: the importance of social process and multiple engagement approaches

Abstract

Success at integrated catchment management (ICM) requires the ongoing participation of different stakeholders in an adaptive and learning‐based management process. However, this can be difficult to achieve in practice because many initiatives fail to address the underlying social process aspects required. We review emerging lessons around how to engage stakeholders in ways that support social learning. We focus on the experience of an ICM research programme based in the Motueka catchment in New Zealand and provide a simple framework for distinguishing a range of conversations across different communities of practice. We highlight the need to use multiple engagement approaches to address different constituent needs and opportunities, and to encourage the informal conversations that spring up around these. We then illustrate the range of platforms for dialogue and learning that were used in the programme during 10 years of ICM research. Finally, a number of lessons are described from across the programme to guide research leaders and managers seeking to improve collaboration in other integrated science, management and policy initiatives.