TY - JOUR

T1 - The forest beyond the trees: A network perspective on governing co-production of nature’s contributions to people

AU - Isaac, Roman

AU - Cumming, Graeme S.

AU - Felipe-Lucia, María R.

AU - Martín-López, Berta

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/4/26

Y1 - 2025/4/26

N2 - Nature’s contributions to people (NCP) provided by forests are co-produced by an interplay of natural and anthropogenic capitals, including human, social, physical, and financial capital, which are influenced by various actors across multiple levels. Here, we assessed the co-production of four forest NCP (timber, habitat creation and maintenance, climate regulation, non-material NCP). We conducted social network analyses based on interviews with local forest actors to (i) understand which actors are most relevant for managing different anthropogenic capitals in NCP co-production and (ii) identify patterns of governing co-produced forest NCP via actor relationships. Our findings revealed three patterns: (1) governance of timber production via financial flows; (2) governance of knowledge and labour for climate regulation; and (3) governance for habitat management. Making actor–capital relationships tangible provides evidence to inform decision-making by tracing how specific actors favour certain capitals potentially influencing the sustainability of NCP co-production.

AB - Nature’s contributions to people (NCP) provided by forests are co-produced by an interplay of natural and anthropogenic capitals, including human, social, physical, and financial capital, which are influenced by various actors across multiple levels. Here, we assessed the co-production of four forest NCP (timber, habitat creation and maintenance, climate regulation, non-material NCP). We conducted social network analyses based on interviews with local forest actors to (i) understand which actors are most relevant for managing different anthropogenic capitals in NCP co-production and (ii) identify patterns of governing co-produced forest NCP via actor relationships. Our findings revealed three patterns: (1) governance of timber production via financial flows; (2) governance of knowledge and labour for climate regulation; and (3) governance for habitat management. Making actor–capital relationships tangible provides evidence to inform decision-making by tracing how specific actors favour certain capitals potentially influencing the sustainability of NCP co-production.

KW - Sustainability Governance

KW - Sustainable management

KW - Environmental planning

KW - Forest management

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - Anthropogenic assets

KW - Ecosystem services co-production

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105003684158&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s13280-025-02187-9

DO - 10.1007/s13280-025-02187-9

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 40285978

JO - Ambio

JF - Ambio

SN - 1654-7209

ER -