1. Evidence-Based Forestry: Networks of Practice, Research and Information SLA-DERM Forestry Section, SLA Monday, June 13, 2011 Gillian Petrokofsky University of Oxford, Dept. Plant Sciences

2. The knowledge-use challenge SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

3. ? Towards evidence-based forestry Total body of research Research used Evidence Based Forestry Current ‘haphazard’ situation Total body of research Research used No clear methods for accessing, including or analysing research used by decision-makers The context for using science to inform decision-making 3SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

4. We talk about it We publish papers about it What is it? 4 SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

5. Just a trendy phrase? SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

6. Problem 1: huge growth in literature on the subject of relevance to forest carbon

7. Consider these statements Evidence is not only in peer-reviewed journals Science is not only in English-language publications the Web does not and never will hold all documents Not all information is free No one institution holds everything No one institution can access everything There are too many publications for an individual to assess SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 20117

8. Evidence exercise – role play Get into 6 groups. Read your story and come to a decision Present your decision briefly to the group Rules: – No time travel allowed – your characters are NOT you as you are now, with your current knowledge – Be realistic, be logical, be irrational – whatever! – Don’t react AT ALL to other presentations till the end, but listen carefully SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 20118

9. Contested science for policy Evidence base supporting position A Evidence base supporting position B SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011 “your teachers have tried to give you a good opportunity to learn and to offer you information which the evidence indicated to be accurate. Nevertheless, probably half of what you know is no longer true. This troubles me, but what troubles me more is that I don't know which half it is.” (Pickering, 1956) 9

10. Problem 2: how reliable and free- from-bias is the literature base? A hierarchy of evidence –

11. Systematic review and evaluation of evidence Active dissemination of results Explicit question Set by decision- makers Involving stakeholders Define what is to be examined and how Rigorous methodology Peer-reviewed process Transparent Repeatable To all stakeholders To decision-makers Appropriate formats for different end users Commitment to update An evidence-based framework 11SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

12. Collaborating to share resources and expertise An evidence-based process entails: An explicit question A systematic review and evaluation of the available evidence Active dissemination of results 12SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

13. Enter the Librarian Skilled in complex searching Skilled in manual searching Ingenious Inquisitive Persistent Your partner in crime

14. Collaborating to share resources and expertise question framing literature searching dissemination critical appraisal 14SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

15. Systematic review for REDD How do current methods compare in their ability to measure and assess terrestrial carbon stocks and changes in carbon stocks with accuracy, precision and repeatability? How accurate, precise and repeatable are: 1.methods used for the conversion of in situ measurements into carbon stock estimates at the site level? 2.methods for generating carbon stock estimates for larger geographical areas (landscape level) from site-level data? 3.direct remote sensing methodologies for estimating carbon stocks? This review is flawed but it is less flawed than any others we have found because we are trying to systematize a body of literature which has proven to be less than systematic!

16. Making sense of information overload 50,841 30,821 446 4,344 6,279 671 From subscription bibliographic databases After removing duplicates After title assessment After abstract Assessment From free databases and organization web sites After title assessment

17. Accessing & analysing the evidence base Stakeholder Participation in:  Systematic reviews  Defining research agenda Towards evidence-based forestry Total body of research Research used Evidence Based Forestry Current ‘haphazard’ situation Total body of research Research used Research systematically accessed analysed disseminated No clear methods for accessing, including or analysing research used by decision-makers Clear, repeatable methods for accessing and analysing research used by decision- makers The context for using science to inform decision-making 17SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011

19. Evidence-Based Forestry – it means something, we need it and we can do it SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 2011 “Old Research – the New Source of Evidence”

20. More information at: G. Petrokofsky, P. Holmgren, N.D. Brown, 2011. Reliable forest carbon monitoring – systematic reviews as a tool for validating the knowledge base. International Forestry Review 13 (1), 56-66 http://www.environmentalevidence.org/ SR77.html SLA 2011 Philadelphia 13 June, 201120

21. Discussion points: Building a forestry collaboration Who might collaborate? What resources do we need? How do we find them? Which subject areas would benefit most?