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Cette communication s’appuie sur les premiers résultats d’un programme de recherche exploratoire inter et transdisciplinaire (sociologie, communication, histoire et écologie ; avec l’ONF Savoie Mont-Blanc) menée à partir d’une enquête de terrain prenant la forme d’une résidence chercheur-acteur dans la vallée de la Maurienne (Alpes du Nord). Elle détaille dans un premier temps, les socio-écosystèmes forestiers étudiés d’un point de vue socio-écologique sur le temps long. Puis elle spécifie la diversité des perceptions/représentations du milieu forestier constatées auprès des usagers/acteurs de nos sites d’études. Enfin, elle étudie les éventuelles dissonances entre les perceptions et la structuration socio-écologique constatée sur nos sites, à l’aide d’un SIG corrélant les résultats des deux axes précédents.

International audience; Looking at the unprecedented speed of global changes, sustainability science has to rethink the traditional way of doing research and how scientific findings can be translated rapidly into action. Transdisciplinary approaches provide useful insight into how science can interact with society in finding meaningful answers to wicked problems. In this context, the case of mountain social-ecological systems is particularly relevant because they are highly vulnerable to global change and are struggling to move towards sustainability. The research collective Perce-Neige strives to tackle these challenges and apply novel transdisciplinary methodologies in mountain regions. It considers itself as a genuine society-science interface. The group is composed of early-career researchers coming from various disciplines (from environmental and social sciences) working on sustainable transitions in mountains. We have developed a particular methodology that we propose to discuss here. During a one-week research residency, we conducted transdisciplinary research with the inhabitants and local institutions of the municipality of Gresse-en-Vercors in the French Alps to facilitate the development of a common vision and initiate collective thinking for a sustainable future of the region. During this week, participants (researchers and non-researchers) were able to get to know each other through different interfaces facilitating exchange, reflection and co-construction (collective walk, individual interviews, collective workshops, informal daily exchanges). The objective for the 11 early-career researchers from 8 different disciplines was to get the inhabitants to express the challenges, needs and solutions of the region in order to define guidelines for a future vision. We present here the benefits of such a method for acculturating early-career researchers to transdisciplinary research, and a first step in framing problems and reflecting on actions for a sustainable future of the region. It allows us to capture different perspectives on issues in a region that may cause conflicts, and then to discuss them in order to identify adaptation needs and solutions. Moreover, from an action based angle, this approach introduces new dynamics among local actors e.g. closer collaboration of actors which have not been knowing each other prior to this research. From an institutional point of view, scientific research also should consider itself as part of daily life of society and not acting in its own echo chamber, thus transdisciplinary approaches can offset this possible isolation of real world situations.

International audience

Nature's contributions to human well-being within social-ecological systems have been widely studied using multiple conceptual frameworks, yet there is a growing need to better articulate how both humans and nature contribute to quality of life. We present an operationalization of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) conceptual framework with an in-depth analysis of the coproduction of nature's contributions to people (NCP) in a mountain social-ecological system. Based on a participatory process questioning stakeholders on nature's contributions to their quality of life, we propose an analysis of NCP coproduction mechanisms in a multifunctional landscape. We refine the consideration of NCP coproduction in the IPBES framework by distinguishing three coproduction types at different steps of the benefits flow from ecosystems to quality of life: (1) ecosystem management; (2) mobilization, harvesting, and physical access; and (3) appropriation, social access, and appreciation. For each of these coproduction types, we describe the types of natural and human-derived capital involved. This approach highlights: nature's key contributions to people as perceived by participants; landscape multifunctionality and interlinkages among NCP induced by their simultaneous coproduction to improve quality of life; and a gradient of natural and human-derived capital among coproduction types and among material, nonmaterial, and regulating NCP. This approach documents how NCP coproduction creates social-ecological trade-offs and synergies among multiple NCP, as well as collaborations and conflicts among beneficiaries at the landscape level. We conclude that the analysis of NCP coproduction can provide new opportunities for ecosystem services research by tackling the involvement of both humans and nature in quality of life objectives.

