* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download abstracts - Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability
Survey
Document related concepts
Island restoration wikipedia , lookup
Biodiversity wikipedia , lookup
Overexploitation wikipedia , lookup
Molecular ecology wikipedia , lookup
Restoration ecology wikipedia , lookup
Theoretical ecology wikipedia , lookup
Private landowner assistance program wikipedia , lookup
Mission blue butterfly habitat conservation wikipedia , lookup
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project wikipedia , lookup
Conservation agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Conservation biology wikipedia , lookup
Biodiversity action plan wikipedia , lookup
Conservation psychology wikipedia , lookup
Reconciliation ecology wikipedia , lookup
Transcript
ACES 2011: Conservation Conflicts: strategies for coping with a changing world. Aberdeen Arts Centre, August 22-25th ABSTRACTS Tuesday 23rd August 2011 Case studies (part 2): – Land use and ecosystem services conflicts – Species conflicts 1 Land use and ecosystem services conflicts 11.10 – 11.30 Conflict and debate surrounding biofuels: evidence from Jatropha curcas cultivation in Malawi Lindsay C. Stringer, Jen C. Dyer and Andrew J. Dougill Concerns over fossil fuel depletion, energy security and climate change have been used to support arguments in favour of biofuel cultivation. However, investment in biofuels to date has been unevenly geographically distributed, with the majority of attention focused on the global south. This has led to strong opposition, with fears of negative impacts that some biofuels could have in vulnerable regions already threatened by food insecurity, biodiversity loss, land degradation, climate change, population growth, globalization, rural-urban migration and other challenges. These concerns remain, despite emerging evidence in support of biofuels as a local development opportunity. Globally, a wide range of different actors is engaged in biofuel debates, including international organizations, governments, NGOs (local, national and international), the private sector, researchers and local communities. Although these actors often occupy polarised positions, empirical evidence from different scales to underpin these contradictory views is sorely lacking. Even within supporting camps, there is disagreement surrounding the appropriateness of different cultivation approaches. Such diversity provides a context in which there is the potential for considerable conflict both between and within different groups. This paper presents case study research from Malawi and focuses on the inedible biodiesel crop Jatropha curcas, assessing its ecological, social and economic impacts and providing new empirical data to feed into larger-scale debates. At the household level, a combination of traditional questionnaires and participatory methods was employed, including transect walks, seasonal calendars and in-depth interviews. In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with a wide range of stakeholders (including policy makers and government officials, private sector investors and extension workers) following a comprehensive stakeholder analysis. Government interviews reflected the cross-sectoral nature of biofuel concerns and included all relevant departments and ministries, for example, Agriculture and Food Security, Energy, Land Resources and Forestry. Results from the household level support proponents of the argument that biofuels represent a development opportunity and that food insecurity fears at this scale are largely unfounded. In particular, the data emphasise that Jatropha can deliver local benefits; diversifying livelihoods and buffering against climate change risks. NGO-led development initiatives promoting small-scale cultivation, in which Jatropha is used as a hedging 2 material, demonstrate a positive contribution to livelihoods and local development. Sales of seeds or production of Jatropha oil for stoves, engines, soap and paraffin can reduce household expenditure and provide a new financial income source, offering a supplementary livelihood activity, or in some cases, a substitute for less attractive current activities. Additional income is commonly used to purchase food (maize) in times of shortage, as well as farming equipment, clothes and kitchen utensils. All households participating in the research asserted that they would not choose to grow biofuel crops over staple food crops such as maize and groundnuts, due to the cultural importance of maize and the primary need to provide the household with food. Larger-scale Jatropha plantations represent an alternative cultivation model, and provide employment opportunities for surrounding households. However, risk of economic losses due to knowledge gaps and yield unpredictability remain, encouraging investors to proceed cautiously. This suggests fears that large mono-culture plantations of Jatropha will oust food production by taking over extensive areas of land are largely unfounded at present. For local level benefits to be realised and up-scaled into the future, institutional support in terms of knowledge and technical provision is vital and must be communicated through well-established and locally-appropriate channels. Furthermore, successful local models need to be accompanied by supportive policy. The Malawi government has several policies that address food security but none that include explicit recognition of the trade-offs and conflicts associated with biofuel production. More holistic evaluation of the biofuel debates is needed to inform balanced and realistic policy. Enhanced multistakeholder dialogue is central to addressing this challenge and will help to reduce future conflicts. Dr Lindsay Stringer's research is interdisciplinary and uses theories and methods from both the natural and social sciences to understand environmental change and livelihood dynamics. She has field experience in Africa, the UK and Eastern Europe. Lindsay has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals, as well as book chapters, working papers, book reviews, magazine articles and policy reports. She has also presented her work at international conferences across the world 3 11.30 – 11.50 Social preferences for future land use scenarios in a semi-arid watershed: Potential conflicts between the management of ecosystem services Marina García-Llorente, Berta Martín-López, Paulo Ald Nunes, Antonio J. Castro and Carlos Montes Dealing with the invisibility of the ecological functioning underlying the provision of benefits to human well being, stated preference techniques can be successfully applied to the valuation of ecosystem services, as well as, to assess the trade-offs between different possible management policies. Within