Lay Expertise

Lay expertise is a term that can be used to typify non-scientific forms of knowledge. Lay expertise is recognised as important for conservation and for sustainable resource management in both Western and non-Western contexts. Yet, it is also often considered inferior to science, and this hampers its inclusion in conservation and management practice. In this chapter, we will discuss the contribution of lay expertise, how it can be harnessed effectively, and how participatory approaches can be used in knowledge production. We will do this by advancing a symmetrical perspective that focuses on commonalities and complementarities between different scientific and non-scientific forms knowledge while at the same recognising and respecting difference and diversity. This chapter is complemented with cases about public engagement in botanical gardens and about a participatory process in Loweswater in the English Lake District.