Biotechnology—by genomics, gene editing or synthetic biology—is increasingly considered for its potential to maintain the natural resource systems than society depends on. In forest systems, this includes genomics technologies to help tree species adapt to changing climatic regimes, and build resilience to pathogens. As with any intervention, the use of biotechnology implicates a core set of social questions: What is the goal? Who/what stands to benefit/lose? And what forms of knowledge and deliberation can help us know and make decisions given pervasive uncertainties and rapidly evolving technologies? In other words, questions of risk and governance.

Our work contributes to understanding how current proposals for biotechnology are connected to and driven by the interests of particular groups; the cognitive and values-based short-cuts that individuals (including experts) use to make sense of the risks associated with novel technologies; and the importance of innovative deliberative methodologies to accurately measure the diversity, malleability and complexity of societal views about new technologies.

These insights are essential for ensuring that assessments of the societal implications of new technologies are designed to accurately capture and reflect the nuances of human judgment and decision making, as well as the broader social context.

Photo: Jack Woods

Current projects:

CoAdapTree: Healthy Trees for Future Climates (2016-2021). Genome Canada and Genome BC. Co-Principal Investigator for the social science (GE3LS) inquiry (with Robert Kozak).

Key outputs:

Peterson St-Laurent, G., Kozak, R. and S. Hagerman. Cross-jurisdictional insights from forest practitioners on novel climate-adaptive options for Canada’s forests. Regional Environmental Change.

Peterson-St. Laurent, G., Hoberg, G. Sheppard, S. and S. Hagerman. 2020. Designing and evaluating analytic deliberative engagement processes for natural resource management. Elementa, Science of the Anthropocene. 8 (1), p. 8

Findlater, K.M., Peterson St-Laurent, G., Hagerman, S.M. and Kozak, R. 2020. Surprisingly malleable public preferences for climate adaptation in forests. Environmental Research Letters.

Mascarenhas, L., R.A. Kozak and S. Hagerman. Forests of the Future: Considering Stakeholder Views for Climate-Adaptive Reforestation. BC Forest Professional (January-February 2020): 20-21.

Peterson St-Laurent, G., Hagerman, S., K.M. Findlater and R. Kozak. 2019. Public trust and knowledge in the context of emerging climate-adaptive forest policies. Journal of Environmental Management. 242: 474-486.

Peterson-St. Laurent, G. Hagerman S. and R. Kozak. 2018. What risks matter? Public views about climate adaptive reforestation strategies. Climatic Change. 151: 573-587

Hagerman, S. and R. Pelai. 2018. Responding to climate change in forest management: Two decades of recommendations. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 16: 579-587.