the ecosystem services framework, this study explores the management of the Nacimiento watershed (SE Spain) through choice experiments techniques. The study area constitutes part of the only arid zone of Europe, which water constraint has determined its social and ecological values. Historically, subsistence farming has been one of the main economic activities contributing to the creation of the unique landscape of terraces and old irrigation channels. At the same time, the presence of a National Park from 1999 in the area influences the land uses permitted, and promotes ecotourism in the area. More recently, the wind farms surface has increased to cover 21% of the watershed surface in the last ten years. From the begging of the study, local population has been involved through semi-structured interviews, which helped to identify the principal factors affecting the watershed. Also, provisioning (i.e. food, energy), regulating (i.e. erosion control, habitat for species), and cultural (local identity, recreational activities) services interrelated with all these land uses practices has been identified in the region. Additionally, with the aim of engaging the population, an effort was made to include the preferences of the residents, workers in the agropecuarian sector, employers in ecotourism or environmental education activities, managers of the protected area, local development agents, and other local government staff. In total, 200 respondents participated in the study. Two ecological (river welfare and natural protected area surface), three socio-economic (traditional agriculture surface, ecotourism facilities, and wind farms surface) and one monetary attribute were selected to reflect the variety of economic benefits generated by the watershed. In this way, trade-offs between different management scenarios allowing policy alternatives were evaluated. Interactions between increase ecotourism facilities and promote the natural protected area surface conservation were positive. Meanwhile, conflicts of interest emerged between increasing traditional agriculture and natural protected areas surfaces and also between traditional agriculture and ecotourism. However, results indicate that higher levels of any single attribute increase the probability that a management scenario was selected. There was general support for a new management scenario fostering traditional agriculture, as 4 well as ecotourism, and improving the river quality. Furthermore, younger people, with a higher education degree, and with higher salaries were more likely to support the watershed management situation proposed. This is a pilot-study to explore social preferences towards different land uses and their ecosystem services in rural and semi-arid environments under complex circumstances. We found that diversification of the local economic activities is essential to maintain the viability of rural populations as well as to maintain the ecosystems integrity. The results could be useful for managers when planning new policy scenarios or when taking effective investment decisions. 5 11.50 – 12.10 Socio-ecological conflict in the Intag valley, Ecuador Karen S Buchanan Competition over the future development of natural resources, particularly biodiversity, land and mineralised deposits beneath, lies at the root of a multi-scalar socio-environmental conflict which is the case study presented in this paper. The site of the conflict is the Intag valley in the Western Cordillera's Chocó-Andean Equatorial forest in North West Ecuador. Here the competing development perspectives of a transnational copper mining company and local farming communities have resulted in a protracted dispute involving local, national and international actors. The conflict centres around a proposed large-scale open-cast copper mine in a remote cloud-forest location in close proximity to primary cloud-forest. Proponents of the mine support the development of a mining-based economy in the region. The mine's opponents propose protecting the biodiversity of the cloud-forest and its ecosystem services and are actively developing ecologically-adapted forms of local economic development as an alternative form of rural economy. Large-scale extractive industries are among the most contentious human activities on the planet. This paper will present an analysis of the irreconcilable nature of opencast mining and biodiversity conservation in Intag in particular and the socioecological conflicts which inevitably arise from mining concessions being awarded in areas of significant biodiversity importance in general before concluding with a reflection on the alternative solutions employed in managing the Intag conflict and their wider applicability. 6 12.10 – 12.30 Possible land use conflicts and synergies between the expansion of a sustainable bioenergy and food production in Denmark Tommy Dalgaard and Ben Christen The Danish Parliaments plan for Green Growth include ambitious goals for bioenergy crop production (100.000 ha extra to be planted) and the expansion of biogas production to use 50% of all animal manures by 2020, and a doubling of the organic farmed area over the next decade. The aim of this paper is, based on a geographical analysis, to review possible synergies and land-use conflicts between such expansion of bioenergy production and the development of organic farming and other types of food production. Especially, we will discuss possible landscape scale synergies, and rural development perspectives, including the major barriers, and spatio-temporal problems, for the development planned. This includes a discussion of potentials to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For a more holistic approach we also include the land managers’ perspective by linking our findings to the results of a recent fuzzy cognitive mapping exercise with farmers in Denmark, regarding the drivers of change to elements of the farming landscape. It is concluded, that the planned 150% increase in organic farm area is realistic, and, in combination with bioenergy crop production for the biogas plants and other energy purposes, it is even possible to make the organic farming sector independent of manure imports from conventional farming, and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses significantly, while sustaining the overall food production. This will contribute to the vision of a Danish Economy independent of fossil fuels by 2050, as stated by The Danish Climate Commission, and may add to the development goals defined in the Danish Rural Development Program. 