This document summarizes research on developing sustainability indicators for upland estate management in Scotland. The researchers worked with estate professionals and other stakeholders to create a toolkit of sustainability indicators through an iterative process. The resulting toolkit includes categories such as long-term planning, economic resilience, biodiversity, quality of life, and external collaboration. The toolkit is intended to help estates assess their sustainability performance and adapt their management practices over time through a process of reflection and learning.

1. 1
Jayne Glass1, Alister Scott2 and Martin Price1
1 Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College UHI Millennium Institute
2 Birmingham City University
Global Change and the World’s Moutains Conference
Wednesday 29th September 2010
Knowledge systems and mountain sustainability concerns
Beyond the usual suspects?
The role of expert knowledge in sustainability
indicator development for Scotland’s upland estates

2. 2
Outline
• Research context
• Methodology
• A toolkit for sustainable
upland estate management
• Using the toolkit
• Reflections

3. 3
Research context I
Upland estate
management in Scotland
• Diverse models (Warren 2009)
• Uncertain futures(Reed et al. 2009)
• Uncertainty about
sustainability ‘on the ground’

4. 4
Research context II
Sustainable
upland
management
• Conflicts between sustainability
principles present a stumbling
block (Jordan 2008)
• ‘Learning from doing’ (Berkes 2009;
Ioris et al. 2008)
• Integrating approaches and
interests (Bonn et al. 2009)

5. 5
Research context III
Sustainability
indicators for
natural
resource
management
• ‘Top-down’ vs. ‘bottom-up’
approaches (Reed et al. 2006)
• Local experience and values of
relevant stakeholders (Holden 2008)
• ‘Governance thinking’ (Rist et al.2007)
• Wider range of actors (Holman 2009)

6. 6
Methodology I
Estate
management
professionals
Academics &
consultants
NGOs & other
interest groups
Government
agencies &
other bodies
Representative
bodies
Land Agents
LandownersLand managers
LINK
RICS
SRPBA
SAC
Relu programme
Consultants
International
Scottish
Government
DCS
Sustainable Development
Commission
CNPA
RSPB
NTS
JMT
Moorland Forum
Southern Uplands Partnership
PanelPanel

7. 7
Methodology II
Round One:
Establishing a context for
sustainability Compiling and feeding back
ideas
Redrafting and piloting the
toolkit
Developing second draft
Developing first draft
Round Two:
Discussing practical
management strategies
Round Four:
Reflecting on the second
draft
Round Three:
Reflecting on the first draft

8. 8

9. 9
Sustainability classes
Creativity
Innovation
Novel approaches
Leadership
Pre-empting change
Positive impacts
Sound science
A long-term view
Willing to collaborate
Adapting to change
Maintaining a status quo
A short-term view
Unwilling to collaborate
Not responding to change
Managing for personal
preference

10. 10
Outcomes and opportunities

11. 11
Adapting
management
Broadening
options
Ecosystem
thinking
Linking into
social fabric
Thinking
beyond the
estate
►Developing and
implementing long-
term management
plans for all aspects of
estate management
► Developing long-
term income streams
to cope with shocks
► Maintaining and
enhancing
environments for
priority habitats and
species
► Restoring key
habitats
► Playing a role in
delivering community
aspirations
► Involving
communities in estate
decision-making and
management
► Reducing carbon-
focussed impacts of
estate activities
► Supporting local
trades, suppliers and
markets
► Adapting
management on the
basis of sound
knowledge and
understanding
► Adding value to
estate products and
services
► Maximising the
carbon storage
potential of the estate
► Maintaining and
enhancing catchments
to good ecological
condition
► Conserving and
protecting landscapes
and upland cultural
heritage
► Facilitating
employment and
people development
opportunities
► Involvement in
planning and delivery
beyond the estate
scale
► Sharing knowledge
and learning from
others
Long-term
planning
Economic
resilience and
financial viability
A biodiverse
environment
Improved quality of
life and
representation
Environmentally and
socially responsible
business(es)
Risk management
Customer-led
approach
Well-maintained
and enhanced
ecosystem services
Improved
livelihood
opportunities
External
collaboration and
dialogue
Adapting
management
►Developing and
implementing long-
term management
plans for all aspects of
estate management
► Adapting
management on the
basis of sound
knowledge and
understanding
Long-term
planning
Risk
management
Proactive
Active
Under-
active
!

12. 12
Using the toolkit
• Management plans and other
documentation
• In-depth interview with estate
representative
• Triangulating data
• Feeding back

13. 13
Reflections
• Creating a deliberative space for
reflection and learning
• A qualitative tool that facilitates
monitoring and learning
•Building on sustainability
perceptions
• Active role of the researcher in
stimulating knowledge generation
for sustainability

14. 14
For more information about the research,
please contact: jayne.glass@perth.uhi.ac.uk
References
Berkes, F., 2009. Evolution of co-management: Role of knowledge generation, bridging
organizations and social learning. Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 1692-1702.
Holman, N., 2009. Incorporating local sustainability indicators into structures of local governance:
a review of the literature. Local Environment, 14 (4), 365-375.
Ioris, A.A.R., Hunter, C. and Walker, S., 2008. The development and application of water
management sustainability indicators in Brazil and Scotland. Journal of Environmental
Management, 88 (4), 1190-1201.
Jordan, A., 2008. The governance of sustainable development: taking stock and looking forwards.
Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 26, 17-33.
Reed, M.S. et al., 2006. An adaptive learning process for developing and applying sustainability
indicators with local communities. Ecological Economics, 59(4), 406-418.
Reed, M.S., et al., 2009. The future of the uplands. Land Use Policy, 26S, S204-S216.
Warren, C., 2009. Managing Scotland’s Environment. Second edition. Edinburgh University Press,
Edinburgh.
Thank you