National parks are important for local communities, and are often inextricably linked to socio-economic outcomes, affecting quality of life, health and wellbeing in numerous ways. At EcoTransform, we specialise in designing and implementing social impact assessments of green spaces to get a clearer picture of outcomes and identify pathways for a more equal distribution of social impact.
We created our Social Impact Assessment Tool for Protected Areas (SOCIAT) to explore local people’s views on protected areas, and have used it extensively across Europe, including in Triglav, Slovenia, the Black Forest in Germany and Calanques in France. It has enabled us to capture social outcomes for communities, take the local context into account, and develop detailed maps representing spatial distribution of social impact.
Our methodology helps build trusted relationships with local people and encourages stakeholder engagement. By listening to people, we’re also able to incorporate local values into decision-making processes and empower communities to lead transformative change in their area.
