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Prof Nijnik has a PhD in Social Sciences from WUR, in co- with Uni Victoria; post-graduate/MSc qualifications from the Mansholt Institute; NAKE and EPCEM, the NL; a MSc/ Dipl. Eng. from UNFU and PhD in Economics from the Academy of Sciences, UA. She is a winner of the IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award; Scientific Honour of UA and several BBSRC exceptional Performance Awards, UK. Her work addresses resilience of social-ecological systems, multifunctional/sustainable management/use of natural assets. This includes institutional aspects of the development of rural areas and social innovation. The publications list includes over 60 scientific journal articles (1789 citation; hi 20) .
In a context of political and economic austerity, social innovation has been presented as a solution to many social challenges, old and new. It aims to support the introduction of new ideas in response to the current urgent needs and challenges of vulnerable groups and seems to offer promising solutions to the challenges faced by rural areas. Yet the evidence base of the impacts on the sustainable development of rural communities remains scarce. In this paper, we explore social innovation in the context of community forestry and provide a brief synthetic review of key themes linking the two concepts. We examine a case of social innovation in the context of community forestry and analyse its type, extent, and scale of impact in a marginalized rural area of Scotland. Using an in-depth case study approach, we apply a mixed research methodology using quantitative indicators of impact as well as qualitative data. Our results show that social innovation reinforces the social dimension of community forestry. Impacts are highlighted across domains (environmental, social, economic, and institutional/governance) but are mainly limited to local territory. We discuss the significance of those results in the context of community forestry as well as for local development. We formulate policy recommendations to foster and sustain social innovation in rural areas.
Carla Barlagne; Mariana Melnykovych; David Miller; Richard Hewitt; Laura Secco; Elena Pisani; Maria Nijnik. What Are the Impacts of Social Innovation? A Synthetic Review and Case Study of Community Forestry in the Scottish Highlands. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4359 .
AMA StyleCarla Barlagne, Mariana Melnykovych, David Miller, Richard Hewitt, Laura Secco, Elena Pisani, Maria Nijnik. What Are the Impacts of Social Innovation? A Synthetic Review and Case Study of Community Forestry in the Scottish Highlands. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (8):4359.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarla Barlagne; Mariana Melnykovych; David Miller; Richard Hewitt; Laura Secco; Elena Pisani; Maria Nijnik. 2021. "What Are the Impacts of Social Innovation? A Synthetic Review and Case Study of Community Forestry in the Scottish Highlands." Sustainability 13, no. 8: 4359.
In this paper, we elaborate an Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework centered around the ‘action arena’ theoretical approach. We develop this framework to analyze institutional reconfiguration to enhance sustainability, and operationalize it using research methods which focus on documentation of the institutional contexts through an extensive literature review and interviews of experts in forest policy. We apply the Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework to examine forestry institutions, address forest governance, and investigate their effect on socio-economic and environmental performances in forestry of Ukraine. The paper draws on the state of affairs in post-transition forestry, its difficulties, and new prospects for economic and institutional reforms. We examine challenges and opportunities in forestry and suggest key remedies and prospective ways forward. Results show that a combination of path dependency with the rigidity of institutions and a slow pace of economic and political reforms is the major obstacle to implementing decisions regarding sustainable forest policy. A reconfiguration of social practices is required, as well as the development of capabilities and awareness raising amongst relevant stakeholders, to realize the problems, envision alternative futures, challenge existing institutions, shift power relations and create new norms, rules, and decision-making arrangements. The way towards sustainability in forestry largely goes through changing institutions, and a human dimension of institutional changes reflected in the uptake of social innovation.
Maria Nijnik; Tatiana Kluvánková; Mariana Melnykovych; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Stanislava Brnkaľáková; Simo Sarkki; Leonid Kopiy; Igor Fizyk; Carla Barlagne; David Miller. An Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework for Sustainability Research on Post-Transition Forestry—A Focus on Ukraine. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4360 .
AMA StyleMaria Nijnik, Tatiana Kluvánková, Mariana Melnykovych, Albert Nijnik, Serhiy Kopiy, Stanislava Brnkaľáková, Simo Sarkki, Leonid Kopiy, Igor Fizyk, Carla Barlagne, David Miller. An Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework for Sustainability Research on Post-Transition Forestry—A Focus on Ukraine. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (8):4360.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Nijnik; Tatiana Kluvánková; Mariana Melnykovych; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Stanislava Brnkaľáková; Simo Sarkki; Leonid Kopiy; Igor Fizyk; Carla Barlagne; David Miller. 2021. "An Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework for Sustainability Research on Post-Transition Forestry—A Focus on Ukraine." Sustainability 13, no. 8: 4360.
Social innovation (SI) impacts are long-term changes that affect different dimensions of territorial capital (i.e., economy, society, environment, governance) for the territory in which SI occurs. Yet, systematic empirical evidence and theoretically sound assessments of the impacts of SI are scarce. This paper aims to fill the gap and assess the different aspects of SI’s impacts in European and Mediterranean areas that are characterized by marginalization processes. To assess the impacts of SI in marginalized areas, we use the evaluation framework developed within the Social Innovation in Marginalized Rural Areas (SIMRA) Horizon 2020 project and apply it to nine SI initiatives related to the fields of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and rural development. Our findings show that SI produces cross-sectoral (societal, economic, environmental, and governmental) and multi-level impacts (on individuals, community, and society), which have improved the societal well-being, and contributed to the reduction of certain forms of marginality, mainly inside the territory in which SI occurred.
