Co‐production in action: Navigating the research‐to‐implementation space in wildlife conservation through a Community of Practice

• Published in: Conservation science and practice Vol. 6; no. 11
• Main Authors: Livingston, Sami, Dayer, Ashley A., Zebrowski, Allyssa, Sterling, Abby, Schillerstrom, Nolan, Archibald, Thomas, Chaves, Willandia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-11-2024; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Aquatic birds; Best practice; Case studies; Collaboration; Communication; Communities of practice; Community of Practice; Conservation; Conservation practices; co‐production; Knowledge; Knowledge management; research‐implementation; Science; Social sciences; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 2578-4854; 2578-4854
• DOI: 10.1111/csp2.13251

Effective conservation practices require addressing the divide between research and implementation. Co‐production, which emphasizes collaboration and diverse knowledge exchange, is increasingly recognized as valuable in conservation to address this challenge, yet empirical insights remain limited. This case study explores using a Community of Practice (CoP) as an avenue for facilitating co‐production in shorebird conservation. Centering researchers and practitioners within implementation initiatives, we evaluate factors enabling a successful CoP and barriers hindering members' experiences. Capacity emerged as the predominant barrier, while the leading factors contributing to CoP success were having a dedicated space to support labor division, relationship building, and informal learning among CoP members. Leveraging our evaluation insights, we offer practical recommendations for structuring a CoP to optimize these benefits and advance the integration of CoPs and co‐production principles in conservation practice.
This paper presents a case study employing a Community of Practice to facilitate intentional collaborations among shorebird conservation professionals, emphasizing co‐production to mitigate barriers associated with research application. It highlights the advantages of such collaborations, including resource sharing, relationship building, and knowledge exchange. Leveraging evaluation insights, this paper offers practical guidance on structuring a Community of Practice to enhance co‐production and science implementation in conservation contexts.