Social Network Analysis of Stakeholders in the Grosses Moos region in Switzerland

This report presents a social network analysis of stakeholders in the Grosses Moos region in Switzerland, conducted by the Environmental Governance and Global Development Research Team at the Wyss Academy for Nature (WA), in collaboration with the WA Hub Bern. The analysis aims to improve our understanding of relationships among diverse stakeholders in order to identify entry points for more effective and inclusive governance that generates co-benefits for both nature and people. The analysis draws on data from 49 semi-structured interviews conducted between March and July 2025 with representatives of 17 distinct stakeholder groups, including farmers, NGOs, governmental bodies, and other service providers. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques, such as social network modeling and unsupervised text analysis approaches. The findings reveal several important patterns in the network: (1) the Grosses Moos social network is relatively dense, with many connections between diverse stakeholder groups; (ii) farmers and governmental bodies are central stakeholder groups in the network and can be the drivers of systemic transformations; (iii) many stakeholders have more than one role in the network; and (iv) different stakeholders mention similar concerns about soil health, production pricing, water quality, and long-term planning in the region. The findings indicate that the Grosses Moos social network is relatively closed, with many stakeholders holding multiple roles, and cohesive, with many stakeholder groups interconnected and similar topics circulating across the network. This suggests interventions may initially face barriers to entry into the network in practice but, once they do, “change” in the opinions and behaviors of any stakeholder can have far-reaching consequences. In fact, the "Development of the Grosses Moos Region", a joint project by the WA Hub Bern and the office of agriculture and nature of the Canton of Bern, managed by Ecoplan, has initiated a participatory process supporting local stakeholders to implement actions aimed at introducing positive systemic change. The project provides a promising foundation for strengthening inclusive and sustainable resource governance in the region.