Persons involved:
Ann-Kathrin Koessler (PI)
Lennart Stangenberg (Postdoc)
Background and preliminary work
Policy programmes succeed when stakeholders recognize the need for change and the appropriateness of measures (Koessler and Engel 2021). Establishing climate-resilient forests in Germany thus requires understanding the behavioural and economic factors that drive stakeholder engagement and public support to inform effective policy design.
Objectives and hypotheses
This subproject (i) identifies key stakeholders and their interests in resilient forests in Lower Saxony, (ii) assesses preferences for forest traits and functions, (ii) co-develops solution pathways, and (iv) formulates and evaluates communication strategies to rally public support for forest transformations.
Approach and workplan
We aim to enhance socio-ecological resilience by balancing stakeholder interests. We will first identify key actors at the state level and within specific study sites. Through interviews, we will capture stakeholders' perceptions, motivations, and barriers to forest transformation. In workshops, stakeholders and experts will co-develop local transformation pathways. This approach reflects Nobel Laureate E. Ostrom's theory that locally developed solutions foster cooperation and effective governance (Ostrom, 1999). The findings will provide a framework for future initiatives. Additionally, we will examine how stakeholders prioritize forest functions and assess their willingness to support transformation efforts. Economic experiments will help identify the respective preferences for forest traits. Lastly, we will design behavioural strategies to enhance public support for forest transformation and assess its effectiveness through a randomized controlled trial.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Ann Kathrin Kößler
Leibniz Universität Hannover
Institut für Umweltplanung
Herrenhäuser Str. 2
30419 HannoverTel.
+49 511 762- 17962
koessler@umwelt.uni-hannover.de