7 14.30 – 14.50 Challenges of bird conservation in agricultural landscapes : Jeremy Wilson Intensive agricultural production systems increasingly dominate European land use and have been associated with widespread, prolonged and severe biodiversity loss. The scale and causes of these losses have been especially well documented for bird populations. Equally, remaining low-intensity agricultural systems play critical roles in biodiversity conservation. Across this spectrum, taxpayer support for agriculture and rural development activities accounts for 40% of the European Union budget. Here I review some of the successes and failures to date in halting and reversing biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes, focusing on case studies from bird conservation in the UK, and the challenges to be overcome if by 2020 areas under agriculture are “to be managed sustainably, ensuring conservation of biodiversity” (Aichi biodiversity target 7). Jeremy Wilson is Head of Research for RSPB Scotland, and manages a broad portfolio of field research to help solve bird conservation challenges in agricultural, upland and marine environments. He has long-term research interests in the relationships between agricultural management and bird conservation, including the biodiversity consequences of organic agriculture, the impacts of agricultural change on individual bird species of high conservation concern, and the effectiveness of agrienvironment management in delivering biodiversity conservation objectives. 8 14.50 – 15.10 Social conflicts and management challenges associated with the appearance of vole outbreaks in north-central Spanish farmland Francois Mougeot, Juan José Luque-Larena, Daniel Jareño, Alfonso Paz, Javier Viñuela and Beatriz Arroyo The common vole (Microtus arvalis) occurred originally in mountainous areas of Castilla y León (Spain). However, since the 1970´s, it has colonised the agricultural plains between the mountain ranges. Geographical expansion took place between 1970 and 1990, by when it was present in the whole of the region. This species, that frequently presents cyclic population fluctuations in the rest of Europe, started producing population outbreaks in farmland as soon as it colonised this habitat. This has produced economic damages to crops in years of outbreaks, and a growing social alarm associated to the presence of this species in farmland areas. Strategies to manage damages to crops have included increasing use of rodenticides, which have had negative consequences on other non-target species (high mortality of predators, as well as game species, such as hares and pigeons, that may have consumed poisoned grain). We present the historical evolution of distribution and abundance of this species in this region, the factors influencing population expansion (land use changes such as an increase in the proportion of irrigated farmland) and those associated to population outbreaks (land use, climate). We also present existing evidence of population outbreaks on crop production, and the impact of rodenticide use on non-target species. We discuss current efforts to achieve stakeholder consensus for producing acceptable protocols of action in the view of a likely future population outbreak, and possible ways of managing the conflict. 9 15.10 – 15.30 Predator control and partridge hunting in central Spain Beatriz Arroyo, Miguel Delibes-Mateos, Silvia Diaz, Alba Estrada, Pablo Ferreras and Javier Viñuela Hunting may represent an important revenue for rural communities, and hunting management may also have important effects on the ecosystems, by managing landscape, as well as the wildlife there (e.g. by increasing numbers of game species, or reducing those of potential predators through predator control). Small game hunting in central Spain is particularly important both socially and economically. The most important small game species, the rabbit and the red-legged partridge, inhabit farmland habitats and have suffered important declines in recent decades. Concurrent to this decline, there has been an increase in the economic interest of hunting in rural areas, which has led to an increase in management intensity. Among management practices for small game, the most important include provision of food, predator control and an increasing in the use of farm-reared animals to sustain hunting yields. Predator control is considered among most managers as essential to the maintenance of viable hunting estates, and this associated to the increasingly tight regulations to perform it have led to a feeling of frustration by managers and sometimes to the use of illegal methods (such as use of poison). We evaluate the effects of predator control on hunting yield and partridge abundance, and conclude that predator control does not appear to have an effect on either (as currently implemented). Predator control intensity was unrelated to the abundance of predators. On the other hand, predator control intensity was directly related to the perception of its need by the managers. We evaluate the relationship between predator control intensity and the abundance of protected species (both predators and ground-nesting species), and discuss the relationship between perceptions, economic viability and the maintenance of healthy multifunctional hunting estates. 10 15.30 – 15.50 Selection of biodiversity indicators for advising conservative grassland management; the balance between economic yield and ecosystem service provision Ian Little Internationally, only 1.4% of grasslands are protected, the lowest of any terrestrial vegetation type. Grasslands are one of South Africa’s most threatened ecosystems, with only 2.2% formally conserved and more than 60% already irreversibly transformed. They are incredibly diverse containing an estimated 4 000 plant species, 15 of South Africa’s 34 endemic mammals as well as 22% of our 195 reptile species and 33% of the 107 threatened butterfly species. Grasslands are also home to 10 of South Africa’s 14 globally threatened bird species. In addition to their biodiversity value, grasslands provide essential ecosystem services required to support human life and wellbeing. These services include food (grain), forage, livestock, game farming, water and nutrient cycling, soil stabilization, carbon storage, energy supply, tourism and recreation. In South Africa, which is an arid country, grasslands contain and support the catchments for 42 river ecosystems which provide both freshwater to the populous as well as hydro-electric power. Given the fact that South African grasslands, like grasslands worldwide, support extensive agricultural and mining potential the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable ecosystem services requires careful management. In this talk it is proposed that livestock agriculture on native grassland is the most potentially conservation friendly form of land use, depending on grazing and burning intensity. This form of land use has the potential to support intact ecosystem services and biological diversity. We present the potential use of and the process for selecting indicator species, proposing the Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris) above others, for ecologically sustainable grassland management. We also propose new techniques for the assessment of sustainable grassland grazing and burning regimes. The Threatened Grassland Species Programme (TGSP) of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) plans to use the presence of this species to guide landowners towards conservation friendly management. Finally, we explore the ability of grasslands to support economically sustainable and ecologically friendly livestock agriculture. 