Social Influences

This project examines the social, economic, and governance influences that shape how ecosystems are managed, and how people respond to biosecurity challenges. It focuses on the human dimension of ecosystem health and resilience — including perceptions of risk, models of wellbeing, and the governance tools that can enable pro-environmental change.

Through transdisciplinary research across landscapes and Pou, the project investigates how institutions, policies, and collective actions contribute to resilience. Early case studies include Farm Environment Plans as a mechanism for behaviour change, and a co-governance initiative to address Myrtle Rust in the East Coast. The findings aim to support more adaptive, inclusive governance approaches in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This research explored how governance influences bioprotection and environmental systems, contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s environmental resilience and kaitiakitanga. It empowered Indigenous communities in biosecurity, supported biodiversity on farms, enabled systemic responses to climate change, and informed policy changes to remove barriers to climate adaptation.