Many of Canada’s dams and other river barriers were constructed during the high-modernist period (mid-20th century) when controlling nature was a priority and symbol of progress. Today, these barriers are reaching the end of their functional lifespans, providing opportunities to rethink our relationships with obstructed river systems. When considering how best to modify existing dam […]
Public Policy & Decision-Making
Beyond Tokenistic Engagement: Reimagining Coastal Community Participation in Marine Spatial Planning
At a time of growing human demand for the use of marine space and its resources (Ehler, 2021; Koehler et al., 2017), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has been proposed as a novel process that could foster sustainable marine governance (Pyć, 2019). By 2023, around 126 countries had adopted MSP in some form (IOC-UNESCO, 2024), including […]
The Transparency and Trust Paradox: More Accessible Knowledge and Weaker Accountability
As scientific evidence has become increasingly more accessible and automated than ever previously, why is it harder to trust the authenticity of research work? Emerging tools in artificial intelligence (AI), open data portals, open science, and preprints have enabled faster, more efficient knowledge access and sharing. At the same time, these advances have created new […]
Building Capacity for Decision Making Where Information Matters
How can critically important issues be addressed if evidence to inform decisions fails to reach decision-makers in time or not at all? With overwhelming quantities of information today, coupled with the growing scourge of misinformation and questions about trust in evidence and its sources, many may easily understand that information pathways in decision processes are […]
Reflections from the One Ocean Science Congress, Nice, France, 3-6 June 2025
My first glimpse of the Mediterranean was caught from the tram window as I arrived in the Old Port of Nice. A graduate of Dalhousie University’s Master of Marine Management program, I was on my way to present my master’s research at the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC)—an event that felt dynamic and expansive like […]
Managing Coastal Development in Nova Scotia in the Absence of the Coastal Protection Act
Nova Scotia is defined by extensive, beautiful coastlines, where approximately 70% of the population lives within 20 kilometres of the shore (Government of Nova Scotia, n.d.a; NSECC, 2018). These coasts are vital to the province’s economy, providing essential ecosystem services, and contributing profoundly to the identity, pride, and way of life of Nova Scotians. […]
Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Self-Determination
Research and the collection of data relating to Indigenous peoples, lands, and resources have long served to uphold colonial relations. Much of the data collected about Indigenous peoples has been assembled by government entities without Indigenous input or participation, and as such does not reflect the diverse values, knowledge systems, or governance structures of Indigenous […]
Investigating a Proposed Marine Protected Area Along Nova Scotia’s Coast through a Co-Production Lens
In 2018, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) designated the Eastern Shore Islands of Nova Scotia as an Area of Interest (AOI) for Atlantic Canada’s largest coastal marine protected area (MPA) (Moreland et al., 2021). The Eastern Shore Islands (ESI) support vital ecosystems including eelgrass, kelp beds, and several at-risk species. While this […]
Advocacy and Political Action at the Information-Policy Interface
In a time when humanity faces existential threats from climate change and ecosystem collapse, the need for transformative change has never been more urgent. Now, more than ever, academics need to move beyond their traditional role as knowledge generators to become knowledge brokers and public activists to facilitate stronger evidence-informed decision making (Gardner et al., […]
Enabling the Uptake of Research in Decision Making
Effective policy and decision-making rely on the integration of scientific evidence into governance frameworks. In this post, we explore the role that research-based information can play in shaping environmental policy. Translating research into actionable knowledge for policymakers faces many challenges due to persistent knowledge-action gaps. Gaps occur when knowledge that is produced is difficult to […]