11 16.40 – 17.00 Conflicts in Deer Management in the Scotland Justin Irvine There is a new awareness that society relies on the goods and benefits that ecosystems provide. However, rural areas are owned and managed by an increasing variety of private, public and third-sector interests. This has led to an increasing diversity of management objectives across a landscape. Where natural resources extend beyond ownership boundaries or where there are public interests in the sustainability of these resources there may be benefits in developing collaborative approaches to management so that the balance between public benefits and private interests is sustainably managed. Wild deer management in Scotland is a useful case study to investigate how this balance can be achieved and the consequences for social, economic and environmental benefits. Wild deer are a valued resource providing employment, support for rural economies and venison. However, there impact on vegetation can shape our landscapes and damage natural heritage. Wild deer range freely across land-ownership boundaries and therefore management of deer on one land-holding can affect the utilisation of this resource by neighbours leading to conflict. Structures to facilitate collaboration have evolved to deal with some of these issues but the increasing dominance of natural heritage and public access legislation and the emphasis on ecosystem services demands new methods to help owners and managers make informed and balanced management decisions. Here we report on an investigation into collaboration and a novel GIS based mapping tool that can be used to investigate conflicts over deer management at the landscape scale and to test potential future land-use scenarios that may result from policies designed to address the ongoing environmental change. This work was part funded by RELU and the Forestry Commission. over land-use objectives. Recently I have taken over the coordination of an EU FP7 project looking at the role of hunting for the conservation of biodiversity in Europe and Africa (http://fp7hunt.net) and a Defra funded Darwin grant developing community based natural resource management approaches in the Ethiopian highlands (www.macaulay.ac.uk/CAMP/). I am a member of i) the Deer Commission for Scotland’s Deer Management Round Table, ii) the Cairngorms Deer Advisory Group, iii) SNH’s Code for Deer Management” Reference Group iv) NERC Peer Review College. Justin Irvine is an ecologist who increasingly collaborates with researchers from other disciplines and stakeholders in the land-use sector to address issues over the effective management of our natural resources. Current work focuses on the dynamics of upland herbivores focusing competitive interactions to understand the 12 relative impacts of wild and domestic herbivores on the biodiversity and conservation of upland habitats in the light of current and future changes in land-use policy. In relation to this I have held a RELU funded project entitled “Collaborative frameworks in land management: A case study on integrated deer management” (www.macaulay.ac.uk/RELU) which has brought together a range of stakeholders and researchers relevant to deer to address conflicts 13 17.00 – 17.20 From conflict to a compromise – the Case Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia Heli Saarikoski, Kaisa Raitio and Janice Barry After a decade of intense conflicts over Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest, disputing parties reached agreement in 2006 over the long-term management of 6.4 million hectares of coastal temperate rainforests. Through what has been called a "landmark environmental planning initiative" (McGee et al. 2009), the British Columbian Province, First Nations, environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs), forest industry and other relevant sectors agreed to increase protected areas to 28 percent of the land base; employ the principles of ecosystem-based management in commercial forests; and find new ways to promote economically viable, stable communities. The process also gave rise to new relations between area First Nations and the provincial government. A focal question from sustainable natural resource management perspective is what the key factors were that helped to turn this socalled "War in the Woods" into peace in the woods. In this paper, we draw on indepth interviews with the key actors in the GBR debate to examine closely the multiscalar processes that contributed to a successful settlement of the decade-long conflict; success understood in terms of finding a solution that the disputing parties preferred over continuing the conflict. We are particularly interested in the actors' perceptions of the critical events and turning points in the policy process, as well as the broader discursive and political dynamics and institutional changes that were at play in this drastic reformulation of British Columbian forest policy. Our analytical approach combines insights from consensus building literature (Susskind et al 1999, Forester 1999, Innes 2004) with an analytical framework that underscores the institutional and political as well as discursive aspects of policy processes (Cashore et al 2001). 