Elisa Ravazzoli; Cristina Dalla Torre; Riccardo Da Re; Valentino Marini Govigli; Laura Secco; Elena Górriz-Mifsud; Elena Pisani; Carla Barlagne; Antonio Baselice; Mohammed Bengoumi; Marijke Dijskhoorn-Dekker; Arbia Labidi; Antonio Lopolito; Mariana Melnykovych; Manfred Perlik; Nico Polman; Simo Sarkki; Achilleas Vassilopoulos; Phoebe Koundouri; David Miller; Thomas Streifeneder; Maria Nijnik. Can Social Innovation Make a Change in European and Mediterranean Marginalized Areas? Social Innovation Impact Assessment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, and Rural Development. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1823 .
AMA StyleElisa Ravazzoli, Cristina Dalla Torre, Riccardo Da Re, Valentino Marini Govigli, Laura Secco, Elena Górriz-Mifsud, Elena Pisani, Carla Barlagne, Antonio Baselice, Mohammed Bengoumi, Marijke Dijskhoorn-Dekker, Arbia Labidi, Antonio Lopolito, Mariana Melnykovych, Manfred Perlik, Nico Polman, Simo Sarkki, Achilleas Vassilopoulos, Phoebe Koundouri, David Miller, Thomas Streifeneder, Maria Nijnik. Can Social Innovation Make a Change in European and Mediterranean Marginalized Areas? Social Innovation Impact Assessment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, and Rural Development. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):1823.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElisa Ravazzoli; Cristina Dalla Torre; Riccardo Da Re; Valentino Marini Govigli; Laura Secco; Elena Górriz-Mifsud; Elena Pisani; Carla Barlagne; Antonio Baselice; Mohammed Bengoumi; Marijke Dijskhoorn-Dekker; Arbia Labidi; Antonio Lopolito; Mariana Melnykovych; Manfred Perlik; Nico Polman; Simo Sarkki; Achilleas Vassilopoulos; Phoebe Koundouri; David Miller; Thomas Streifeneder; Maria Nijnik. 2021. "Can Social Innovation Make a Change in European and Mediterranean Marginalized Areas? Social Innovation Impact Assessment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, and Rural Development." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 1823.
Social innovations can tackle various challenges related to gender equity in rural areas, especially when such innovations are initiated and developed by women themselves. We examine cases located in rural areas of Canada, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, and Serbia, where women are marginalized by gender roles, patriarchal values, male dominated economy and policy, and lack of opportunities for education and employment. Our objective is to analyze five case studies on how women-led social innovation processes can tackle gender equity related challenges manifested at the levels of everyday practice, institutions, and cognitive frames. The analyses are based on interviews, workshops, literature screening, and are examined via the qualitative abductive method. Results summarize challenges that rural women are facing, explore social innovation initiatives as promising solutions, and analyze their implications on gender equity in the five case studies. Based on our results we propose a new concept: reconstructive social innovation cycle. It refers to is defined as cyclical innovation processes that engage women via civil society initiatives. These initiatives reconstruct the existing state of affairs, by questioning marginalizing and discriminative practices, institutions, and cognitive frames that are often perceived as normal. The new concept helps with to assessing the implications that women-led social innovations have for gender equity.
Simo Sarkki; Cristina Torre; Jasmiini Fransala; Ivana Živojinović; Alice Ludvig; Elena Górriz-Mifsud; Mariana Melnykovych; Patricia Sfeir; Labidi Arbia; Mohammed Bengoumi; Houda Chorti; Verena Gramm; Lucía López Marco; Elisa Ravazzoli; Maria Nijnik. Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1231 .
AMA StyleSimo Sarkki, Cristina Torre, Jasmiini Fransala, Ivana Živojinović, Alice Ludvig, Elena Górriz-Mifsud, Mariana Melnykovych, Patricia Sfeir, Labidi Arbia, Mohammed Bengoumi, Houda Chorti, Verena Gramm, Lucía López Marco, Elisa Ravazzoli, Maria Nijnik. Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1231.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimo Sarkki; Cristina Torre; Jasmiini Fransala; Ivana Živojinović; Alice Ludvig; Elena Górriz-Mifsud; Mariana Melnykovych; Patricia Sfeir; Labidi Arbia; Mohammed Bengoumi; Houda Chorti; Verena Gramm; Lucía López Marco; Elisa Ravazzoli; Maria Nijnik. 2021. "Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1231.
