Scientists are often criticised for their inability to communicate research expeditions and outcomes to public audiences, both in the nations where they operate and also internationally. Nekton was founded on the principle of bringing science and story-telling together to amplify host nation scientists as leading voices and ambassadors. During the expedition, the first descents were undertaken by Seychellois scientists. Through partnership with Seychellois media, content was produced, published and broadcast within Seychelles. In partnership with Associated Press and Sky, content from the expedition was published and broadcast in 140 countries globally including 18,000 articles (in print and digital) and over 4000 video broadcast packages. These included the first live subsea documentary series, newscasts and Presidential Address by the President of Seychelles, Danny Faure.
Flexibility in planning daily activities
Mutual understanding of science and media needs and activities
Narratives owned by the host nation country
Partnerships with host nation and international media partners.
Pre-familiarisation of science and communication team is imperative to ensure an easy workflow
Science and Communication plans need to be co-produced together to identify and then create content that reflects these ambitions.
The purpose is to have a good transboundary understanding of the national nature conservation systems and how the people and organisations involved work together on a trilateral level. This deep understanding supports the improvement of the implementation of coordinated management and the linking of national to trilateral (and vice-versa) policies, plans, and activities.
In the Trilateral Governmental Cooperation, each country has its own political culture and priorities. This has an influence on the governmental and civil society structures and thus on decision-making processes, which in turn influences nature conservation and management.
The national nature conservation structures clarify which are the different public organisations and the different geopolitical levels that are responsible for planning, policy-making, and implementing nature conservation activities on the ground. Also required was a definition of nature conservation site managers, their roles, and competences per country. These elements are key to consider while developing a transnational integrated management plan (SIMP).
All the groups with competences in nature conservation are represented in the trilateral governance structure. Some at the decision-making body the Wadden Sea Board, and others in the different working groups.
It is in the interest of governmental organisations involved in nature conservation to express and clarify their roles and competences at the national level. This helps to manage and adjust expectations as well as for designing a trilateral structure including the relevant non-governmental organisations and groups.
It is not always easy to understand the management structures and processes because of the different political cultures in the three countries. It is good to have people that can “translate” structures into a “common language”.
Good to have the correct, clear, and complete structures to make sure that in the process of developing the single integrated management plan we are involving the right organisations at the right stages in the transnational iterative and participatory process (see BB1).
Understanding the structures also supports the understanding of the process of policy making, management plans related to EU Directives, and the update of national strategies and agendas, easing the spotting of important moments to consider nationally trilateral policies, strategies, and plans with the TWSC members help.
Understanding the national nature conservation structures and processes also helps to improve the understanding of how other national and regional commitments (a.o. EU Directives and Strategies) are being implemented in each country.
Iterative and participatory nature conservation planning process (site management and policy levels)
SIMP development process
Common Wadden Sea Secretariat
The purpose is to achieve a successful transboundary management plan integrating the levels needed for effective management. An exercise to imagine what would make the SIMP a success was useful to manage expectations, and guide and adapt the process.
Preparatory phase: the trilateral Task Group World Heritage, overseeing the SIMP development, agreed on the purpose to improve management coordination at the trilateral level. Considering the suggestions from site management and policy levels and the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, a roadmap and content were agreed upon.
The content development in the TWSC: draws upon the existing governance of the cooperation. The working groups supported the drafting of the SIMP’s content in regard to climate change effects and adaptation, education, sustainable tourism, research, monitoring, assessment, etc. Preliminary content was iteratively reviewed and enriched by the TWSC groups, the site managers, the trilateral Task Group World Heritage, and the Wadden Sea Board.
Consultation beyond the TWSC: external stakeholders, and members of advisory boards in each of the German Federal States, Denmark, and the Netherlands, reviewed and commented on the draft SIMP.
A similar process is foreseen for assessing the progress and adapting activities.
The existing governance structure of the TWSC includes working groups on relevant topics to the Wadden Sea World Heritage and therefore the single integrated management plan (SIMP). The mandate to develop the SIMP (involving site management and policy level) was given in the Trilateral Governmental Declaration as a response to the request of the World Heritage Committee.
Existing engagement of the Task Group World Heritage.
Resources commitment from the parties and an additional staff member in CWSS as SIMP project officer.
Give enough time for participation: take into account that each country has its own participation habits and structures and that each involved group has its own rhythm and processes to follow. Learn about those and integrate these the best as possible.
Plan for discussions among the involved parties: some aspects require more time and background information to understand positions and propose solutions. The Trilateral Task Group World Heritage was a great platform with members that are the liaison to the policy and site management level.
Effective, easy, tailored communication is key at all levels and all phases in order to convey the key messages. Here we learned along the way and improved but more improvement is possible.
Iterative and participatory nature conservation planning process (site management and policy levels)
Inclusive approach to transnational cooperation
Linking policy and management to the World Heritage Convention and the Outstanding Universal Value
Establishing partnerships between research institutions and management authorities
Institutions and research institutes involved in the pilot phase of the Heritage Place Lab.
World Heritage Leadership Programme
Research-Practice Teams from Okavango Delta, Botswana; Asante Traditional Buildings, Ghana and Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
World Heritage Leadership Programme
Research-Practice Teams from Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina; Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala and Machu Picchu, Peru.
World Heritage Leadership Programme
Research-Practice Teams from Jaipur, India and Rjukan-Notodden, Norway.
World Heritage Leadership Programme
The World Heritage Leadership Programme (WHLP) released an open call for applications for Research-Practice Teams interested in working on World Heritage management issues collaboratively in the experimental Heritage Place Lab. The Research-Practice Teams had to be composed of a group of researchers (2-4), and a group of site managers (2-4). The research group could include faculty members, post-doctoral and graduate students, based in one or more research institutions, covering cultural heritage and/or natural heritage fields. The group of site managers could include 2-4 members involved in the management of one World Heritage property, which could belong to one or more institutions (managing authorities, municipality, community among others), and who were part of the World Heritage site management system. The WHLP encouraged Research-Practice Teams to work cross-regionally and in multi and interdisciplinary groups, including considering gender and intergenerational balance as priorities. Research-Practice Teams had to commit to working together for the duration of the Heritage Place Lab pilot phase and its follow-up activities, (including in between the 6 incubator online workshops).
- Existing World Heritage research and practice networks, particularly those connected to the WHLP, including those of Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Convention: UNESCO Chairs, Universities Fora, ICOMOS International Scientific Committees, IUCN Commissions and Specialists Groups, and initiatives, like the ICOMOS-IUCN Connecting Practice Project, and the World Heritage Site Managers Forum;
- Interest in applied research by site managers and researchers;
- Interest of heritage practitioners to connect intersectorally and internationally.
In the process of calling and consultations with potential Research-Practice Teams it became evident that the commitment to such a project would require:
- Institutional support from the side of research institutions and management authorities;
- Potential financial support for ensuring the commitment of both groups in a Team;
- Produce special incentives for researchers beyond financial, such as scientific publications;
- Produce concrete results that would be useful for the management authorities, such as the development of a research agenda that could be used in conjunction with management plans.