14 17.20 – 17.40 Visitor perceptions of prescribed burning in northern England – is there a conflict between recreation and land management Gareth Clay, Evan Fraser and Fred Worrall The uplands of England are highly valued for their ecosystem services including food, timber and water supply. Different stakeholder groups, however, derive multiple benefits from these ecosystem services and manage the land in different ways. For example, many areas the uplands in England are managed by prescribed burning of vegetation in order to provide habitat for sheep and grouse. Visitors to these areas are particularly vital to the local rural economy. However, anecdotal evidence and references in published studies refer to a conflict between prescribed burning and recreation. Phrases such as “public hostility” conjure up images of a public antagonistic towards rural land management. However, how much of this view is based upon broad generalisations of anecdotal evidence? In order to investigate this perceived conflict a small scale study was carried out in three National Parks in northern England (Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, and Peak District). In a short survey delivered face to face, visitors to National Park visitor centres were asked if they had seen prescribed burning in the uplands and were then asked a series of supplementary questions in order to explore their knowledge and any opinion of the management technique. The survey demonstrated that the general public who visited these three upland areas had a high level of awareness of managed burning, with around 70% having seen burning somewhere in the UK. Contrary to the conflict that had been previous cited, there were very few hostile comments made about prescribed burning. Responses varied slightly between National Parks but age and familiarity with an area played a significant role in the level of awareness of prescribed burning with younger visitors and first time visitors generally having not seen prescribed burning. This study also highlights that further dissemination of information about upland land management to the general public is needed as although most of the visitors in the survey recognised prescribed burning, many said they knew little about the reasons behind the practice. Additionally, further work would be required to see if the findings from northern England applied to other areas of the UK. 15 17.40 – 18.00 A spatially-explicit agent-based model for assessing the impact of farmers’ decisions on ecosystem services in a Scottish arable catchment Eleonore Guillem, Andrew Barnes, Mark Rounsevell and Alan Renwick This study aims at modelling farmers’ decision making in a cognitive fashion by considering their preferences for the economic, ecological and social aspects of farming strategy. Agent-based modelling is a relatively new technique that permits to run spatially-explicit simulation of such complex systems at a number of spatial and temporal scales. In the study, the farmer agents respond autonomously to a specific set of behavioural rules that were developed for four behavioural types of farmers (profit-oriented, multifunctionalists, traditionalists and hobbyists). The model predicts individual responses to exogenous factors such as market, climate, agricultural and environmental policies. Farmers responses to these factors is illustrated by change in farming strategy, i.e. allocation and levels of land use activities within the farm, timing of operations and application of agri-environmental measures. A single species with important cultural and ecological value was chosen to measure the consequences of such alterations at the landscape level under different scenarios. Skylarks, Alauda arvensis, are closely related to agricultural environments and depend strongly upon land use and management strategies. Three main scenarios were applied in the model: Business-as-usual, economically driven and environmental protection focus. The four types of land managers reacted differently in each scenario, emphasising benefits and detriments to skylarks at both field and landscape levels. Hence the findings bring a new set of recommendations for policy makers. Policies should be tailored to address specific needs for different types of farmers in order to ultimately maximise benefits for ecosystem services. 16 Species conflicts 11.10 – 11.30 Case study of conserving a forest species: protected area strategies for ameliorating conflicts between forestry and conservation of spotted owls in North America Rocky Gutierrez The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is an icon of North American conservation because many factors have precipitated conflict over its conservation. Among these factors are the loss of ancient forests caused by logging, economic loss to a timber industry that gains wealth from cutting trees within these forests, social upheaval within local communities when people lose timber industry-related jobs, the veracity of scientific information, and political ideology. This conflict is often pitched in the media and by protagonists as an all or nothing outcome, but could there have been intermediate (or mediated) outcomes that lay between dire predictions that would have avoided massive conflict? Superimposed on this complicated situation is the most powerful and comprehensive wildlife law in the United States – The Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA is portrayed as either villain or saviour by adversarial parties. But are such depictions real, imagined, or contrived? There are three subspecies of spotted owl, two of which are listed as “threatened” under the tenets of the ESA. The conservation of each subspecies has followed a different path and it is my belief that the potential timber value of the trees within owl habitat and the intransigence of various parties, each with its own desired outcomes or political agendas, has led directly to each subspecies either being listed or not listed as threatened. Embedded in this morass of conflict are wildlife scientists who endeavour to provide basic knowledge of the owl’s status and ecology that could help provide creative solutions to the conservation dilemma. Reliable scientific knowledge is an asset to problem solving in conservation, not a liability or an impediment although it can be perceived as an impediment when it raises the veil of political obfuscation. I portray briefly the history of spotted owl conservation by outlining some potential economic and ecological consequences of owl conservation, the reasons why two subspecies were listed under the ESA and not the third, why science can play a role in problem solving, why misinformation and ideology are counterproductive to real problem solving, and, finally, why it often seems that a “will to win” has superseded a “will to compromise.” Many human-wildlife conflicts involving forest wildlife share broad similarities with the spotted owl situation. I will attempt to connect those similarities in my conclusion. 17 R. J. Gutiérrez currently holds the Gordon Gullion Endowed Chair in Forest Wildlife Research at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA. He received his BS degree in Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University in 1971, his MS in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 1973, and his PhD in Zoology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1977. He has held positions at Cornell University, Humboldt State University, and the University of Minnesota. His research interests are game bird ecology and management, endangered species management, and forest wildlife relationships. