Evaluation of Multi-level Social Learning for Sustainable Landscapes: Perspective of a Development Initiative in Bergslagen, Sweden

Abstract

To implement policies about sustainable landscapesand rural development necessitates social learningabout states and trends of sustainability indicators, normsthat define sustainability, and adaptive multi-level governance.We evaluate the extent to which social learning atmultiple governance levels for sustainable landscapesoccur in 18 local development initiatives in the network ofSustainable Bergslagen in Sweden. We mapped activitiesover time, and interviewed key actors in the network aboutsocial learning. While activities resulted in exchange ofexperiences and some local solutions, a major challengewas to secure systematic social learning and make newknowledge explicit at multiple levels. None of the developmentinitiatives used a systematic approach to securesocial learning, and sustainability assessments were notmade systematically. We discuss how social learning canbe improved, and how a learning network of developmentinitiatives could be realized.

Keywords

Collaborative learning; Sustainable development; Case study; Knowledge production; Governance

Published in

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
2013, volume: 42, number: 2, pages: 241-253

SLU Authors

• Axelsson, Robert

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Angelstam, Per

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Elbakidze, Marine

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Svensson, Lennart

  • Linköping University

• Törnblom, Johan

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Sociology (excluding Social work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Forest Science
Political Science (Excluding Peace and Conflict Studies)

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-012-0378-y

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51383