Social innovation is perceived as a collaborative response from civic society actors to societal challenges, and as such is increasingly being recognised as a drive to advance sustainable development. Social innovation promotes civic values, particularly in marginalised rural areas that are often struggling with biophysical and market limits, as well as shortages of public funding. In order to identify diverging development paths (DDPs) for social innovation, in this paper we use two large sets of empirical material from the SIMRA research project. Firstly, for meta‐analyses of social innovation in diverse situations and contexts we use 211 validated social innovation examples. Secondly, we rely on 11 in‐depth cases to reflect on the contexts and dimensions of social innovation. The elaboration of conceptualisation and deductive analyses result in the creation of a typology of social innovation DDPs, with four DDPs identified and explained. The paper provides an improved understanding of how social innovation emerges and develops, and how to capture processes and resulting changes in marginalised rural areas in order to turn such areas’ diversity into strengths. An important conclusion is that social innovation involves both local and external actors, yet cannot develop without specific internal local activity and local knowledge.
Tatiana Kluvankova; Maria Nijnik; Martin Spacek; Simo Sarkki; Manfred Perlik; Robert Lukesch; Mariana Melnykovych; Diana Valero; Stanislava Brnkalakova. Social Innovation for Sustainability Transformation and its Diverging Development Paths in Marginalised Rural Areas. Sociologia Ruralis 2021, 61, 344 -371.
AMA StyleTatiana Kluvankova, Maria Nijnik, Martin Spacek, Simo Sarkki, Manfred Perlik, Robert Lukesch, Mariana Melnykovych, Diana Valero, Stanislava Brnkalakova. Social Innovation for Sustainability Transformation and its Diverging Development Paths in Marginalised Rural Areas. Sociologia Ruralis. 2021; 61 (2):344-371.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTatiana Kluvankova; Maria Nijnik; Martin Spacek; Simo Sarkki; Manfred Perlik; Robert Lukesch; Mariana Melnykovych; Diana Valero; Stanislava Brnkalakova. 2021. "Social Innovation for Sustainability Transformation and its Diverging Development Paths in Marginalised Rural Areas." Sociologia Ruralis 61, no. 2: 344-371.
Social innovation is recognised for its potential to turn societal challenges into opportunities and develop sustainable solutions for people and nature. We identify and examine challenges that Ukrainian forestry is facing and apply an “action arena” conceptual approach to explore whether and how social innovation can enhance the sustainable development of forestry. We develop a framework to analyse the reconfiguration of social practices by using research methods that focus on the use of documentation of the institutional contexts and interviewing forest policy experts, as well as stakeholder evaluation of the challenges and ways forward for Ukrainian forestry. We apply the Q-method to identify stakeholder attitudes and examine the role of people in the reconfiguring of social practices and promoting sustainable development of the forest sector. Implications for changing the rules of the game and institutional perspectives on forestry are identified, with examples of social innovation initiatives presented. Results show that to emerge, develop, and be transformative, social innovation must have supporting institutional conditions to create new norms, rules, and social practices. Relevant stakeholders need to envision alternative futures, reshape places, and become more actively engaged in decision-making processes. We identify the key directions for changing the rules of the game and the opportunities that social innovation has to offer.
Maria Nijnik; Tatiana Kluvánková; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Mariana Melnykovych; Simo Sarkki; Carla Barlagne; Stanislava Brnkaláková; Leonid Kopiy; Igor Fizyk; David Miller. Is There a Scope for Social Innovation in Ukrainian Forestry? Sustainability 2020, 12, 9674 .
AMA StyleMaria Nijnik, Tatiana Kluvánková, Albert Nijnik, Serhiy Kopiy, Mariana Melnykovych, Simo Sarkki, Carla Barlagne, Stanislava Brnkaláková, Leonid Kopiy, Igor Fizyk, David Miller. Is There a Scope for Social Innovation in Ukrainian Forestry? Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9674.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Nijnik; Tatiana Kluvánková; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Mariana Melnykovych; Simo Sarkki; Carla Barlagne; Stanislava Brnkaláková; Leonid Kopiy; Igor Fizyk; David Miller. 2020. "Is There a Scope for Social Innovation in Ukrainian Forestry?" Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9674.
Social innovation is a process in which local communities build social and cultural capital to address challenges and social needs. The diffusion of social innovation requires compelling narratives that encourage people to join them. Using qualitative techniques and a multiple case study methodology, this paper examines the content of narratives of social innovation in rural areas and how actors construct, spread and change them. We propose a narrative analytical framework comprising four key components: problematisation; solutions and goals; actors; and plot, which we apply to three initiatives in Scotland and Spain. Our findings suggest that marginalisation, the natural environment and community activation are central themes in the content of narratives. In addition, we explain how policies and public actors can support social innovation as well as how collective leadership of social innovations can reduce imbalances in power relations, and contribute to a consistent evolution of narratives over time, enhancing the sustainability of social innovation projects overall.
Néstor Vercher; Carla Barlagne; Richard Hewitt; Maria Nijnik; Javier Esparcia. Whose Narrative is it Anyway? Narratives of Social Innovation in Rural Areas – A Comparative Analysis of Community‐Led Initiatives in Scotland and Spain. Sociologia Ruralis 2020, 61, 163 -189.
AMA StyleNéstor Vercher, Carla Barlagne, Richard Hewitt, Maria Nijnik, Javier Esparcia. Whose Narrative is it Anyway? Narratives of Social Innovation in Rural Areas – A Comparative Analysis of Community‐Led Initiatives in Scotland and Spain. Sociologia Ruralis. 2020; 61 (1):163-189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNéstor Vercher; Carla Barlagne; Richard Hewitt; Maria Nijnik; Javier Esparcia. 2020. "Whose Narrative is it Anyway? Narratives of Social Innovation in Rural Areas – A Comparative Analysis of Community‐Led Initiatives in Scotland and Spain." Sociologia Ruralis 61, no. 1: 163-189.
