Diverse Values of Nature for More Sustainable Decisions

An expert in biology, ethnobotany, and ecology, who works at the intersection of biodiversity, human well-being, and the dynamics of social-ecological systems, and breaks the boundaries across these disciplines will be visiting The Cairns Institute in April.

Dr Patricia Balvanera will deliver a seminar, “Diverse Values of Nature for More Sustainable Decisions”, a thought-provoking seminar exploring the diverse ways we value nature and their profound impact on sustainability. Dr Balvanera will delve into how the current prioritisation of market-based values of commodities, and the intrinsic values of nature reserves, have moulded today’s environmental decisions—and how a better more sustainable future can be shaped by understanding and prioritising different values.

The way we value nature plays a central role in the ongoing biodiversity crisis, but it also offers a unique opportunity to reverse these trends. Dr. Balvanera will discuss how a broad typology of values can reveal the diverse perspectives influencing decision-making processes, and how power dynamics—both structural and discursive—can shape which values dominate in environmental discussions. She will introduce strategies for designing inclusive decision-making processes that embrace various valuation methods, such as nature-based, statement-based, behaviour-based, and integrated valuation. These approaches ensure that the values of those directly affected by decisions are properly considered, leading to more just and sustainable outcomes.

The seminar is co-hosted by The Cairns Institute, the Centre for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures (CIEHF), and the Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Hub (TIEH) at James Cook University together with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) Collaborative and Adaptive Governance Team; reflecting the cross-disciplinary reach of Dr Balvanera’s research.

With a career spanning local and global scales, Dr. Balvanera's research explores how biodiversity contributes to human well-being, focusing on the valuation of nature as a critical driver of ecosystem sustainability. Her work integrates large inter- and transdisciplinary teams, including co-developing more sustainable food systems with smallholder families and creatives in tropical regions. On a global scale, she contributes to conceptual frameworks and assessments at the sciencepolicy interface, co-leading initiatives such as the Scientific Committee of the Program for Ecosystem Change and Society and the Global Earth Observation – Biodiversity Observation Network.

As editor-in-chief of Ecology and Society and associate editor of several prestigious journals, Dr. Balvanera brings extensive expertise to the seminar, which promises to offer valuable insights into the role of nature in shaping human and ecological futures. Dr Ro Hill from The Cairns Institute, who will introduce Dr Balvanera at the seminar, will highlight the broad influence of her thinking, and explain linkages to her recent co-authored publication Indigenous futures thinking: 4 approaches to imagining a better world.

The seminar will be held at the lecture theatre in The Cairns Institute Room D3.054 at 12.00pm on Thursday 24th April 2025. Click here for the zoom link For further information, please email cairnsinstitute@jcu.edu.au