RISCC brings rewards: Participating in NE RISCC increases knowledge and action on invasive species and climate change
Written by Annette Evans, edited by Bethany Bradley
Summary
Boundary spanning organizations are ones that aim to bridge the divide between science and management. Boundary spanning activities are thought to be important for translating science into management decision making. However, these sorts of activities are rarely evaluated, making it unclear whether boundary-spanning activities are achieving this goal.
In this study, Evans et al., (2024) used repeat survey data from the Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (NE RISCC) Management Network (you!!), to evaluate whether our boundary spanning work has influenced your knowledge, actions, and priorities related to including climate change in invasive species management. The results suggest that longer participation in NE RISCC has led to greater knowledge and concern about the interactions between invasive species and climate change. Longer participation in RISCC also increased the number of ways that respondents incorporate climate change into invasive species management, with education and outreach (59%) and strategic planning (57%) the most common ways.
Survey results also revealed some differences in research priorities between long-term members (>3 years) and non-members. For example, neonatives, which NE RISCC symposia, presentations, and publications have consistently framed as low risk, was more frequently identified as a low priority and less frequently identified as a high risk to native communities by long-term NE RISCC members compared to non-members.
This research illustrates that boundary spanning activities through NE RISCC have been effective for increasing knowledge and increasing adoption of climate-smart practice. So, keep sharing and learning with us!
Take Home Points
NE RISCC participation was linked to increased knowledge and higher concern about the impacts of climate change on invasive species management.
Long-term NE RISCC members were less concerned about range-shifting neonatives compared to non-members and short-term members - potentially because NE RISCC syntheses have shown that neonatives pose low risks of invasion.
Collectively, these results suggest that boundary-spanning activities support the integration of science into management.
Management Implications
Greater knowledge about the impacts of climate change and invasive species management is associated with a greater variety of actions that incorporate climate change into invasive species management.
Boundary spanning organizations can be effective for translating scientific knowledge into action.
Keywords
Boundary spanning, Climate change, Invasive species management, knowledge gaps, RISCC participation, Translational Invasion Ecology