María D López‐Rodríguez
Biographic Data
| ID | 6568016 |
|---|---|
| NAME | María D López‐Rodríguez |
| GIVEN NAMES | María D |
| FAMILY NAME | López‐Rodríguez |
| SIGNATURE | RODRÍGUEZ M D L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Universitat Oberta de Catalunya |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2401-8929 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 27 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 22 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
A Methodological Pathway for Supporting the Transition From Theory to Practice in Action‐Oriented Research for Transformative Change
Over recent decades, action‐oriented research has gained prominence in co‐producing actionable knowledge to drive transformative change toward sustainability. However, further methodological developments are needed to support the transition to the application phase of such knowledge. This study presents a novel methodological pathway applied through two identical workshops in two case studies within the Spanish drylands. Grounded in previously co…
Networks of influence: Linking capitals and agency to understand actors’ roles in sustainability interventions
In the face of multiple social-ecological crises, the need for sustainability transformations has been widely acknowledged. Understanding how diverse actors influence processes and outcomes—and thus their agency—has been identified as an important lever for sustainability transformations. However, capturing the various dimensions of agency remains challenging. Despite several existing conceptual framings, a clear approach to fully understanding a…
Generational Climate Engagement in Liquid Modernity: Eco-Anxiety, Environmental Activism and Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Older Adults in Spain
Generational approaches to climate engagement among older adults remain limited. This study examines the evolution of eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior from a life course perspective, focusing on older adults in Spain. A nationwide CATI survey of 3000 residents aged 18 and older was conducted, employing validated multidimensional scales for eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior, each…
Contributions of Net-Map to sustainability action research
Net-Map, an interview-based network mapping tool, has been applied across various scientific fields and purposes since its inception to study networks of influence. In this article, we first review the general uses and limitations of Net-Map and then share experiential knowledge gained from using Net-Map to develop an action-oriented research process focused on envisioning pathways to sustainable futures in Spanish drylands. Drawing from the lite…
Unstable bridges—exploring the possibilities for “in between” spaces amidst divergent narratives in environmental governance
Social-ecological systems increasingly face polarization dynamics that challenge environmental governance. Such polarization implies the development of opposing narratives with limited interaction, each framing environmental problems and solutions in distinct ways. In this study, we analyze a case of narrative polarization around the eutrophication crises of the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain, focusing on how proposed solutions are narrated to address…
Gender Justice, Testimonies, and Feminist Consciousness: A Comparative Study from Second-Wave Consciousness-Raising Groups to Fourth-Wave Digital Platforms
This article analyzes the continuities, transformations, and challenges surrounding feminist practices of consciousness-raising (CR), from the second-wave self-awareness groups to the digital testimonies of the fourth wave. Using the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) method, the study identifies similarities and differences between these forms of testimony-based politicization, assessing their impact on building a collective feminist conscio…
The multifaceted spectra of power − A participatory network analysis on power structures in diverse dryland regions
Bringing three empirical cases to the study of conflict and collaboration. • Contributing to the theoretical literature on sources of power by pushing the state of the art on environmental change politics. • Filling research gap by focusing on traditionally neglected actors levels of power in formal and informal network settings. • Innovative methodological approach through emphasizing qualitative social network analysis whilst emphasizing co-pro…
A methodological approach for integrating human emotions in protected areas management: Insights from SE Spain
We found a research gap on the role of emotions in the management of protected areas. • We proposed a spatial methodological approach to integrate human emotions in protected areas. • Emotional relationships between people and protected areas are analysed using an Emotional Nonparametric Relation Index (ENRI) • We found a strong correlation between the emotional pattern, the level of protection, and the aridity gradient of protected areas. • Inte…
Emotional attachment and philosophical worldviews explain human connectedness to nature in abandoned rural Spain
Land abandonment and rural depopulation are escalating worldwide, presenting sustainability dilemmas for both rural and urban regions. However, there remains a dearth of research on the sociocultural dimensions of abandonment from a local standpoint. This investigation focuses on a case study conducted in southeastern Spain, wherein a social survey was used to evaluate the perspectives of local communities concerning human–nature interconnectedne…
Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain
Policy coherence across governance scales is needed for SDG implementation. • An adaptation version of Three Horizons identifies and compares local/regional themes. • Similar/dissimilar themes across scales can assist in harmonizing policy priorities. • Associations between strategies’ themes can help coordinate action across scales. • The approach can support policy coherence for advancing SDG implementation. The Three Horizons for the Sustainab…
‘Bonkers but good!’ – Using illustration-based interview methods to understand land management and conservation visions
Visions help to understand common ground and tensions among citizens and stakeholders, supporting inclusive land management and conservation solutions to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. With careful design and sufficient resource, it is possible to bring together communities and other stakeholders to share perspectives and deliberate desired futures, identifying more acceptable alternatives and avoiding costly delays. We evaluated …