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed papers, 1 book, and coedited 8 wildlife compendia. He has mentored over 40 graduate students during his 33 year university career. He began studying spotted owls in 1980 near the beginning of this decade’s long conservation conflict. Because of his work, he has been served on many wildlife panels, government task groups, and NGO boards. He became interested in human-wildlife conflict issues because of human conflicts arising from the effects of logging on wildlife, effects of development on endangered species, and the direct exploitation of wildlife. 18 11.30 – 11.50 Conservation of Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus on land managed for red grouse Lagopus l. scoticus shooting: widespread demographic impacts of illegal persecution Arjun Amar Following the introduction of organo-chlorine pesticide in the 1950s and 1960s, peregrine falcons Falco peregrinus populations showed global declines and played a vital role in alerting the world to the dangers of these pesticides. Following their ban, peregrine populations in many countries have since recovered. In the UK however, increases have not been uniform, with slow growth and localised declines in some areas, including those managed for the recreational shooting of red grouse Lagopus lagopus, a habitat type in which the species has been historically persecuted. Using peregrine nesting histories across Northern England between 1980 and 2006, together with a 1-km resolution remotely sensed map of grouse moor management, we explore whether breeding success was lower for nests surrounded by active grouse moor. Productivity of pairs occupying territories on grouse moors was 50% lower than pairs breeding on non-grouse moor habitat, this was due to a lower probability of laying, lower hatching success and lower fledging success. There was no difference in clutch size and brood size of successful nests, suggesting that food shortages were unlikely to explain the differences in breeding performance. May rainfall had a negative effect on pairs breeding on non-grouse moor habitat but not on grouse moors, suggesting that other factors were limiting breeding success in this habitat type. Information on wildlife crime incidents suggested that persecution of the species was associated with grouse moor habitats; direct illegal interference of nesting peregrines on grouse moors is therefore considered the most likely explanation for the lower breeding performance found in this study. Population models suggested a source-sink dynamics, with pairs on grouse moors being unable to sustaining themselves without the relatively high productivity of pairs in the surrounding non-grouse moor habitats. The Northern England peregrine population will be more secure, and will be better able to function as a barometer of environmental health in the future if illegal persecution of the species can be stopped on areas of land managed for grouse shooting. 19 11.50 – 12.10 Beaver Fever: Conflict, Controversy and the Scottish Beaver Trial Rose Hanley-Nickolls and Andrew Midgley The reintroduction of European beavers (Castor fiber) to Scotland has been surrounded by controversy since the idea was first seriously mooted over a decade ago. The current trial reintroduction in Knapdale Forest, Argyll, has become the focus of conflicts between local residents and national organisations, the conservation movement and the land management community. This paper identifies the key agents of these conflicts and other groups and individuals caught up in them. In-depth interviews were used to explore attitudes towards the trial, its management and implications for the area, both on a local and national level. As has been seen with other reintroductions, the conflict and societal tensions surrounding the Knapdale beavers cannot be easily explained by logical fears of human-wildlife conflict. Here it is the underlying historical context of the area, the social, political and economic landscapes that are driving the controversy. Arguments between and within social groups on diverse topics such as animal welfare, the role of government, rural decline, conservation priorities and historical grievances are identified and discussed. With the Knapdale trial due to end in 2014, and with the future of beavers in Scotland still uncertain, this paper provides some insight into how we could better manage future trials and releases. By understanding the social impacts of the involvement of stakeholders through to the provision of information and transparency of the decision making process of the current trial, we can hope to reduce the level of conflict created by these creatures in the future. 20 12.10 – 12.30 Understanding livelihood protection strategies in the face of human-elephant conflict using multi criteria decision analysis: a case study from Bandipur National Park, India Nicholas Halle, Nisha Owen and Mette Termansen We conducted semi-structured interviews with 80 households in 13 villages along the northern boundary of the park between June and July 2009. This study systematically compared all of the available conflict mitigation methods in the area using a multi-criteria decision analysis tool to better understand the motivating factors behind their use and the responses to them. Financial concerns were found to dominate the decision-making of most farmers, hence preventing them from using the most effective means of protection, which the majority of interviewees deemed to be the use of electric fencing around individual fields. Consequently, most rely upon traditional methods of crop protection, which often result in confrontation as elephants become more habituated and pressures on natural resources increase. Controversially, the resulting decision model shows that well-maintained electric fencing along the park boundary is solution most able to fulfil the preferences of local people. However, considering the amount of ill-feeling in the area towards the Forest Department and their existing conflict mitigation programme, we advocate that greater community participation combined with a wider, integrated management plan is needed. This should simultaneously improve public perceptions towards conflictmitigation measures as well as improve the performance of such a scheme. Nevertheless, given the level of stakeholder animosity, this is unlikely to be possible without the mediation of a third party. 