Wicked Problems: The Marathon of Effecting Change

February 21, 2025

In 1993, I spent six months on Vancouver Island, off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. I was actively involved in protests against the clear-cut logging of the Clayoquot Sound watershed (see my photographic impressions on Youtube and Wikimedia). Thanks to the efforts of a broad coalition of communities, the destruction of this vital ecosystem was successfully prevented.

My experiences on the island have profoundly shaped my professional journey. They inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. in Community Informatics and ultimately led to the founding of my research consultancy, CommunitySense. My R&D focus has evolved to center on “collaboration ecosystems cartography”—participatory mapping and collaborative sensemaking of complex issues such as deforestation, climate change, and the interconnected web of wicked problems affecting humanity and nature.

The excellent Canadian investigative journalism organization The Narwhal recently published an insightful explainer on the ongoing struggle, particularly around “the management of private forests” The situation remains dire, as authorities often continue to side with extractive logging companies, with the court even ruling that local communities fighting logging do not have the right to clean water.

It is disheartening to see that many of the problems from over thirty years ago persist, exacerbated by habitat loss and the escalating impacts of climate change. However, I am encouraged by the resilience of First Nations and other local communities who continue to fight for change. Progress, though slow and incremental, is being made. There is a growing call for reform to align private forest management with public land standards, ensuring sustainable forestry practices.

I share this story because it exemplifies the complexity and long-term nature of addressing wicked problems. Our usual approach of demanding quick fixes doesn’t work here. These challenges often span decades, requiring sustained effort and resilience, and can seem insurmountable. Yet, it is crucial that we continue to nurture collaboration ecosystems, weaving fragile alliances into stronger collaborative fabrics that can achieve positive impacts for people and the planet.

Keep up the rightful fight, tenacious communities of BC!