Evidence‐based practice is spreading but still limited in conservation and environmental management
Author(s)
Christie, Alec P
Askew, Nick
Stenson, Sophie
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
1. Over two decades after the first calls for evidence-based conservation (EBC), the accessibility of scientific evidence has improved through syntheses and databases, and initiatives such as the Conservation Evidence project’s ‘Evidence Champions’ have promoted more routine evidence use. However, the extent to which evidence-based practice (EBP) has been adopted across conservation and environmental management remains unclear.
2. We quantified proxies for the prevalence of EBP using keyword-based and machine learning approaches applied to ~162,000 job adverts (2002–2025) from three job boards (Conservation Careers, Environment Job and Countryside Jobs Service) covering UK and international posts. In parallel, we analysed trends in EBP-related terms in the grey and scientific literature over the same period.
3. Mentions of EBP increased at an accelerating rate: 4.2% per year on average in the grey literature, 8.8% per year in the scientific literature and 13–16% per year in job adverts. The proportion of organisations mentioning EBP in job adverts also increased by 13% per year on average. Despite this growth, current prevalence remains modest, appearing in only 2%–6% of job adverts from 5% to 8% of organisations, with higher prevalence in the public sector than in the charity/not-for-profit and private sectors.
4. Diffusion modelling indicated EBP probably spreads via a ‘slow–fast–slow’ dynamic consistent with diffusion of innovations theory (i.e. a sigmoidal model). This model estimated that approximately 90% of organisations may never adopt EBP, although current trends point to an accelerating early-adopter phase, making forecasts of saturation and non-adopters uncertain. Further research using longitudinal and social science methods is needed to assess actual levels of EBP implementation and the key factors influencing this.
5. Solution: Wider uptake of EBP and EBC could be facilitated by more intensive engagement at different stages of adoption, helping to embed evidence step-by-step within existing workflows. Achieving this requires clear guidance on what meaningful EBP looks like in practice, tailored support for implementation and awareness of potential ‘evidence-washing’ (claims of being evidence-based without meaningful implementation). Incentives, recognition and accreditation could help reward genuine adopters and create the enabling conditions for a cultural shift towards routine evidence use that will underpin more effective conservation and environmental action.
2. We quantified proxies for the prevalence of EBP using keyword-based and machine learning approaches applied to ~162,000 job adverts (2002–2025) from three job boards (Conservation Careers, Environment Job and Countryside Jobs Service) covering UK and international posts. In parallel, we analysed trends in EBP-related terms in the grey and scientific literature over the same period.
3. Mentions of EBP increased at an accelerating rate: 4.2% per year on average in the grey literature, 8.8% per year in the scientific literature and 13–16% per year in job adverts. The proportion of organisations mentioning EBP in job adverts also increased by 13% per year on average. Despite this growth, current prevalence remains modest, appearing in only 2%–6% of job adverts from 5% to 8% of organisations, with higher prevalence in the public sector than in the charity/not-for-profit and private sectors.
4. Diffusion modelling indicated EBP probably spreads via a ‘slow–fast–slow’ dynamic consistent with diffusion of innovations theory (i.e. a sigmoidal model). This model estimated that approximately 90% of organisations may never adopt EBP, although current trends point to an accelerating early-adopter phase, making forecasts of saturation and non-adopters uncertain. Further research using longitudinal and social science methods is needed to assess actual levels of EBP implementation and the key factors influencing this.
5. Solution: Wider uptake of EBP and EBC could be facilitated by more intensive engagement at different stages of adoption, helping to embed evidence step-by-step within existing workflows. Achieving this requires clear guidance on what meaningful EBP looks like in practice, tailored support for implementation and awareness of potential ‘evidence-washing’ (claims of being evidence-based without meaningful implementation). Incentives, recognition and accreditation could help reward genuine adopters and create the enabling conditions for a cultural shift towards routine evidence use that will underpin more effective conservation and environmental action.
Date Issued
2026-04-01
Date Acceptance
2026-03-01
Citation
Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 2026, 7 (2)
ISSN
2688-8319
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
Ecological Solutions and Evidence
Volume
7
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Ecological Solutions and Evidence published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e70235
Date Publish Online
2026-03-30