Social scientists to work with local communities

The seagrass restoration project had, at its onset, a social scientist who helped with collecting data related to perception of seagrass, with steering the discussions with NGOs, and with leading the awareness raising campaigns and formalization of initial thoughts about the need for managing the seagrass meadows.

  • Communication skills, including speaking local African language
  • Awareness raising
  • Ownership by the communities created through the formation of community-based organisations to engage in the different seagrass restoration activities
  • It is good to involve social scientists at the beginning of a seagrass restoration to work on socio-anthropological related issues
  • Social scientists build the bridge between ecologists and communities given their role in communication and documentation of socio-ecological issues
  • Their complementary actions enable to faster reach the goal of engaging communities in seagrass restoration