Aims and scope
Socio-Ecological Practice Research (SEPR) publishes scholarly articles on transdisciplinary socio-ecological practice research that strives to achieve the dual ambition of producing new knowledge and improving (instead of just informing) ecological practice. It cultivates and celebrates topnotch scholarship in the field of socio-ecological practice research across all four intertwined streams of scholarly inquiry—knowledge (co)production, transfer, implementation, and impact—with a specific focus on knowledge implementation and impact research (i.e., knowledge I&I research).
Socio-ecological practice research is practitioner-inspired, use-oriented, place-specific basic research for ecological practice (i.e., ecological planning, design, construction, restoration, and management; or any of their combinations). It is conducted by scholar-practitioners who are motivated, through a rigorous transdisciplinary process, to both help improve ecological practice and extend the frontiers of fundamental understanding. A socio-ecological practice research project is thus necessarily
- From practice—inspired by real-world practitioners who have specific knowledge needs to improve ecological practice in particular circumstances;
- For practice—motivated and often, but not necessarily, commissioned to meet practitioners’ specific knowledge needs under usefulness requirements. The outcomes are useful to practitioners, accepted and actually used in their practice;
- Beyond practice—committed to tracking knowledge implementation and impact in practice, and motivated to impart the acquired knowledge, experience, lessons, and discernment to the international communities of scholars and practitioners.
As such, SEPR articles speak to both academic and practitioner audiences from around the world. The scholarly theories, scientific methods, and techniques they elaborate are inspirational to scholars and scholar-practitioners; and the policy instruments, industrial standards, and professional guidelines they embrace are informative and useful to practitioners in their respective industries and professions.