Designing social surveys for understanding farming and natural resource management: A purposeful review of best-practice survey methods

Social survey research is often used to achieve an improved understanding of land and natural resource management. The question for many land agencies and organisations working to support farmers and other rural landholders is how to gain this information in a scientifically rigorous and cost-effective way. This paper summarises findings from a purposeful review of survey methods applied for understanding rural landholders, including how land and natural resource management may be changing around the globe. Social surveys play a crucial role in understanding the complexities of land management, with survey methods evolving over time as they adapt to technological advancements and shifting research paradigms. Key findings of this review underscore the significance of pre-testing, drawing on diverse sampling techniques, and tailored survey methods to uphold data integrity and enhance response rates. Effective survey design, coupled with integration of conceptual models and identity constructs, can enrich insights into land management practices. Embracing mixed methods and leveraging AI for data integration offer promising avenues for future research, albeit with ethical considerations and challenges in data integration. Previous reviews are extended to describe four main eras in social survey research for natural resource management, being: 1) the Invention Era (1930–1960); 2) the Expansion Era (1960–1990); 3) the Integration Era ('Designed Data' + 'Organic Data') (1990s to 2022); and 4) the Brave New Era (2022 to present). Prioritising longitudinal studies and expanding survey research globally can inform evidence-based policymaking, addressing critical gaps in knowledge as land and natural resource management continues to evolve and respond to changes and challenges worldwide.