To achieve sustainable development objectives in a context of climate change, it is now urgent for societies to adapt in order to maintain their quality of life. Good quality of life depends critically on the good state of ecosystems and the benefits that societies derive from them. To address this challenge, societies can reflect on how adaptation pathways can lead them towards a desirable future and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. In recent decades, environmental research has explored the contributions of ecosystems for human well-being and, more much recently, their role for the adaptation of societies to global changes. Many studies have focused on the effectiveness and implementation of these "ecosystem-based adaptations". However, while these solutions are increasingly being considered to meet adaptation challenges, their role within the adaptation pathways of social-ecological systems (SES) remains understudied. This research aims to increase our understanding of how ecosystems can be harnessed in SES adaptation pathways to climate and socio-economic changes. For this, I studied how ecosystems have been mobilized in the past trajectory and the current state of a mountain social-ecological system, the Pays de la Meije located in the French Alps. I also studied how ecosystems could be mobilized in future adaptation pathways. I proposed a conceptual framework based on the IPBES and the associated concept of Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) considered to be co-produced by human and nature inputs. This approach enables considering the human-derived and natural capitals involved at the three steps of the production of material or immaterial benefits (Ecosystem management; Physical mobilization and access to nature; and Appropriation and appreciation of benefits). This approach allowed me to analyse adaptation mechanisms based on ecosystems. I implemented a participatory consultative process based on the knowledge, perceptions and visions of a wide range of local and regional actors following 4 steps: (1) Understanding the current functioning of the SES through human-nature interactions that contribute to quality of life; (2) Retracing the past trajectory of the SES since 1900 and characterizing ecosystem-based adaptation mechanisms ; (3) Co-producing a vision of the future for 2040 and identifying ecosystem-based adaptation objectives; and (4) Co-producing adaptation pathways to achieve the vision and identifying the barriers and levers to their implementation. This process offered to local actors’ space and time for discussion, which is currently lacking.I found that the simultaneous co-production of multiple NCP contributes to key quality of life dimensions related to tourism, agriculture and local life. Adaptations from the past, or from future vision objectives involve changes in the co-production of NCP. These adaptations have resulted in reconfigurations of anthropogenic capital in response to drivers that are often external to the SES. I observed a gradient of adaptive responses according to the intensity of capital reconfiguration, leading to resistance, adjustment or transformation in the whole SES or part of it. I observed synergies between NCP co-production actions forming windows of opportunity for the future adaptation of local communities to keep the SES on the desired pathway. These windows include collective management of ecosystems, the creation of new opportunities for agriculture, and the diversification of practices to enjoy non-material benefits of nature. Actions whose implementation encounters many human and social barriers. Thus, major transformations of the social system are required to activate the necessary levers, such as the democratization of collective action and decision-making, social innovation or knowledge and means for adaptive practices. This approach could enable a better consideration of the role of ecosystems in SES adaptation strategies.; Pour répondre aux objectifs de développement durable dans le contexte du changement climatique, il est désormais urgent pour les sociétés de s'adapter afin de maintenir leur bonne qualité de vie. Celle-ci dépend en grande partie du bon état des écosystèmes et des bénéfices que les sociétés en retirent. Pour relever ce défi, les sociétés doivent rechercher des trajectoires d'adaptation vers un avenir souhaitable, garantissant un usage durable des ressources naturelles. Au cours des dernières décennies, la recherche environnementale a exploré les contributions des écosystèmes au bien-être humain et, plus récemment, leur rôle dans l'adaptation des sociétés aux changements globaux. De nombreuses études se sont focalisées sur l’efficacité et la mise en œuvre de ces « adaptations basées sur les écosystèmes ». Si ces solutions sont de plus en plus considérées pour répondre aux besoins d’adaptation, leur rôle au sein des trajectoires d’adaptation des socio-écosystèmes (SES) reste peu étudié. Mes travaux visent à mieux comprendre comment les écosystèmes peuvent être mobilisés dans les trajectoires d'adaptation aux changements climatiques et socio-économiques des SES. J'ai étudié comment les écosystèmes ont été mobilisés dans la trajectoire passée et l'état actuel d'un SES de montagne : le Pays de la Meije situé dans les Alpes françaises. J'ai également étudié comment ils pourraient être mobilisés dans les futures trajectoires d'adaptation. J’ai développé un cadre conceptuel basé sur celui de l’IPBES et sur le concept associé de « contributions de la nature aux populations » (NCP), considérant que les NCP sont co-produites par l’homme et la nature. Cette approche permet de prendre en compte l’ensemble des capitaux anthropiques et naturels impliqués à chaque étape de la production de bénéfices matériels ou immatériels (Gestion des écosystèmes ; Mobilisation physique et accès à la nature ; et Appropriation et appréciation des bénéfices). J’ai mis en place un processus participatif consultatif basé sur les connaissances, les perceptions et les visions d’une grande diversité d’acteurs locaux et régionaux suivant 4 étapes : (1) Comprendre le fonctionnement actuel du SES au travers des interactions homme/nature participant à la qualité de vie ; (2) Retracer sa trajectoire passée depuis 1900 et caractériser les mécanismes d'adaptation basés sur les écosystèmes ; (3) Co-produire une vision d’avenir pour 2040 et identifier les objectifs d’adaptation basé sur les écosystèmes ; et (4) Co-produire des trajectoires d’adaptation pour atteindre cette vision et identifier les freins et leviers à sa mise en œuvre.J’ai montré que la co-production simultanée de multiples NCP contribue aux principales dimensions de qualité de vie en lien avec le tourisme, l’agriculture et la vie locale. Les adaptations passées ou issues des objectifs de la vision future, reposent sur des changements de co-production des NCP. Elles se traduisent par des reconfigurations des capitaux en réponse à des facteurs souvent externes au SES. J’ai observé un gradient de réponses adaptatives selon l'intensité de la reconfiguration des capitaux menant à la résistance, l’ajustement ou la transformation du SES. J’ai mis en évidence des synergies entre les co-productions formant des fenêtres d’action pour l’adaptation future des communautés locales afin de maintenir le SES dans la trajectoire désirée. Ces fenêtres concernent notamment la gestion collective des écosystèmes ou la création d’opportunités pour l’agriculture. Actions dont la mise en place rencontre de nombreuses barrières humaines et sociales. Ainsi, d’importantes transformations du système social sont requises pour activer les leviers nécessaires, tels que la démocratisation de l’action collective, l’innovation sociale ou encore les connaissances et moyens pour des pratiques adaptatives. Cette approche pourrait permettre une meilleure prise en compte du rôle des écosystèmes dans les stratégies d’adaptation des territoires.

