The Paradox of Engagement: Land Stewardship and Invasive Weeds in Amenity Landscapes

In New South Wales, Australia, rural landscapes are undergoing profound change as a result of exurbanization. Newcomers-amenity migrants-are drawn to the scenic beaches, forests, and open landscape character of this part of Australia near Sydney and they join existing communities of long-term residents, notably ranchers involved in dairy, beef, and other types of primary agricultural production. The rural to exurban transition is stimulating both intended and unintended socio-ecological changes, especially the proliferation of invasive weeds, which are considered to be a top national priority as they threaten Australia\u27s agricultural economy. Drawing on interview and survey research from three case studies in New South Wales, locations where an influx of exurbanites has led to mixed landscapes of production and consumption, we explore landowners\u27 diverse environmental ideologies, the degree to which they collaborate with one another, and their specific land-use practices. Results show that an overwhelming majority of both exurbanites and ranchers express concerns about weeds, but there is a marked lack of coordinated engagement on invasive species between the two types of groups. This chapter is an example of social disengagement over land-use and land-cover change, rather than competition or cooperation, and contributes to a political ecological understanding of the co-construction of social relations and land management regimes

Community, Natural Resources, and Sustainability: Overview of an Interdisciplinary and International Literature

The Special Issue Community, Natural Resources, and Sustainability seeks to engage in an interdisciplinary and international dialogue on the interrelationships of society, natural resources, and sustainability at the community level. In addition to introducing the twelve research articles published in this collection, we provide an overview of the existing literature on community and natural resource management, mainly through a review of previous reviews and a bibliometric analysis. While this literature is dominated by studies on various aspects of community-based natural resource management, the present Special Issue showcases multiple thematic areas of research that collectively contribute to a more complete understanding of the community-resources-sustainability linkages. Our review also pinpoints important gaps in existing meta-analyses and bibliometric analyses. Promising directions for future research are highlighted

Unveiling Perspectives and Insights: A Survey of Environmental and Natural Resource Sociologists and Social Scientists

Existing literature on the intersection of environmental sociology (ES) and natural resource sociology (NRS) suggests that a better understanding of the diverse perceptions, experiences, and practices of individual researchers in these subfields are informative in understanding the trajectory of environmental and natural resource sociologies including where more convergence might occur. We present the descriptive results of an online survey of members of relevant domestic and international professional societies or networks to gauge scholars’ perspectives on these two subdisciplines of sociological studies of society–environment relationships. Our results show that while some distinctions persist in levels of analysis and geographic foci, several common assumptions, such as stark differences in theoretical and interdisciplinary orientations of the two subfields, are not as prevalent as widely assumed. We hope this effort to map out individual scholars’ perspectives on ES and NRS can stimulate further thoughts and interactions among colleagues of all persuasions.</p

The importance of marine leisure environments: investigating visitor and local resident perceptions and uses of marine environments on Coffs Coast, NSW Australia

The coastal region of northern New South Wales, Australia is experiencing dramatic population growth as well as being an important regional destination. The qualities of the natural landscape and marine environments have been a central feature in the region\u27s attraction and appeal. This study considered the importance of the region\u27s marine environments for leisure-related purposes. A total of 267 visitors and local residents of Coffs Coast were surveyed about their activities and the importance of the region\u27s marine environments to them. Both residents and visitors held high opinions of the quality of the region\u27s marine environments and its importance to their leisure. The analysis found Coffs Coast marine environments to be important for the regular leisure activities of those living in close proximity, as well as for visitors. The preferred marine leisure activities included beach walking, swimming, and surfing. Respondents described the marine landscape as distinctive in its accessibility and uncrowdedness. Findings indicate that marine resources are used regularly by residents and visitors who reported a strong desire for the naturalness and integrity of marine environments to be retained