Visualizing stakeholders' willingness for collective action in participatory scenario planning
Participatory scenario planning is a powerful approach to guide diverse stakeholders in creating and reflecting on visions of plausible and desired futures. However, this process requires tools to guide collective action to implement such visions within management agendas. This study develops, applies, and analyzes a novel visual tool within a virtual participatory scenario planning process about the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Madrid, Sp…
Leverage points and levers of inclusive conservation in protected areas
Inclusive conservation approaches that effectively conserve biodiversity while improving human well-being are gaining traction in the face of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity. Despite much theorization on the governance of inclusive conservation, empirical research on its practical implementation is urgently needed. Here, using a correlation network analysis and drawing on empirical results from 263 sites described on the web platform of…
The relationship between values and knowledge in visioning for landscape management: Relevance for a collaborative approach
Respecting connections between the diversity of values and forms of knowledge is essential to support a decision-making that fosters relationships between ecosystems and people. However, little theory has been developed for clarifying interactions between values and knowledge, and their relevance for environmental policy. We surfaced the overlooked relationship between values and knowledge by studying individual cognitive and emotional processes …
How stable are visions for protected area management? Stakeholder perspectives before and during a pandemic
Envisioning processes enable protected area managers to chart a course for future management to reach desired goals, but unexpected changes that could affect future visions are not usually considered. The global COVID‐19 pandemic provided an opportunity to explore changes in stakeholder visions, the values that underpin the visions, and their perceptions of landscape changes and the underlying drivers (e.g. climate change, mass tourism and demogr…
Inclusive conservation and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Tensions and prospects
The draft Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework commits to achievement of equity and justice outcomes and represents a ‘‘relational turn’’ in how we understand inclusive conservation. Although ‘‘inclusivity’’ is drawn on as a means to engage diverse stakeholders, widening the framing of inclusivity can create new tensions with regard to how to manage protected areas. We first offer a set of tensions that emerge in the light of the relational tu…
Values shift in response to social learning through deliberation about protected areas
An interdisciplinary assessment of private conservation areas in the Western United States
Conservation easements are the fastest growing private conservation strategy in the United States. However, mechanisms to assess private land conservation as well as their support by the general public are not well understood. This study uses the ecosystem services framework for assessing existing private lands in Idaho and identifies areas for future conservation easements. Using conservation targets of the land trust as a guide for selecting ec…
Delineating participation in conservation governance: Insights from the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain)
The active participation of local stakeholders in governing protected areas is increasingly recognized in biodiversity conservation. While progress has been made in countries to facilitate inclusivity in conservation decision-making, there is limited practical guidance of participatory mechanisms enabling stakeholder engagement. Disentangling formal and informal governance arrangements within protected areas illuminates how stakeholder participat…
Disentangling ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘nature’s contributions to people’
People depend on functioning ecosystems, which provide benefits that support human existence and wellbeing. The relationship between people and nature has been experienced and conceptualized in multiple ways. Recently, ecosystem services (ES) concepts have permeated science, government policies, multi-national environmental agreements, and science–policy interfaces. In 2017, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosys…
Six Collective Challenges for Sustainability of Almería Greenhouse Horticulture
Globally, current food consumption and trade are placing unprecedented demand on agricultural systems and increasing pressure on natural resources, requiring tradeoffs between food security and environmental impacts especially given the tension between market-driven agriculture and agro-ecological goals. In order to illustrate the wicked social, economic and environmental challenges and processes to find transformative solutions, we focus on the …
Science–policy interface for addressing environmental problems in arid Spain
Science–policy interface for addressing environmental problems in arid Spain
Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain
Policy coherence across governance scales is needed for SDG implementation. • An adaptation version of Three Horizons identifies and compares local/regional themes. • Similar/dissimilar themes across scales can assist in harmonizing policy priorities. • Associations between strategies’ themes can help coordinate action across scales. • The approach can support policy coherence for advancing SDG implementation. The Three Horizons for the Sustainab…
Emotional attachment and philosophical worldviews explain human connectedness to nature in abandoned rural Spain
Land abandonment and rural depopulation are escalating worldwide, presenting sustainability dilemmas for both rural and urban regions. However, there remains a dearth of research on the sociocultural dimensions of abandonment from a local standpoint. This investigation focuses on a case study conducted in southeastern Spain, wherein a social survey was used to evaluate the perspectives of local communities concerning human–nature interconnectedne…
Values shift in response to social learning through deliberation about protected areas
Leverage points and levers of inclusive conservation in protected areas
Inclusive conservation approaches that effectively conserve biodiversity while improving human well-being are gaining traction in the face of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity. Despite much theorization on the governance of inclusive conservation, empirical research on its practical implementation is urgently needed. Here, using a correlation network analysis and drawing on empirical results from 263 sites described on the web platform of…
