Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Nov;44 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):661-73.
doi: 10.1007/s13280-015-0705-1.

Digital technology and the conservation of nature

Koen Arts  1   2 , René van der Wal  3 , William M Adams  4
Affiliations

Digital technology and the conservation of nature

Koen Arts et al. Ambio. 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Digital technology is changing nature conservation in increasingly profound ways. We describe this impact and its significance through the concept of 'digital conservation', which we found to comprise five pivotal dimensions: data on nature, data on people, data integration and analysis, communication and experience, and participatory governance. Examining digital innovation in nature conservation and addressing how its development, implementation and diffusion may be steered, we warn against hypes, techno-fix thinking, good news narratives and unverified assumptions. We identify a need for rigorous evaluation, more comprehensive consideration of social exclusion, frameworks for regulation and increased multi-sector as well as multi-discipline awareness and cooperation. Along the way, digital technology may best be reconceptualised by conservationists from something that is either good or bad, to a dual-faced force in need of guidance.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Digital conservation; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Innovation; Nature conservation; The Information Age.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Five key dimensions of digital conservation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Adams WM. Against extinction: The story of conservation. London: Earthscan; 2004.
    1. Adams WM. Overview to four volumes: Conservation. In: Adams WM, editor. Volume 1: The idea of conservation. London: Earthscan; 2009. pp. xiv–xvii.
    1. Amanatidou E, Butter M, Carabias V, Könnölä T, Leis M, Saritas O, Schaper-Rinkel P, van Rij V. On concepts and methods in horizon scanning: Lessons from initiating policy dialogues on emerging issues. Science and Public Policy. 2012;39:208–221. doi: 10.1093/scipol/scs017. - DOI
    1. Arts, K., G. Webster, N. Sharma, Y. Melero, C. Mellish, X. Lambin, and R. van der Wal. 2013. Capturing mink and data: Interacting with a small and dispersed environmental initiative over the introduction of digital innovation. Framework for Responsible Research and Innovation in ICT. Accessed August 16, 2015, from http://responsible-innovation.org.uk/resource-detail/1059/.
    1. Arts, K., A. Ioris, C. Macleod, X. Han, S. Sripada, J. Braga, and R. van der Wal. 2015a. Supply of online environmental information to unknown demand: The importance of interpretation and liability related to a national network of river level data. Scottish Geographical Journal. doi:10.1080/14702541.2014.978809.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources