Description: This article discusses building a Chilean network for long-term socio-ecological research. Abstract: Since their formal inception in 1980, long-term ecological research (LTER) programs have served as a successful organizing framework to create research agendas and funding mechanisms that allow scientists to address meaningful ecological phenomena at the scales they occur. In its 30 years of existence, LTER has expanded its geographic range (currently the International LTER network has more than 40 country members with sites on every continent) and disciplinary foci (principally encompassing the natural and social sciences and leading some to call for a name change to long-term socio-ecological research efforts exist in both Chile and Argentina, and in 2008, the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity launched Chile's first concerted effort to link three existing sites (Fray Jorge Forest National Park -33° S, Senda Darwin Biological Station - 43° S, and Omora Ethnobotanical Park - 55° S). Here, the authors present a special feature of the Revista Chilena de Historia Natural, dedicated to LTSER, with the aim of 1) providing a synthesis of some of the most emblematic cases of long-term socio-ecological research in Chile; 2) demonstrating the value of these efforts for the integration of research, education and ...

Description: This article discusses science and policy. Abstract: Should ethical matters make use of political means to influence the direction of scientific research? To what extent the influence of political and economic competition in the trajectory of scientific research could -or should- be allowed? These questions guide the critical review of the relations between science and policy made by the authors. In order to carry out this task they offer an analysis of the historical antecedents of the policy of science and they also provide comparative data and ethical reflections on the policy of scientific budget. Finally, they explain the reaches of alternative models of science policies.

Description: This article discusses local versus global knowledge. A case study of socio-ecological research conducted in Puerto Williams, Chile reveals that persons belonging to different sociocultural groups in Cape Horn have a diversity of perspectives and relationships with nature. For example, a strong sense of home and belonging was expressed by the indigenous Yahgan community and by old residents, mostly descendents of early twentieth-century colonizers. However, people identified with resource use did not include positive answers for a sense of home. The concept of common land presented marked contrasts among respondents. Those identified with a cultivating type of relationship favored private property over public land. For respondents identified with an embedded type of relationship, freedom of movement was one of their most essential values. Some respondents identified with resource use and those identified with intellectual and aesthetic relationships with nature also valued common land. The approach used in this study transforms polarized and dichotomous notions into gradients of perspectives related to different degrees of local and global ecological and cultural environments. The resulting hybrid vision of perspectives on nature may be helpful in times of global change, where both local and global scales contribute to identify specific problematic asymmetries as well ...

Description: This article discusses field environmental philosophy and biocultural conservation at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park. Abstract: In order to effectively address the problems derived from global environmental change, environmental scientists, citizens and decision-makers now recognize the need to integrate more fully the human or social component into ecological research. The authors propose that to achieve this integration, Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) networks offer an ideal platform, because such sites enable research at ecological, cultural, and political local scales, and at the same time allow addressing these issues at a global scale. However, this socio-ecological work still requires better articulation of programs developed at multiple geographic, ecological and political scales. In addition, until now the social component considered in LTSER programs has focused on economic factors, omitting ethical dimensions. A central reason for this omission is the lack of methodologies to systematically integrate ethics into LTSER programs. As a contribution to resolve this limitation, here the authors develop a methodological approach that the authors call "field environmental philosophy." It integrates ecological research and environmental ethics into biocultural education and conservation through an interrelated four-step cycle: i) interdisciplinary ecological and philosophical research, ii) composition of metaphors, and communication through simple narratives, iii) design ...

Description: This article discusses the program of education and environmental ethics. The relationship between scientists and society theme of the Symposium of Mendoza, are addressed by the program of education and environmental ethics Omora Park on three interconnected levels: (1) level of ecological sciences, (2) level environmental ethics and (3) biocultural conservation level.