The ecosystem services framework has now been embodied in policy and practice, creating the need for governance structures that allow science, policy and practice to come together and facilitate shared learning. We describe five years of progress in developing an Ecosystem Services Community of Practice in Scotland, which brings together over 600 individuals from diverse constituencies to share experiences and learn from each other. We consider the ‘community’ and ‘practice’ aspects to demonstrate the benefits of establishing an Ecosystem Services Community (ESCom). We also demonstrate how the journey involved in the creation and continuing evolution of ESCom has proved valuable to researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and students and as such has contributed to social learning. We reflect on challenges, given the voluntary nature, absence of formal institutional support and emergence of initiatives focusing on overlapping topics. Based on our experience, we provide ten recommendations to help future ecosystem services communities of practice.
Marc J. Metzger; Jan Dick; Abi Gardner; Chloe Bellamy; Kirsty Blackstock; Calum Brown; Rachel Chisholm; Phoebe Cochrane; Joanna Drewitt; Alessandro Gimona; Alison Hester; Scot Mathieson; Maria Nijnik; Alistair McVittie; Michal Petr; Ron Smith; Mike Smith. Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice. Regional Environmental Change 2019, 19, 2275 -2286.
AMA StyleMarc J. Metzger, Jan Dick, Abi Gardner, Chloe Bellamy, Kirsty Blackstock, Calum Brown, Rachel Chisholm, Phoebe Cochrane, Joanna Drewitt, Alessandro Gimona, Alison Hester, Scot Mathieson, Maria Nijnik, Alistair McVittie, Michal Petr, Ron Smith, Mike Smith. Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice. Regional Environmental Change. 2019; 19 (8):2275-2286.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarc J. Metzger; Jan Dick; Abi Gardner; Chloe Bellamy; Kirsty Blackstock; Calum Brown; Rachel Chisholm; Phoebe Cochrane; Joanna Drewitt; Alessandro Gimona; Alison Hester; Scot Mathieson; Maria Nijnik; Alistair McVittie; Michal Petr; Ron Smith; Mike Smith. 2019. "Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice." Regional Environmental Change 19, no. 8: 2275-2286.
We studied the role of human values in social innovations (SIs) in four forest-dependent communities (FDCs) in Europe. We draw on 71 semi-structured interviews with FDC members in Finland, Slovenia, the UK and Ukraine, and a survey of householders (n = 150) and focus group interviews with related stakeholders in Ukraine. The material collected was analyzed with mixed methods with respect to relational values as catalysts and consequences of SI. Relational values, which are derivative of the relationships between human and non-human world, and responsibilities towards these relationships, were divided into three categories: Doing, Belonging and Respecting. Doing encompasses the individual's perspective of the opportunities offered by nature to individuals. Belonging encompasses a communal dimension of values manifested as the experience of “being at home” in social collectives and landscapes. Respecting addresses environmental and social justice. Common cause for SI was the need of FDCs to sustain or enhance relational values linked to forests while, once emerged, SIs also have potential to become global game-changers. SI encompasses the reconfiguration of: i) forest management and use, ii) decision-making structures and processes, and iii) stakeholder's perceptions of sustainability. Examples include the co-management arrangement between a State forestry enterprise and the local community, buying woodland from the State by the FDCs to enable community forestry, reinvention of traditional forest management, and the active involvement of FDC members in halting illegal logging. As a conclusion, we developed a general value hierarchy accounting for value plurality in which relational, instrumental and intrinsic values can be interpreted from any perspective.
Simo Sarkki; Andrej Ficko; David Miller; Carla Barlagne; Mariana Melnykovych; Mikko Jokinen; Ihor Soloviy; Maria Nijnik. Human values as catalysts and consequences of social innovations. Forest Policy and Economics 2019, 104, 33 -44.
AMA StyleSimo Sarkki, Andrej Ficko, David Miller, Carla Barlagne, Mariana Melnykovych, Mikko Jokinen, Ihor Soloviy, Maria Nijnik. Human values as catalysts and consequences of social innovations. Forest Policy and Economics. 2019; 104 ():33-44.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimo Sarkki; Andrej Ficko; David Miller; Carla Barlagne; Mariana Melnykovych; Mikko Jokinen; Ihor Soloviy; Maria Nijnik. 2019. "Human values as catalysts and consequences of social innovations." Forest Policy and Economics 104, no. : 33-44.