Delineating participation in conservation governance: Insights from the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain)
The active participation of local stakeholders in governing protected areas is increasingly recognized in biodiversity conservation. While progress has been made in countries to facilitate inclusivity in conservation decision-making, there is limited practical guidance of participatory mechanisms enabling stakeholder engagement. Disentangling formal and informal governance arrangements within protected areas illuminates how stakeholder participat…
The multifaceted spectra of power − A participatory network analysis on power structures in diverse dryland regions
Bringing three empirical cases to the study of conflict and collaboration. • Contributing to the theoretical literature on sources of power by pushing the state of the art on environmental change politics. • Filling research gap by focusing on traditionally neglected actors levels of power in formal and informal network settings. • Innovative methodological approach through emphasizing qualitative social network analysis whilst emphasizing co-pro…
An interdisciplinary assessment of private conservation areas in the Western United States
Conservation easements are the fastest growing private conservation strategy in the United States. However, mechanisms to assess private land conservation as well as their support by the general public are not well understood. This study uses the ecosystem services framework for assessing existing private lands in Idaho and identifies areas for future conservation easements. Using conservation targets of the land trust as a guide for selecting ec…
Science–policy interface for addressing environmental problems in arid Spain
Disentangling ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘nature’s contributions to people’
People depend on functioning ecosystems, which provide benefits that support human existence and wellbeing. The relationship between people and nature has been experienced and conceptualized in multiple ways. Recently, ecosystem services (ES) concepts have permeated science, government policies, multi-national environmental agreements, and science–policy interfaces. In 2017, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosys…
Six Collective Challenges for Sustainability of Almería Greenhouse Horticulture
Globally, current food consumption and trade are placing unprecedented demand on agricultural systems and increasing pressure on natural resources, requiring tradeoffs between food security and environmental impacts especially given the tension between market-driven agriculture and agro-ecological goals. In order to illustrate the wicked social, economic and environmental challenges and processes to find transformative solutions, we focus on the …
Delineating participation in conservation governance: Insights from the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain)
The active participation of local stakeholders in governing protected areas is increasingly recognized in biodiversity conservation. While progress has been made in countries to facilitate inclusivity in conservation decision-making, there is limited practical guidance of participatory mechanisms enabling stakeholder engagement. Disentangling formal and informal governance arrangements within protected areas illuminates how stakeholder participat…
An interdisciplinary assessment of private conservation areas in the Western United States
Conservation easements are the fastest growing private conservation strategy in the United States. However, mechanisms to assess private land conservation as well as their support by the general public are not well understood. This study uses the ecosystem services framework for assessing existing private lands in Idaho and identifies areas for future conservation easements. Using conservation targets of the land trust as a guide for selecting ec…
The relationship between values and knowledge in visioning for landscape management: Relevance for a collaborative approach
Respecting connections between the diversity of values and forms of knowledge is essential to support a decision-making that fosters relationships between ecosystems and people. However, little theory has been developed for clarifying interactions between values and knowledge, and their relevance for environmental policy. We surfaced the overlooked relationship between values and knowledge by studying individual cognitive and emotional processes …
How stable are visions for protected area management? Stakeholder perspectives before and during a pandemic
Envisioning processes enable protected area managers to chart a course for future management to reach desired goals, but unexpected changes that could affect future visions are not usually considered. The global COVID‐19 pandemic provided an opportunity to explore changes in stakeholder visions, the values that underpin the visions, and their perceptions of landscape changes and the underlying drivers (e.g. climate change, mass tourism and demogr…
Inclusive conservation and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Tensions and prospects
The draft Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework commits to achievement of equity and justice outcomes and represents a ‘‘relational turn’’ in how we understand inclusive conservation. Although ‘‘inclusivity’’ is drawn on as a means to engage diverse stakeholders, widening the framing of inclusivity can create new tensions with regard to how to manage protected areas. We first offer a set of tensions that emerge in the light of the relational tu…
Values shift in response to social learning through deliberation about protected areas
‘Bonkers but good!’ – Using illustration-based interview methods to understand land management and conservation visions
Visions help to understand common ground and tensions among citizens and stakeholders, supporting inclusive land management and conservation solutions to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. With careful design and sufficient resource, it is possible to bring together communities and other stakeholders to share perspectives and deliberate desired futures, identifying more acceptable alternatives and avoiding costly delays. We evaluated …
Visualizing stakeholders' willingness for collective action in participatory scenario planning
Participatory scenario planning is a powerful approach to guide diverse stakeholders in creating and reflecting on visions of plausible and desired futures. However, this process requires tools to guide collective action to implement such visions within management agendas. This study develops, applies, and analyzes a novel visual tool within a virtual participatory scenario planning process about the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Madrid, Sp…
