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Project title

Biological diversity and cultural diversity: explaining conflict around Ireland's contribution towards Natura 2000

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)

Lead Applicant

Hilary Tovey

Project Abstract

Natura 2000 is a network of protected ecological sites across the European Union considered important for biodiversity. Breaking with the traditional notion of inature reservesi designated sites include public private and commonly held land. Drawing on ideas emanating from a Sociology of Scientific Knowledge (SSK) Actor Network Theory (ANT) and a dwelling perspective this study explores the dilemmas and conflicts arising from attempts to implement the network in Ireland and through doing so develops sociological themes around nature-society relationships particularly those relating to iplacei. Natura 2000 is conceptualized as an attempt to draw and manage lines or boundaries around inaturei and isocietyi i a process that entails the translation of iplacesi into ihabitatsi. The study reveals the challenges and dilemmas facing those attempting to devise and manage these conceptual and geographic boundaries and explores the resistance to place translation by people on-the-ground. The thesis employs qualitative research methods drawing in particular on data derived from 59 qualitative interviews with key informants and landholders directly affected by site designation. It also draws on documentary analysis and participant observation. The research is divided into two phases. Phase 1 explores the process of Natura 2000 line-drawing at national level while Phase 2 consists of two case studies of contested line-drawing in specific places. The main findings of the study are outlined below.In Natura 2000 there is a tension between iscience-firsti and ipeople-includedi (Kelsey 2003 Stoll-Kleeman et al 2002) models of conservationism: it attempts to achieve a scientific objective biodiversity conservation while taking social economic and cultural factors into account (Alphandiry et al 2001). This entails repeated line-drawing exercises between what is considered inaturali and what is considered isociali. Through an analysis of its implementation in Ireland this thesis reveals Natura 2000 line-drawing as a highly controversial socially mediated and politically negotiated exercise based on iuncertaini and iincompletei science (Pinton 2001) the boundaries of which are always contested. The thesis also reveals the impracticalities of devising and managing conceptual and geographic boundaries between inaturei and isocietyi in particular locales. It shows how scientific uncertainties can plague decision-making processes and how these uncertainties can exacerbate conflict. It further shows how standardised iplacelessi solutions can be insensitive to the particularities of place and how inaturei continually exercises an agential role that can frustrate humanly-devised attempts to define control or manage it.

Grant Approved

�71,562.00

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Sectoral Impacts on Biodiversity

Start Date

n/a

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a