Mechanisms for engaging social systems in freshwater science research

Transformative research in freshwater ecosystems requires successfully engaging an array of stakeholders. Local community members are experts of the social and ecological systems in which they are embedded and can improve scientific research in many ways. We outline several steps for researchers to engage local experts specifically by focusing on making their projects meaningful to participants. Based on the authors’ collective experiences of engaging communities in freshwater research, we offer 3 sets of practical strategies for facilitating public engagement in natural resources research. We outline 3 techniques for building mutuality with the local community and local experts, 2 strategies for building and maintaining relationships, and 5 key efforts that help research teams achieve reliable attendance at meetings. Involving locals is not merely a means for arranging access to valuable research sites or for gathering data. Local experts can inform scientific investigations of the ways local social and ecological systems interact, improve the communication of science, and enrich the experience of field research.