Leverage points and levers of inclusive conservation in protected areas
Inclusive conservation approaches that effectively conserve biodiversity while improving human well-being are gaining traction in the face of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity. Despite much theorization on the governance of inclusive conservation, empirical research on its practical implementation is urgently needed. Here, using a correlation network analysis and drawing on empirical results from 263 sites described on the web platform of…
A methodological approach for integrating human emotions in protected areas management: Insights from SE Spain
We found a research gap on the role of emotions in the management of protected areas. • We proposed a spatial methodological approach to integrate human emotions in protected areas. • Emotional relationships between people and protected areas are analysed using an Emotional Nonparametric Relation Index (ENRI) • We found a strong correlation between the emotional pattern, the level of protection, and the aridity gradient of protected areas. • Inte…
Emotional attachment and philosophical worldviews explain human connectedness to nature in abandoned rural Spain
Land abandonment and rural depopulation are escalating worldwide, presenting sustainability dilemmas for both rural and urban regions. However, there remains a dearth of research on the sociocultural dimensions of abandonment from a local standpoint. This investigation focuses on a case study conducted in southeastern Spain, wherein a social survey was used to evaluate the perspectives of local communities concerning human–nature interconnectedne…
Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain
Policy coherence across governance scales is needed for SDG implementation. • An adaptation version of Three Horizons identifies and compares local/regional themes. • Similar/dissimilar themes across scales can assist in harmonizing policy priorities. • Associations between strategies’ themes can help coordinate action across scales. • The approach can support policy coherence for advancing SDG implementation. The Three Horizons for the Sustainab…
Networks of influence: Linking capitals and agency to understand actors’ roles in sustainability interventions
In the face of multiple social-ecological crises, the need for sustainability transformations has been widely acknowledged. Understanding how diverse actors influence processes and outcomes—and thus their agency—has been identified as an important lever for sustainability transformations. However, capturing the various dimensions of agency remains challenging. Despite several existing conceptual framings, a clear approach to fully understanding a…
Generational Climate Engagement in Liquid Modernity: Eco-Anxiety, Environmental Activism and Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Older Adults in Spain
Generational approaches to climate engagement among older adults remain limited. This study examines the evolution of eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior from a life course perspective, focusing on older adults in Spain. A nationwide CATI survey of 3000 residents aged 18 and older was conducted, employing validated multidimensional scales for eco-anxiety, environmental activism, and pro-environmental behavior, each…
Contributions of Net-Map to sustainability action research
Net-Map, an interview-based network mapping tool, has been applied across various scientific fields and purposes since its inception to study networks of influence. In this article, we first review the general uses and limitations of Net-Map and then share experiential knowledge gained from using Net-Map to develop an action-oriented research process focused on envisioning pathways to sustainable futures in Spanish drylands. Drawing from the lite…
Unstable bridges—exploring the possibilities for “in between” spaces amidst divergent narratives in environmental governance
Social-ecological systems increasingly face polarization dynamics that challenge environmental governance. Such polarization implies the development of opposing narratives with limited interaction, each framing environmental problems and solutions in distinct ways. In this study, we analyze a case of narrative polarization around the eutrophication crises of the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain, focusing on how proposed solutions are narrated to address…
Gender Justice, Testimonies, and Feminist Consciousness: A Comparative Study from Second-Wave Consciousness-Raising Groups to Fourth-Wave Digital Platforms
This article analyzes the continuities, transformations, and challenges surrounding feminist practices of consciousness-raising (CR), from the second-wave self-awareness groups to the digital testimonies of the fourth wave. Using the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) method, the study identifies similarities and differences between these forms of testimony-based politicization, assessing their impact on building a collective feminist conscio…
The multifaceted spectra of power − A participatory network analysis on power structures in diverse dryland regions
Bringing three empirical cases to the study of conflict and collaboration. • Contributing to the theoretical literature on sources of power by pushing the state of the art on environmental change politics. • Filling research gap by focusing on traditionally neglected actors levels of power in formal and informal network settings. • Innovative methodological approach through emphasizing qualitative social network analysis whilst emphasizing co-pro…
A Methodological Pathway for Supporting the Transition From Theory to Practice in Action‐Oriented Research for Transformative Change
Over recent decades, action‐oriented research has gained prominence in co‐producing actionable knowledge to drive transformative change toward sustainability. However, further methodological developments are needed to support the transition to the application phase of such knowledge. This study presents a novel methodological pathway applied through two identical workshops in two case studies within the Spanish drylands. Grounded in previously co…
Political science (13 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Geography (12 works) · Environmental resource management (11 works) · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management (9 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Business (8 works) · Ecology (8 works) · Environmental planning (8 works) · Land Use and Ecosystem Services (8 works)