We developed a tabletop game about biodiversity offsetting!
What is biodiversity offsetting?
Biodiversity offsetting means the planned process of creating or enhancing biodiversity to compensate local losses or degradation of biodiversity (Coralie ym. 2015; Ten Kate ym. 2004). The range can be from one species to whole ecosystems. Also “ecological compensation” and “environmental compensation” has been used to refer to this practice.
Project
We have designed a card game for 4-12 players which has different aims and uses.
- Research outcome: simulate, analyze and communicate societal effects of biodiversity offsetting practices;
- Collaboration and education tool: enhance interaction and social learning among stakeholders (potentially) practicing offsetting and among students and other people playing the game;
- Research tool: collect new kind of research material on offsetting and publish research articles
Nature conservation is a complex and conflict prone field where different actors, interests, practices, points of view and policies come together. Biodiversity offsetting is hoped to prevent, alleviate and resolve conservation conflicts and environmental harm, and bring flexibility to planning and development. However, it is also feared to be only greenwash and lead to even bigger loss and degradation of biodiversity.
Biodiversity offsetting is a relatively new tool in nature conservation and planning. Our project focuses on Finland where no official policy or legislation on biodiversity offsetting exists and thus the practices are developing.
Basic information about the project
The project is funded by Kone Foundation and it is hosted by the Faculty of Management and business of Tampere University . The project is led by Dr.Sc.(Admin.) Nina V. Nygren. See team here.
See short promotion video: Nina Nygren ja työryhmä: Kompensaatiopeli from Koneen Säätiö on Vimeo.Game tutorial video