Literature syntheses to inform marine ecosystem management: lessons learned from stakeholder participation

Systematic literature syntheses are a key element in the scientific realm, considering steadily growing amount of available knowledge. Involving stakeholders research process brings wide range advantages, like broadening perspectives on problem question, increasing relevance results for policy- and decision-making, public other end-users thus enhancing impact acceptance research. While participatory approaches rise, reflections stakeholder involvement systematic environmental management scarce. We reflect involving with expertise also from outside academia during three different foci marine coastal ecosystem services Baltic Sea. Our analysis is based notes, e-mails, minutes recordings internal project meetings, interviews workshops both researchers stakeholders. discuss challenges approach introduced develop lessons learned to support planning engagement future syntheses. conclude that identification, communication, collaboration knowledge translation highly time- resource-intensive processes. Furthermore, appropriate training experience necessary design, execution evaluation methods tailored each stage. Therefore, we underline importance adequate consideration required resources implementation. To encourage valuable exchange between community actors policy practice, more appreciation such efforts by funding institutions within wider needed.