Connectivity conservation: Boundary objects, science narratives and the co-production of science and practice Carina Wyborn * Luc Hoffmann Institute, WWF International, 1196 Av. du Mont-Blanc, Gland, Switzerland 1. Introduction Continental-scale initiatives seeking to improve ecological connectivity are gaining prominence globally. ‘Connectivity conservation’ involves the protection, retention, and rehabilitation of existing landscape remnants at landscape, ecosystem, or eco-regional scale (IUCN, 2007). Originally a response to habitat fragmentation and land-use intensifica- tion, connectivity conservation constructs a narrative around metaphors of ‘‘connectedness’’ to emphasize the social and ecological value of ‘‘natural interconnected e n v i r o n m e n t a l s c i e n c e & p o l i c y 5 1 ( 2 0 1 5 ) 2 9 2 – 3 0 3 a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: Co-production Boundary object Science narrative Connectivity conservation Australia a b s t r a c t This article explores the emergence and co-production of ‘connectivity conservation’ in Australia. Connectivity conservation seeks to restore ecological connectivity at a landscape scale through collaborative conservation. Claims that connectivity conservation will con- nect landscapes and communities resonate powerfully throughout the Australian conser- vation community. This metaphor is part of a broader science narrative that shifts connectivity from a descriptive ecological concept to one imbued with normative claims about the inherent value of collaboration and large intact landscapes. In a relatively short period, this narrative has taken hold. The Federal Government developed a National Wildlife Corridors Plan and there are now connectivity initiatives in every Australian state. When stabilized in the Australian landscape, the concept of connectivity as come to embody much more than the original scientific interpretation of the terminology. This expanded focus has been core to the popularization of the practice of connectivity conservation, however it has raised concerns within certain academic communities about the scientific rigor underpin- ning these new efforts. This article analyses ‘connectivity’ as a boundary object, and an emergent science narrative that has united diverse and conflicting perspectives. In this case, the interplay between science, policy, and practice produced significant policy outcomes despite a somewhat contested debate about the relationship between connectivity science and the practice of connectivity conservation. As connectivity science and practice co- evolve, there are growing calls to support collaborative knowledge production. This paper draws on Jasanoff’s critical analytical understanding of co-production to highlight the importance of understanding the social and normative dimensions in instrumental efforts to co-produce knowledge. # 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. * Tel.: +41 79 691 3812. E-mail address: cwyborn@wwfint.org. Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/envsci http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.04.019 1462-9011/# 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.