Increasing partnerships between scientists and forest managers: Lessons from an ongoing interdisciplinary project in Quebec

Adaptive management presupposes stronger links between scientists and fores t managers in order to adapt research processes and findings to production activities. Partnerships between these two groups are starting to emerge in the forest sector in Quebec. However, local forest managers have not alway s had the occasion in the past to contribute to research processes. Moreove r, scientists have not always had the opportunity to harmonize all their re spective research projects at the local level. This research project was th us aimed at establishing a link between local forest managers and scientist s in order to direct research projects towards local needs and concerns. Th e purpose of establishing this contact between local forest managers and sc ientists was to create opportunities for inter-disciplinary research projec ts. This experiment demonstrated that the roles and attitudes of scientists and forest managers still need to evolve in order to increase the chances for successful partnerships between these two groups. On the one hand, fore st managers need to view research (1) as part of their daily activities and (2) as bringing benefit in the long-term. On the other hand scientists mus t (1) invest time in understanding what the forest managers are doing and ( 2) consider forest managers as equal partners with useful knowledge and ski lls in developing the research questions and protocols.