Masters Dissertation Example

6.7 Conclusions and recommendations 
There are many circumstances in which conservation actions must necessarily be conducted 
with a certain level of uncertainty, and based on practical and intuitive action. There is also 
little empirical evidence that scientific evidence improves the quality of conservation action 
(Lach et al, 2003). However, where possible, implementation of conservation measures should 
be based on high quality scientific evidence, of which the scientific literature is the main 
source. 

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The levels of implementation reported in this study, and the views of practitioners, suggest 
that there is evidence for the use of science in conservation action, and that the research 
published in the scientific literature does have a certain degree of conservation impact. 
However, considering the need for research to inform conservation action, it is clear that this 
science is not having as much of an impact as it should or indeed could. This is particularly 
true in the context of the limitations discussed above, and with consideration of the fact that 
the conservation actions implemented according to author perceptions cannot be directly 
attributed to their research findings. It should also be noted that the levels of implementation 
reported here are for species-based research only, and much of the literature is devoted to 
wider scale biodiversity issues which would be expected to be more difficult to translate into 
practical action. 
It is apparent from both the author survey and practitioner interviews that, although 
publication of research has a role to play in conservation, its limitations should be accepted. 
The role of the publication appears to be very much in terms of disseminating results to a 
wider audience and providing credibility, rather than forming the basis for implementation of 
actions on the ground. Although this is important in its own right for improving and refining 
research techniques, increasing knowledge, and incorporation into action plans and policy, the 
extent to which this is then transferred through to solid action is debatable, especially as 
Impact Factor does not seem to be an indicator of practical utility. Publication also has a role 
in attracting funding, which cannot be underestimated. However, it does not seem that 
practitioners have the appropriate access to the scientific literature, and they should not be the 
target audience of publication. Indeed, it would seem that given time-scale issues involved, the 
findings should be applied pre-publication, especially as practitioners place little emphasis on 
peer-review as a form of credibility. 
In terms of factors facilitating the implementation of research; collaborations with government 
bodies and in particular NGOs, targeted and ongoing research, contextualisation of findings in 
recommendations for their use, and local dissemination of findings in a summary format or 
through personal communication have been identified to be of paramount importance and, 
aside from long term research, are all factors that can be incorporated into general practice