247 Chapter 30 Engaging the Public in Novel Ecosystems Laurie Yung 1 , Steve Schwarze 2 , Wylie Carr 3 , F. Stuart Chapin III 4 and Emma Marris 5 1 Resource Conservation Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, USA 2 Communication Studies, University of Montana, USA 3 Society and Conservation, University of Montana, USA 4 Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA 5 Columbia, Missouri, USA Novel Ecosystems: Intervening in the New Ecological World Order, First Edition. Edited by Richard J. Hobbs, Eric S. Higgs, and Carol M. Hall. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 30.1 INTRODUCTION Novel ecosystems are such a departure from familiar ecosystem categories that they are simultaneously a dificult conceptual shift and a potentially transforma- tive opportunity. The concept of novel ecosystems could reshape the way we think about conservation, our interactions with nature and the public dialogue about ecosystem management. Novel ecosystems are fundamentally social and ecological. They emerge from the intersection of self-willed nature and human inter- vention and impact. In addition to being, in part, social creations, novel ecosystems provide many important goods and services including places to connect with nature, sources of clean drinking water, resources for local livelihoods and refuges for diverse species. Thus far, the concept of novel ecosystems has been restricted to scientiic circles, and the idea of novelty and the potential of such places has not yet become part of a broader public dialogue. In this chapter, we advocate for public engagement in novel ecosystems and suggest strategies for facilitating this broader dialogue. As Dietz and Stern (2008: vii) point out, “the environmental problems of the 21st century can be effectively addressed only by processes that link sound scientiic analysis with effective public deliberation”. Careful deliberation about the values of novel eco- systems (see Chapter 31) and how to manage them into the future is necessary if we wish to identify and prioritize the types of public goods and services and ecological functions provided by such systems. In Chapter 41, Marris and others suggest that speciic management strategies for novel ecosystems “will now ideally be decided on within a speciic landscape in pro- portion to their ability to offer local, regional and global stakeholders the opportunity to add to the values and services of multifunctional landscapes”. To do so, we need to engage these stakeholders through dynamic, transparent, meaningful public involvement processes. Engagement processes can also build a richer research agenda, inform policy-making and oth- erwise ensure that public values and interests are inte- grated into decisions about novel ecosystems. We envision that scientists, managers, policy- makers, non-governmental organizations, and many others have a role to play in communication and engagement. Public engagement can be a formal process that feeds into oficial decision-making. Public