Browsing by Author "Kavonic, Jessica"

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    Application of Systems-Approach in Modelling Complex City-Scale Transdisciplinary Knowledge Co-Production Process and Learning Patterns for Climate Resilience
    (2021-01-22) Mkandawire, Burnet; Thole, Bernard; Mamiwa, Dereck; Mlowa, Tawina; McClure, Alice; Kavonic, Jessica; Jack, Christopher
    Literature shows that much research has been conducted on the co-production of climate knowledge, but it has neither established a standardized and replicable model for the co-production process nor the emergent learning patterns as collaborators transition from the disciplinary comfort-zone (disciplinary and practice biases) to the transdisciplinary third-space. This study combines algorithmic simulation modelling and case study lessons from Learning Labs under a 4-year (2016–2019) climate change management project called Future Resilience of African CiTies and Lands in the City of Blantyre in Malawi. The study fills the research gap outlined above by applying a systems-approach to replicate the research process, and a Markov process to simulate the learning patterns. Results of the study make a number of contributions to knowledge. First, there are four distinct evolutionally stages when transitioning from the disciplinary comfort-zone to the transdisciplinary third-space, namely: Shock and resistance to change; experimenting and exploring; acceptance; and integration into the third-space. These stages are marked by state probabilities of the subsequent stages relative to the initial (disciplinary comfort-zone) state. A complete transition to the third-space is marked by probabilities greater than one, which is a system amplification, and it signifies that there has been a significant increase in learning among collaborating partners during the learning process. Second, a four-step decision support tool has been developed to rank the plausibility of decisions, which is very hard to achieve in practice. The tool characterizes decision determinants (policy actors, evidence and knowledge, and context), expands the determinants, checks what supports the decision, and then rates decisions on an ordinal scale of ten in terms of how knowledge producers and users support them. Third, for a successful transdisciplinary knowledge co-production, researchers should elucidate three system-archetypes (leverage points), namely: Salient features for successful co-production, determinant of support from collaborators, and knowledge co-production challenges. It is envisioned that academics, researchers, and policy makers will find the results useful in modelling and replicating the co-production process in a methodical and systemic way while solving complex climate resilience development problems in dynamic, socio-technical systems, as well as in sustainably mainstreaming the knowledge co-produced in policies and plans.
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    Cultural ecosystem services of the Diep River corridor: community perceptions
    (2018) Kgantsi, Boitshekwane; Anderson, Pippin; Avlonitis, Georgina; Kavonic, Jessica
    The purpose of the study was to examine the cultural ecosystem service and the community perceptions of the Diep River Corridor that connects the Table Mountain National Park, Little Princess Vlei, Zandvlei Estuary, and finally feeds to the sea of the Atlantic Ocean. Constructed interview questions were used to assess the cultural ecosystem activities occurring along the Diep River corridor. The intention of assessing the cultural ecosystem services was to examine the importance of the corridor for the local communities. The corridor was historically important for various activities such as water for human and livestock drinking purposes, agricultural activities, and irrigation of gardens and to a power water mill. The increased number of people relocating and using the Diep River corridor resulted in degradation and transformation of the river. The study thereof acknowledges people as the major cause of transformation of the Diep River corridor. Literature revealed a lot of studies that have been about water quality, vegetation cover and positions people as the cause of environmental crisis such as pollution. This study thereof saw the need to assess the perceptions of people towards their natural environment and see if this could be used to argue for the importance of this green amenity. Overall, the assessment of community members' perceptions regarding the importance of the river corridor as an available green space was a challenge as individuals had a number of different views. Cultural ecosystem services associated with the Diep River corridor are numerous and variably experienced and enjoyed by the different communities along the river corridor. The outcome of the study revealed different levels of importance and various uses of the corridor by individual and group participants. Important community activities included walking, relaxing, enjoying the peaceful environment, experiencing the beauty of nature, spending time alone or with loved ones, having picnics, sports and kayaking/ boating. The study recognizes that improved management of Diep River corridor for these recreational activities is important and efforts must be made to meet the diverse interest of local community members and residents. The findings will hopefully result in community needs being taken into increased consideration for future recreational management around the Diep River corridor.