The third issue of the second volume of People and Nature is online now!

Our first special feature!

This issue features our first special feature — a cross-journal effort with Journal of Applied Ecology and edited by Helen Wheeler and Meredith Root-Bernstein. Informing decision‐making with Indigenous and local knowledge and science explores the benefits and challenges of working with, and ensuring the fair implementation of, different knowledge systems. Within the collection, authors explore questions of why partnerships are needed, what difficulties can occur and how we measure the success of existing collaborations. The Editorial introduces the Special Feature and all articles are Open Access or free to read for a short time.

And so much more…

From a Perspective on why humanity should care about insect larvae to Research exploring landowners´ perceptions, motivations and needs for voluntary conservation in a cultural landscape and a Review & Synthesis looking at childhood nature connection and constructive hope, this issue is jam-packed with the latest open access science exploring the relationships between people and nature.

What’s on the cover?

Freshwater conservation translocations under a Kāi Tahu (tribe in Te Waipounamu / the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand) lens. In this illustration, produced by Kaaterina Kerekere, line art refers to whakapapa (genealogy) and the terminology of whakapapa, while kōwhaiwhai (patterns) symbolize the development, movement and pathways of mātauraka (Māori knowledge systems). The main design sits within a sphere, reflecting Te Pō , Te Ao Maā rama and Te Ao Hurihuri (three layers of the Māori world). In the layers of line work beneath the main illustration, the bold circles represent genetic markers, referring to Western knowledge and practice. These repetitive layered designs depict the weaving together of mātauraka and Western knowledge. Within the sphere are tuna (eel), kōwaro (Canterbury mudfish), kēkē wai (freshwater crayfish) and kākahi (freshwater mussel), representing Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater biodiversity. The colours make reference to relationships between light, land and water. Reproduced with permission.

The cover image is taken from the Perspective from Aisling Rayne and colleagues Centring Indigenous knowledge systems to re‐imagine conservation translocations.

You can read more about this research in the authors’ plain language summary Reimagining conservation translocations through Two-Eyed Seeing and in their fantastic infographic.

Other highlights

All articles published in People and Nature are Open Access and have a plain language summary written by the authors.

We encourage authors to provide translations of their abstract either in their native languages or languages relevant to the country in which the research was conducted in. This issue features abstracts in Maori, Portuguese (here and here) and Spanish (here and here) and a plain language summary in Spanish, Italian and Finnish.

If you think your research could feature in a future issue of People and Nature, get in touch or submit now!