International audience

fr Mountain socio-ecosystems offer a paradox of expected sensitivity to climate and socio-economic change, yet show exemplary long-term ecological and social resilience. Their future is thus highly uncertain. It is expected that traditional knowledge and innovation capacity should support future adaptation, and especially ecosystem-based adaptation. Here, we present results from a participatory study of adaptation pathways to global change based on long-term research in the French Alps. Using ecological data, ecosystem service and resilience modelling, and information from stakeholders on their ongoing adaptation and future livelihoods collected during workshops and interviews, we identified adaptation services, which provide the potential for people to adapt based on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and properties of ecological resilience and transformability. Bundles of adaptation services include (i) ecosystem properties that are actively managed for climate adaptation, (ii) properties that emerge as co-benefits from this management, and (iii) adaptive properties that derive from responses to other drivers like markets and subsidies. Within each land use type, adaptation is thus also about managing synergies and trade-offs among these three categories of adaptation services. These trade-offs scale up to the entire landscape to determine the net adaptation benefits from ecosystems. Alternative adaptation pathways are negotiated from these benefits, while balancing other social and economic dimensions of adaptation. For this, barriers resulting from interactions among values, rules and knowledge need to be overcome through private, collective and institutional innovation. These include reducing resistance to technical innovation (e.g. for agronomic management) through strong and well-supported agriculture extension services, or by moving away from an economy highly dependent on subsidies to consumer-producer networks with demand for local, high environmental quality products. Overall, as adaptation unfolds, alternative pathways mobilise an increasing diversity of adaptation services that support the diversification of agriculture and tourism activities.

Co-production of adaptation services in the selected case studies

Co-production of adaptation services in the selected case studies

Scientists increasingly cross their disciplinary boundaries and connect with local stakeholders to jointly solve complex problems. Working with stakeholders means higher legitimacy and supports practical impact of research. Games provide a tool to achieve such transdisciplinary collaboration. In this paper, we explore the use of a game in a participatory project where scientists and local stakeholders are seeking and defining a joint problem. The literature is clear that this step is essential but remains short on concrete methods. Here, we explore this potential in practice. We conducted parallel participatory processes in two alpine regions considered as socio-ecological system (SES) in Switzerland and France, both vulnerable to global change. Based on these two case studies, we co-constructed a game, integrating scientific concerns about key land use, climate change and socio-economic elements of a mountain SES (tourism, agriculture, housing and demography). With the game, we assessed the existence of joint problems connecting scientific and local interests. The game successfully engaged participants at both sites over 11 game sessions, showing potential of use in other transdisciplinary settings. By covering a wide array of issues, the game created a discussion space for listing problems and identifying where scientist and stakeholder interests overlap. In Switzerland, the game revealed no pressing joint problem to be addressed. In France, game sessions revealed, among other problems, an enduring and complex issue regarding the co-existence of inhabitants and powerful institutions. Having demonstrated the capacity of this game for joint-problem assessment, we believe other participatory research in similar SES could benefit from an early use of such an approach to frame the potential for collaboration., Sustainability Science, 16, ISSN:1862-4065, ISSN:1862-4057

Nature-based solutions (NbS) have gained considerable traction in science and policy, but their potential to deliver transformative change remains unexplored. We provide a framework to assess NbS under a transformative change lens and operationalize it through 93 NbS from mountain regions globally. We found evidence of NbS’ potential for transformative change toward sustainable trajectories, mostly through a combination of various nature’s values and knowledge types, community engagement processes, and ecosystem management practices., One Earth, 4 (5), ISSN:2590-3322