Forest-dependent communities in remote rural areas face challenges such as delocalization of industry and loss of economic activities (only partially stemmed by tourism), ageing, migration, increasing poverty and global environmental change. The EU has increasingly embraced social innovation as a mean for addressing these challenges and rebuilding resilience. However, it is not yet clear how to evaluate these emergent processes in terms of dynamics, performances and impacts, e.g. enhanced human wellbeing. Specific methodologies for social innovation evaluation in rural and forest-dependent communities have not been agreed yet. This qualitative paper is based on the initial stages of a science-stakeholder collaboration carried out within the 4-years EU funded Horizon 2020 project titled Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas (SIMRA) on evaluation methods. Its aims are to: (1) provide an overview of what aspects of social innovation should be evaluated, and (2) describe the characteristics of an evaluation method that would capture such aspects, with a focus on forestry domain. Results show that a suite of qualitative and quantitative methods and indicators are required, as well as a combination of expert and participatory-based evaluation approaches capturing both elements of the social innovation process and their outcomes, as well as primary data from social innovation initiatives at local level. More attention is needed on soft data such as satisfaction, feelings and happiness of involved actors and beneficiaries, as well as on environmental aspects, than on the pure economic efficiency and impacts, considering the effects of social innovation in forest ecosystem services.
Laura Secco; Elena Pisani; Riccardo Da Re; Todora Rogelja; Catie Burlando; Kamini Vicentini; Davide Pettenella; Mauro Masiero; David Miller; Maria Nijnjk. Towards a method of evaluating social innovation in forest-dependent rural communities: First suggestions from a science-stakeholder collaboration. Forest Policy and Economics 2019, 104, 9 -22.
AMA StyleLaura Secco, Elena Pisani, Riccardo Da Re, Todora Rogelja, Catie Burlando, Kamini Vicentini, Davide Pettenella, Mauro Masiero, David Miller, Maria Nijnjk. Towards a method of evaluating social innovation in forest-dependent rural communities: First suggestions from a science-stakeholder collaboration. Forest Policy and Economics. 2019; 104 ():9-22.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Secco; Elena Pisani; Riccardo Da Re; Todora Rogelja; Catie Burlando; Kamini Vicentini; Davide Pettenella; Mauro Masiero; David Miller; Maria Nijnjk. 2019. "Towards a method of evaluating social innovation in forest-dependent rural communities: First suggestions from a science-stakeholder collaboration." Forest Policy and Economics 104, no. : 9-22.
Tuning participatory processes is often insufficient to achieve transition from authoritative state to democratic and participatory forest governance due to institutional inertia and unwillingness to truly decentralize decision-making power. Social innovations as reconfigurations of relationships between state, market actors, civil society and science can help to meet concerns of local people about forest Ecosystem Services (ES). In Ukraine, the Swiss-Ukrainian Forest Development (FORZA) pilot project initiated a social innovation process complementing regional forest planning with local participatory community development plans in Transcarpathia. This paper examines what kind of changes need to accompany the succession of participatory practices in transition processes from authoritative state to democratic forest governance, and what are the lessons learned for social innovations based on the Ukrainian case study. This paper synthesizes knowledge on the FORZA case analyzed by inductive content analysis, and integrates these local level results with a national survey (N = 244) on Ukrainian forest governance. Transition processes need to go “beyond participation” by (i) legal reforms to better acknowledge ES important for local people, (ii) a change from an exclusive focus on timber to acknowledging multiple ES, (iii) changed spatial and temporal rationales of state-based governance, and (iv) recognition of local people as credible experts. Social innovations can detect key barriers to the transition during the policy experiments, and need to pay significant attention on how the novel practices can be sustained after the pilot, replicated elsewhere and up-scaled. Without such considerations, social innovation projects may only remain as a marginal curiosity.
Simo Sarkki; Taras Parpan; Mariana Melnykovych; Lyudmyla Zahvoyska; Juriy Derbal; Nataliya Voloshyna; Maria Nijnik. Beyond participation! Social innovations facilitating movement from authoritative state to participatory forest governance in Ukraine. Landscape Ecology 2019, 34, 1601 -1618.
AMA StyleSimo Sarkki, Taras Parpan, Mariana Melnykovych, Lyudmyla Zahvoyska, Juriy Derbal, Nataliya Voloshyna, Maria Nijnik. Beyond participation! Social innovations facilitating movement from authoritative state to participatory forest governance in Ukraine. Landscape Ecology. 2019; 34 (7):1601-1618.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimo Sarkki; Taras Parpan; Mariana Melnykovych; Lyudmyla Zahvoyska; Juriy Derbal; Nataliya Voloshyna; Maria Nijnik. 2019. "Beyond participation! Social innovations facilitating movement from authoritative state to participatory forest governance in Ukraine." Landscape Ecology 34, no. 7: 1601-1618.
Attention to social innovation and its role in sustainable development have been rising. However, the knowledge of social innovation pertaining to rural areas, including the forestry sector is lacking. Therefore, in this Special Issue of Forest Policy and Economics we exchange understandings and advance scientific knowledge of the role and place of social innovation in the development of forest-dependent communities and of forest social-ecological systems, underpinning this development. Papers included in this Issue blend diverse theoretical positions into a coherent explanation of spatial variability, case and context specificity of social innovation, encompassing its empirical diversity, complexities and multiple dimensions. The suggested articles improve existing knowledge of determinants of success seeking to answer the question of how to support enhanced governance and social innovations, addressing multiplicity and priorities of social needs, and new social relationships and collaborations. We also provide innovative solutions and sustainable forestry considerations, ideas potentially useful for policy makers and practice communities of different levels, having ultimate aims of increasing the well-being of forest-dependent communities and building the resilience to changes taking place in remote rural areas of Europe and beyond.