21 14.30 – 14.50 North Atlantic Leatherback Turtles: critical habitat and interaction with fisheries Isidora Katara Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) (LBT) are a critically endangered species with a general declining trend; distinct populations have a different status, with Atlantic leatherbacks being listed as endangered by SATA in Canada. A longlasting harvest of eggs, degradation of their nesting habitat and incidental captures in fisheries have been the major threats for the species (www.redlist.org). Egg harvesting and poaching has been rendered illegal in most countries and a number of conservation programs are in place to protect egg clutches and nesting females. Although a lot of progress has been made to protect the first stage of the life cycle of LBTs, capture of juveniles and adults in fisheries still induces mortality rates higher than those that would allow for sustainable LBT populations. Two approaches are currently under study to provide a solution to the sea turtle bycatch problem: reduction of by-catch by altering fishing gear and methods and management of 'hotspots' where turtles concur with fisheries (Hays et al., 2004). The first approach has showed some promising results with the use of hooks of bigger size and different shapes significantly reducing turtle by-catch while allowing for economically viable fisheries (Watson et al., 2004). However this is not always the case, thus rendering trials of turtle avoidance methods a priority, especially for fleets that interact with endangered species (Gilman et al., 2006). The accumulation of a large number of tracking data has enabled us to identify areas of temporary residency for LBTs and provide the necessary background for LBT conservation along their long migration routes. In the Pacific the narrow migratory routes that the local LBT populations follow, constitute an ideal case for the implementation of areas of restricted fishing activity (Morreale et al., 1996). In the North Atlantic, however, LBTs disperse widely throughout the ocean. LBTs tagged along the beaches of French Guiana and Suriname revealed large-scale 'hotspots' of 'conflict' between LBTs and fishing fleets along frontal areas in the north and in the equatorial current system (Ferraroli et al., 2004). In the west-north Atlantic the collection of information from LBT Argos tracks (James et al., 2005), spanning through a decade, has facilitated the identification of meso- and small-scale high use areas, in an effort to provide manageable areas of conservation. Such regions reside within the waters of Atlantic Canada, along the US shelf waters and in the tropical north Atlantic. Furthermore previously unaccounted sources of mortality, such as coastal fisheries have been detected (James et al., 2005) and the strong seasonal component of habitat usage observed for this species has been described. The 22 periodicity of LBT residency areas, the characterization of LBT critical habitat at local scales and the acknowledgement of locally important mortality sources delineate a framework for the development of effective protection schemes and policies. Moreover a thorough understanding of LBT habitat use and correlation to oceanographic features aims to enhance our ability to predict their movements and foresee possible habitat shifts in a changing environment. 23 14.50-15.10 Piloting community incentive schemes to reduce bycatch of dugongs in artisanal fisheries of Madagascar and Comoros Patricia Davis, Ismael Leandre and Chris Poonian Rapid assessments of dugong populations were conducted around northern Madagascar and Comoros using a combination of fisher surveys and seagrass habitat mapping. Data from live and dead sightings; causes of mortality, socioeconomic aspects of hunting and taboos and myths were gathered from over 1000 fisher interviews. Interpretation of these data, coupled with broad- and finescale mapping of shallow seagrass beds has led to the identification of hotspots for conservation actions based on frequency of sightings and risk of threats. Although dugong populations have been decimated by hunting over the last few decades, accidental bycatch in artisanal gillnet fisheries was found to be the most significant current cause of mortality in both countries. Communities in these hotspot areas were consulted and engaged in the design and implementation of management actions including (i) creation of protected areas (ii) restrictions in usage of gill nets (iii) incentivized bycatch reduction schemes. Given the widespread poverty and dependence on small-scale fisheries, particularly gill nets, finding solutions to mitigate anthropogenic threats must include substantial community buy-in and tangible benefits for fishers. Appointment of community conservation monitors provided a means for monitoring, information exchange and carcass recovery. At the national level, data contributed to the creation of conservation management plans for dugongs which had knock-on benefits for a multitude of other species including important artisanal or commercial fish and other endangered marine megafauna such as sea turtles. Extension of such projects to other countries in the western Indian Ocean, particularly with emphasis on transboundary management plans are critical to ensuring survival of the species in this region over the coming decades. Methods developed in this study have been incorporated into a global standardized protocol by the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species with a view to facilitating rapid data collection at low-cost throughout over 40 range states. 24 15.10 – 15.30 Public perceptions of large carnivores and their conflicts in rural Albania Aleksandër Trajçe, Aleksandra Majić, Nicolas Lescureux and John Linnell Large carnivore conservation worldwide is depended both on ecological and human factors. The majority of large predators require vast areas to hunt and roam, but there are few protected areas in the world that are large enough to sustain viable populations of carnivores away from anthropogenic habitats. Hence, carnivore conservation mostly needs to be carried out in the wider landscape matrix, where they often come into conflict with human activities. Their presence in the matrix is highly dependent on the extent of damage they cause to humans and the extent to which humans tolerate these conflicts. Consequently, adequate knowledge on human-large carnivores’ relationships is crucial for their conservation. One way to look at “social factors” related to carnivore conservation is through human dimension studies. Human dimensions research provides insights into understanding human– wildlife relationships and can contribute to better management and policy measures in relation to wildlife management. Current conservation initiatives tend to clump large carnivore species together as a “functional guild”, mainly taking into consideration their similar ecological requirements. However, public perceptions and attitudes of large carnivores vary substantially depending on the species concerned. Differences in public perceptions suggest that a “guild” approach for the conservation of large carnivores may be a wrong practice, as negative attitudes towards a particular species might