Abstract: While the difficulties of effectively translating established ecological science into tractable policy are evident, challenges at the level of implementation are often less apparent. As anthropogenically driven environmental changes increasingly disrupt social, environmental, and economic systems, the synthesis of science, policy, and implementation is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, identifying both barriers and opportunities for successful implementation of science-based policies can help to prepare and provide tools for ecologists working to apply their research to improving environmental management and conservation. Drawing on interviews and participant observation data collected in four forest management project sites in California, we analyze the socio-cultural processes that influence the implementation of science-based policies. Then, we highlight the common barriers to the projects’ implementations. Finally, we use our case studies to discuss and critique the idea of “scientific translation,” arguing that for science and policy to be effective during stages of implementation, ecologists often must engage not in translation, but in dialogue with communities.