Maria Nijnik; Laura Secco; David Miller; Mariana Melnykovych. Can social innovation make a difference to forest-dependent communities? Forest Policy and Economics 2019, 100, 207 -213.
AMA StyleMaria Nijnik, Laura Secco, David Miller, Mariana Melnykovych. Can social innovation make a difference to forest-dependent communities? Forest Policy and Economics. 2019; 100 ():207-213.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Nijnik; Laura Secco; David Miller; Mariana Melnykovych. 2019. "Can social innovation make a difference to forest-dependent communities?" Forest Policy and Economics 100, no. : 207-213.
This paper adds to the evidence base in the discussion to what extent woodland development can be a means to restoring the land affected by mining. We investigate the formation of vegetation communities in sites on a former Sulphur quarry in the Roztochya district of the Lviv region in Ukraine to answer the research questions: How can the formation of vegetation cover affect the disturbed sites and what knowledge can be used in restoration practices elsewhere? We perform an experiment examining which types of vegetation are suitable for the restoration. We explore the influence of restored vegetation and re-emerged woodlands have on the process of soil rehabilitation and the increasing organic substance in it. We examine the impact of various combinations of vegetation on land rehabilitation. Explaining the degree of colonization of waste land by various types of vegetation helps us to reveal the trends of regenerative processes and identify the most promising for restoration tree species in affiliation with the ground vegetation. The results can assist decision-makers in choosing compatibility alliances of vegetation to sustain regeneration processes. Although this research is location specific, the knowledge developed can to a degree be applied to similar places, in the temperate zone.
Maria Kopiy; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Maria Nijnik; Leonid Kopiy; Ruslana Presner; Igor Fizuk; Vasyl Agij; Ivanna Zholobchuk; Environmental Network Ltd; The James Hutton Institute; The Ukrainian National Forestry University; Ukrainian National Academy Of Public Administration. Forest restoration on the former industrial land of Sulphur quarry in the Ukrainian Roztochya. Reforesta 2018, 15 -30.
AMA StyleMaria Kopiy, Albert Nijnik, Serhiy Kopiy, Maria Nijnik, Leonid Kopiy, Ruslana Presner, Igor Fizuk, Vasyl Agij, Ivanna Zholobchuk, Environmental Network Ltd, The James Hutton Institute, The Ukrainian National Forestry University, Ukrainian National Academy Of Public Administration. Forest restoration on the former industrial land of Sulphur quarry in the Ukrainian Roztochya. Reforesta. 2018; (6):15-30.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Kopiy; Albert Nijnik; Serhiy Kopiy; Maria Nijnik; Leonid Kopiy; Ruslana Presner; Igor Fizuk; Vasyl Agij; Ivanna Zholobchuk; Environmental Network Ltd; The James Hutton Institute; The Ukrainian National Forestry University; Ukrainian National Academy Of Public Administration. 2018. "Forest restoration on the former industrial land of Sulphur quarry in the Ukrainian Roztochya." Reforesta , no. 6: 15-30.
Forest-dependent, rural communities often experience declining populations and economic prosperity because technological changes related to harvesting, transportation and processing of wood fiber have increased the capital investments required while reducing employment. How then can communities, where forest resources are the primary economic driver, increase wealth that might then be used for economic development? Answers to this question are explored by examining the potential of different forest management regimes to create greater employment and wealth, particularly management options that include carbon values. Our application is to an interior forest region of British Columbia, the region that produces the greatest volume and value of lumber for export and the province where indigenous peoples have not ceded aboriginal title to most of the land base on which the trees grow. While traditional practices of managing forests primarily used to be multi-functional and sustainable, the results of our study are less optimistic. We examine the trade-offs and potential synergies between revenue (as measured by net present value), employment and carbon in forest ecosystems, where the latter is a proxy for the ecological health of the forest. We conclude that no management strategy is able to satisfy all of the technical, environmental and social/cultural constraints and, at the same time, offer forest-based economic development that will prevent the decline of rural communities.
G. Cornelis Van Kooten; Maria Nijnik; Kimpton Bradford. Can carbon accounting promote economic development in forest-dependent, indigenous communities? Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 100, 68 -74.
AMA StyleG. Cornelis Van Kooten, Maria Nijnik, Kimpton Bradford. Can carbon accounting promote economic development in forest-dependent, indigenous communities? Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 100 ():68-74.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. Cornelis Van Kooten; Maria Nijnik; Kimpton Bradford. 2018. "Can carbon accounting promote economic development in forest-dependent, indigenous communities?" Forest Policy and Economics 100, no. : 68-74.
Presentation of an original definition of social innovations for marginalised rural areas. Key mechanisms that enable efforts for social innovations in forest-dependent communities to emerge and develop. Transdisciplinary framework of theoretical-empirical expert understanding of SI in forest-dependent communities. Identification of key factors and SI transition stages for forest- dependent communities in marginalised rural areas. Determination of the key development trajectories that differ by type of actors and knowledge which enter the action arena. Determine the adaptive or transformative character of social innovations in forest-dependent communities.
