Alicia Donnellan Barraclough is a researcher and scholar associated to the University of Bergen UNESCO Chair. Her work focuses on the power of collective action to catalyze collaboration for sustainability and earth stewardship. She is particularly interested in generating actionable knowledge on sustainable and regenerative land-use and the joint conservation of biological and cultural diversity. 

She was trained as a terrestrial ecologist, and now works as a sustainability scientist at the intersection between the natural and social sciences, interested in progressing inter- and transdisciplinary research which is fair and equitable for people and land. 

Her research areas include biocultural and decolonial approaches to conservation, participatory and just approaches to conservation, nature's multiple values, social-ecological networks, and land-use change. She has worked extensively with the implementation of international agendas such as the sustainable development goals (SDG) and the Convention on Biological Diversity agreements. Her work is informed by complex adaptive system thinking, and she has a strong interest in group process work, young stakeholder concerns and political ecology.

Alicia is an appreciated speaker and facilitator. She was named spokesperson for UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme's 50th anniversary by Dr. Jane Goodall in 2021. 

Some of her flagship work has been in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, which she studies as social-ecological systems which are testing sites for sustainability and earth stewardship. Alicia is currently the coordinator of a Biodiversa+ Consortia, Become, looking at effectiveness and equity in Biosphere Reserves. Additional to an academic background she has worked across the globe in the non-profit sector and in grassroots organizations. These experiences have given her rich understanding of the importance of connecting diverse fields if we are to rise to the challenges and opportunities presented by our times. 

 

2025

• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2025). Kalko Keynote: Learning for sustainability in UNESCO biosphere reserves. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2025). The diverse values of nature. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Cusens, Jarrod; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2025). How effective is a biosphere reserve? A way forward in allignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework.. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomsen, Janne Katharina; Cusens, Jarrod; Måren, Inger Elisabeth et al. (2025). Impacts of large infrastructure developments on diverse values of nature: Insights from Nordhordland UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. (ekstern lenke)

2024

• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2024). Research perspective on Biosphere Reserves for accelerating the Global Biodiversity Framework. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2024). Visitor Management Conference. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2024). Biosphere reserves as sites for accelerating the Global biodiversity framework. (ekstern lenke)
• Curtet, Marie; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2024). The evolution of stakeholder participation in European UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: challenges and opportunities of the COVID pandemic and the digital shift. (ekstern lenke)

2023

• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Sara, Mikkel Nils Mikkelsen (2023). Min Birrasat - ACTIONABLE presentation. (ekstern lenke)
• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2023). Integration matters: Combining socio-cultural and biophysical methods for mapping ecosystem service bundles. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Reed, Maureen G.; Coetzer, Kaera et al. (2023). Global knowledge–action networks at the frontlines of sustainability: Insights from five decades of science for action in UNESCO's World Network of biosphere reserves. (ekstern lenke)
• Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Östman, Silje A. H. et al. (2023). Kva er samanhengen mellom kulturarv og kulturlandskap, og korleis kan fortida bidra til ei berekraftig framtid? CULTIVATE-prosjektet. (ekstern lenke)
• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2023). Socio-cultural values and biophysical supply: How do afforestation and land abandonment impact multiple ecosystem services?. (ekstern lenke)

2022

• Geange, Sonya Rita; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Wedegärtner, Ronja Elisabeth Magdalene et al. (2022). A global perspective on the impacts and management of alien invasive species in mountain regions. (ekstern lenke)
• Geange, Sonya Rita; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Wedegärtner, Ronja Elisabeth Magdalene et al. (2022). A global perspective on the impacts and management of alien invasive species in mountain regions. (ekstern lenke)
• Geange, Sonya Rita; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Wedegärtner, Ronja Elisabeth Magdalene et al. (2022). A global perspective on the impacts and management of alien invasive species in mountain regions. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Cusens, Jarrod; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2022). Mapping stakeholder networks for the co-production of multiple ecosystem services: A novel mixed-methods approach. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2022). UNESCO MAB Anniversary with Doctor Jane Goodall. (ekstern lenke)
• Schrage, Jesse Benjamin; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Wilkerson, Brooke E et al. (2022). Developing positional awareness in sustainability science: four archetypes for early career scientists working in an SDG world. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan (2022). Workshop Promoting Research in BRs - Looking back at 50 years of MAB. (ekstern lenke)
• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2022). Participatory mapping reveals biocultural and nature values in the shared landscape of a Nordic UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. (ekstern lenke)

2021

• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2021). Participatory mapping reveals biocultural and nature values in the shared landscape of a Nordic UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Price, Martin F. (2021). Recognize 727 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves for biodiversity COP15. (ekstern lenke)
• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2021). Mapping the connections between people and Nature: participatory mapping of ecosystem services in a Nordic biosphere reserve.. (ekstern lenke)
• Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2021). How will afforestation impact on ecosystem services values in non-forested landscapes? A participatory mapping study in western Norway.. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia Donnellan; Sakiyama, M; Schultz, Lisen et al. (2021). Stewards of the Future: Accompanying the rising tide of young voices by setting youth-inclusive research agendas.. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2021). The Spotlight on Youth: Young People as Key Stakeholders in Biosphere Reserves and the Man and the Biosphere Programme. (ekstern lenke)
• Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan; Schultz, Lisen Paula; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2021). Voices of young biosphere stewards on the strengths, weaknesses, and ways forward for 74 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves across 83 countries. (ekstern lenke)
• Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Cusens, Jarrod; Barraclough, Alicia May Donnellan et al. (2021). Science for nature and people: celebrating the contributions of research to the Man and Biosphere Programme through 50 years. (ekstern lenke)

2020

• Vandvik, Vigdis; Barraclough, Alicia Donnellan; Måren, Inger Elisabeth (2020). If we work together, 2020 can be a true "super year" for biodiversity. (ekstern lenke)
• Vandvik, Vigdis; Barraclough, Alicia Donnellan (2020). Forskning og diplomati i naturens superår. (ekstern lenke)

2019

• Barraclough, Alicia Donnellan; Cusens, Jarrod; Zweifel, Roman et al. (2019). Environmental drivers of stem radius change measurements and heterogeneity of stem radial water storage in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh.. (ekstern lenke)

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Alicia is currently leading the following projects:

BECOME - a Biodiversa+ Consortia invertigating the effectiveness of Biosphere Reserves as measures for inclusive conservation. 

ACTIONABLE  - and NFR-Samarbeidsprosjekt in arealer under press. A collaboration to understand the role of sustainability designations in helping collaboration and management of coastal areas and conflicts. 

 

Other projects I have also been a key researcher in are

Nature's Contributions to People in Nordhordland Biosfære 

Global Survey on Biosphere Reserves: participation, performance and land-use change in a longitudinal 10 year study of the MAB BR World Network 

Stewardship and youth - young peoples perspectives and roles within environmental governance and sustainable development initiatives.