Tatiana Kluvánková; Stanislava Brnkaľáková; Martin Špaček; Bill Slee; Maria Nijnik; Diana Valero; David Miller; Rosalind Bryce; Mária Kozová; Nico Polman; Tomáš Szabo; Veronika Gežík. Understanding social innovation for the well-being of forest-dependent communities: A preliminary theoretical framework. Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 97, 163 -174.
AMA StyleTatiana Kluvánková, Stanislava Brnkaľáková, Martin Špaček, Bill Slee, Maria Nijnik, Diana Valero, David Miller, Rosalind Bryce, Mária Kozová, Nico Polman, Tomáš Szabo, Veronika Gežík. Understanding social innovation for the well-being of forest-dependent communities: A preliminary theoretical framework. Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 97 ():163-174.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTatiana Kluvánková; Stanislava Brnkaľáková; Martin Špaček; Bill Slee; Maria Nijnik; Diana Valero; David Miller; Rosalind Bryce; Mária Kozová; Nico Polman; Tomáš Szabo; Veronika Gežík. 2018. "Understanding social innovation for the well-being of forest-dependent communities: A preliminary theoretical framework." Forest Policy and Economics 97, no. : 163-174.
The term “social innovation” (SI) is currently applied to denote a broad range of activities connected to explicit goals and supposedly designed to address inherent societal problems. These problems are rooted in current economic and ecological crises, such as poverty, unemployment, forced migration, brain drain, social inequality or environmental destruction. This article focuses on the EU and national policies that have the potential to support Social Innovation in rural areas and maps possible future policy efforts in this regard. However, many of the policies that we find to have potential for possible effective social innovation support do not have much in common concerning their targets. In consequence, the article outlines a threefold typology for categorizing the different policy targets that have impacts on social innovation in rural areas: (i) policies targeting vulnerable social groups, (ii) policies targeting societal challenges at large and (iii) policies targeting the participatory inclusion of civil society. In addition we outline enabling and hindering policy factors for social innovation and we apply the threefold typology to the example of forest policy. The conceptual framework in combination with the forest policy objectives we identify provides a useful basis for further research in this area.
Alice Ludvig; Gerhard Weiss; Simo Sarkki; Maria Nijnik; Ivana Živojinović. Mapping European and forest related policies supporting social innovation for rural settings. Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 97, 146 -152.
AMA StyleAlice Ludvig, Gerhard Weiss, Simo Sarkki, Maria Nijnik, Ivana Živojinović. Mapping European and forest related policies supporting social innovation for rural settings. Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 97 ():146-152.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlice Ludvig; Gerhard Weiss; Simo Sarkki; Maria Nijnik; Ivana Živojinović. 2018. "Mapping European and forest related policies supporting social innovation for rural settings." Forest Policy and Economics 97, no. : 146-152.
Maria Nijnik; Anatoliy Nijnik; Simo Sarkki; Jose Muñoz-Rojas; David Miller; Serhiy Kopiy. Is forest related decision-making in European treeline areas socially innovative? A Q-methodology enquiry into the perspectives of international experts. Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 92, 210 -219.
AMA StyleMaria Nijnik, Anatoliy Nijnik, Simo Sarkki, Jose Muñoz-Rojas, David Miller, Serhiy Kopiy. Is forest related decision-making in European treeline areas socially innovative? A Q-methodology enquiry into the perspectives of international experts. Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 92 ():210-219.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Nijnik; Anatoliy Nijnik; Simo Sarkki; Jose Muñoz-Rojas; David Miller; Serhiy Kopiy. 2018. "Is forest related decision-making in European treeline areas socially innovative? A Q-methodology enquiry into the perspectives of international experts." Forest Policy and Economics 92, no. : 210-219.
To better understand how constantly changing human-environment interactions could be better organized to respond to current challenges, we examined the Ukrainian Carpathians as an example case of complex forest social-ecological systems (FSES). We did it by interviewing diverse and relevant local stakeholder (N=450). In particular, we strived to: i) outline how people and nature are linked and interact in coupled FSES; ii) examine the preferences of stakeholders on the forests and associated ecosystem services (ES); iii) map key drivers threatening well-being of FSES and iv) identify potential responses to address the challenges at a local scale. To answer these questions we followed a mixed method route by integrating qualitative (participatory) and quantitative data collection and analyses, with further application of a Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework in combination with the ES approach in order to assess benefits, threats to these benefits, and responses regarding the studied FSES. We found that the key benefit from FSES is timber and non-wood forest products (like berries and mushrooms), but also various regulating services were ranked highly by respondents. To explore social-ecological innovation, with potential responses of forest-dependent communities to challenges they face, we employed a commonly used assumption that governance must fit to the particular characteristics of FSES in order to enable sustainability. For the particular case of the Ukrainian Carpathians, we identified and discussed the following five nonconformities or "misfits" threatening sustainability: 1) Spatial misfit in legislation; 2) Poor contextualization; 3) Trap of the single ES; 4) Participatory misfit; and 5) Robbing the commons. By conceptualizing those key threats, we proposed responses for sustainability. The findings contributed to an advanced understanding of complex FSES, their key challenges and potential solutions in order to secure well-being of people and nature in coupled social-ecological systems, in the conditions of a changing world.
Mariana Melnykovych; Maria Nijnik; Ihor Soloviy; Albert Nijnik; Simo Sarkki; Yurij Bihun. Social-ecological innovation in remote mountain areas: Adaptive responses of forest-dependent communities to the challenges of a changing world. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 613-614, 894 -906.
AMA StyleMariana Melnykovych, Maria Nijnik, Ihor Soloviy, Albert Nijnik, Simo Sarkki, Yurij Bihun. Social-ecological innovation in remote mountain areas: Adaptive responses of forest-dependent communities to the challenges of a changing world. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 613-614 ():894-906.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMariana Melnykovych; Maria Nijnik; Ihor Soloviy; Albert Nijnik; Simo Sarkki; Yurij Bihun. 2018. "Social-ecological innovation in remote mountain areas: Adaptive responses of forest-dependent communities to the challenges of a changing world." Science of The Total Environment 613-614, no. : 894-906.
Maria Nijnik; David Miller. Valuation of ecosystem services: paradox or Pandora’s box for decision-makers? One Ecosystem 2017, 2, 1 .
AMA StyleMaria Nijnik, David Miller. Valuation of ecosystem services: paradox or Pandora’s box for decision-makers? One Ecosystem. 2017; 2 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Nijnik; David Miller. 2017. "Valuation of ecosystem services: paradox or Pandora’s box for decision-makers?" One Ecosystem 2, no. : 1.
Sarkki, Simo et. al.- 14 páginas.- © The authors 2017. Open Access under Creative Commons by\ud Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are unrestricted. Authors and original publication must be credited.Achieving social equity among local stakeholders should be a key objective for ecosystem service (ES) governance in Europe's ecologically fragile treeline areas. The ES literature tends to be biased towards distributional equity and market-based instruments when assessing social equity of ES governance. In this study, we analyze a wide range of social equity procedures that have been applied in Europe, using 11 synthesized case studies of governance-related challenges and 75 proposals for governance enhancement from 8 European countries provided by researchers with expertise on treeline area governance. The proposals were grouped by inductive clustering into 10 procedural or distributional equity-related policy recommendations: (1) increase stakeholder collaboration, (2) balance interactions between horizontal and vertical governance levels, (3) increase ES education, (4) use science to guide decisions, (5) start collaboration at an early stage, (6) enhance transparency, (7) aim to mitigate negative impacts, (8) use an ES approach to identify synergistic goals for governance, (9) enhance balanced multi-functional land use, and (10) use market-based instruments to balance benefits and costs deriving from governance decisions. Finally, we discuss 5 more general proposals on how regulatory and market-based approaches could be linked to enhance both procedural and distributional equity of treeline area governance.This study has been supported by the ESSEM COST-Action ES1203 'Enhancing the resilience capacity of sensitive mountain forest ecosystems under environmental change' (SENSFOR), and by the Horizon 2020 project 'Social innovation in marginalised rural areas' (SIMRA), carried out under contract number 677622 with funds provided by the European Commission to the James Hutton Institute and the University of Oulu.Peer reviewe
Simo Sarkki; Mikko Jokinen; Maria Nijnik; Lyudmyla Zahvoyska; Eleni M. Abraham; Concepción L. Alados; Chloe Bellamy; Svetla Bratanova-Dontcheva; Karsten Grunewald; Jozef Kollar; J Krajčí; Apostolos P. Kyriazopoulos; Nicola La Porta; Antonio Monteiro; Jose Munoz-Rojas; Taras Parpan; Louise Sing; Mike Smith; Marja-Liisa Sutinen; Anne Tolvanen; Tetiana Zhyla. Social equity in governance of ecosystem services: synthesis from European treeline areas. Climate Research 2017, 73, 31 -44.
AMA StyleSimo Sarkki, Mikko Jokinen, Maria Nijnik, Lyudmyla Zahvoyska, Eleni M. Abraham, Concepción L. Alados, Chloe Bellamy, Svetla Bratanova-Dontcheva, Karsten Grunewald, Jozef Kollar, J Krajčí, Apostolos P. Kyriazopoulos, Nicola La Porta, Antonio Monteiro, Jose Munoz-Rojas, Taras Parpan, Louise Sing, Mike Smith, Marja-Liisa Sutinen, Anne Tolvanen, Tetiana Zhyla. Social equity in governance of ecosystem services: synthesis from European treeline areas. Climate Research. 2017; 73 (1-2):31-44.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimo Sarkki; Mikko Jokinen; Maria Nijnik; Lyudmyla Zahvoyska; Eleni M. Abraham; Concepción L. Alados; Chloe Bellamy; Svetla Bratanova-Dontcheva; Karsten Grunewald; Jozef Kollar; J Krajčí; Apostolos P. Kyriazopoulos; Nicola La Porta; Antonio Monteiro; Jose Munoz-Rojas; Taras Parpan; Louise Sing; Mike Smith; Marja-Liisa Sutinen; Anne Tolvanen; Tetiana Zhyla. 2017. "Social equity in governance of ecosystem services: synthesis from European treeline areas." Climate Research 73, no. 1-2: 31-44.