influence negatively the support for conservation for the entire guild. To test differences in attitudes towards wolves, bears and lynx in Albania and the implications that might arise for their conservation, a human dimensions survey was conducted between April 2007 and January 2009 (n = 397). From the existing information on the distribution and abundance of large carnivores in Albania wolves are considered the most common and widespread species, whereas lynx the most rare and endangered. We documented differences in public attitudes and beliefs towards the three large carnivore species. Wolves were consistently ranked as the most negative species and support for their conservation was lower than for bears and lynx. In addition, wolves were reported as the most damage-causing species and the level of conflict tolerance towards them was low. People tended to differentiate wolves from bears and lynx; however they generally expressed more similar and positive attitudes for the other two. The current conservation trends that treat large carnivores as a “functional guild” might therefore not be appropriate for Albania. Management plans and conservation initiatives, especially those that are based on 25 public outreach, should keep wolves separate from bears and lynx as lower public support for wolves might jeopardise the conservation of the other two. Bears and lynx can potentially be treated together based on their similar conservation issues and public support, whereas wolves need to be addressed separately from a conflictsolution point of view. 26 16.40 – 17.00 Human-carnivore conflict: identifying predictors of protected carnivore persecution Freya St John, Gareth Edwards-Jones, Aidan Keane, Richard W Yarnell, Lauren Jones, and Julia P G Jones Human-carnivore conflicts are controversial when the carnivores concerned are legally protected or are of conservation. Producers of livestock and game species sometimes kill protected carnivores to reduce predation of stock, or due to intolerance of carnivores. Both estimating levels of persecution and understanding motivations and characteristics of people who kill protected carnivores is problematic as rule-breakers may not wish to identify themselves. We used the randomised response technique (RRT) to estimate the proportion of South African farmers in Limpopo Province killing five carnivore species and performing two illegal behaviours: failing to hold a valid permit; and using poison to kill carnivores. We adapted the normal logistic regression model to investigate individual predictors of carnivore killing. RRT estimated that one fifth of farmers killed leopards and a similar proportion killed carnivores without a permit, suggesting farmers rarely hold permits when killing protected carnivores. Farmers’ attitude towards the existence of carnivores on ranches, question sensitivity, and farmers’ estimated prevalence of carnivore persecutors predicted the likelihood of farmers admitting to killing carnivores. For carnivores to continue to persist in such a human-managed landscape interventions aimed at changing attitudes which are related to carnivore persecution behaviour should be targeted towards farmers who hold negative attitudes towards the existence of protected carnivores on their ranches. 27 17.00 – 17.10 Culture and communication of stakeholders regarding lynx conservation and management in Switzerland Manuela Von Arx Large carnivores are considered conflict species as they compete with humans for natural resources and – very occasionally – can even pose a risk to human life. To counteract the conflict, mitigation measures like prevention methods, compensation, the killing of “problem” animals or managing the population e.g. through hunting or relocations are widely applied. Not all measures are equally accepted by people and often stakeholders have differing perceptions of the problem and how to solve it. While most of the human dimension research concentrates on the attitudes of interest groups towards certain species and the development of compensation and prevention measures to counteract damage, less emphasis is usually put on the relations between stakeholders and how these affect policy. However, the collaboration of stakeholders and their participation in the process of decision-making is key for long-term success in species/landscape conservation and management as it may have a direct influence on the level of acceptance which is again crucial for the viability of a species. Taking the lynx (Lynx lynx) in Switzerland as an example we aim to analyse the culture and communication of and between stakeholders: What is important to them? How do they perceive themselves and other interest groups, their roles? What are their interests and needs in relation to lynx conservation and management? The aim is to create an understanding of potential conflicts and to find ways how collaboration and communication can be improved in order to stimulate a dialogic process. 28 17.10 – 17.30 Managing human-elephant conflict in Assam, India Alexandra Zimmermann, Nandita Hazarika and Scott Wilson The Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India provide one of the last remaining strongholds of the endangered Asian Elephant. Widespread human-elephant conflict results in the loss of both elephant and human lives, and expert groups have listed this region a top priority for mitigation action. Our paper describes a successful conflict management approach that combines community-based conservation with GIS-based research. Patterns and characteristics of crop-raiding are recorded, movements of elephants observed and mapped, and historical habits of elephants reconstructed from local knowledge. In tandem with this, we use a participatory approach of engaging communities to construct and maintain low-cost deterrent methods such as fencing, chilli and lighting. Community members help collect observational data and coordinate the deterrent trials, and are beginning to take charge of their elephant problems themselves. Our project has considerably increased the capacity of local people to defend their property, reduced the extent of damage to crops (by 78% in some areas), resulted in no further deaths or injuries, and provided over 30 communities with additional sources of livelihoods in order to off-set the risk of loss to elephants. This presentation will summarize the lessons learned from our approach and key findings from our spatial analyses of elephant movements and crop-raiding patterns and the effectiveness of the crop protection measures used. 29 17.40 – 18.00 Navigating the Gridlock of Tiger Conservation: Using Grounded Theory to Explore the Social Factors that Affect Tiger Conservation in India Archi Rastogi, Gordon M. Hickey, Ruchi Badola and S. A. Hussain The tiger is a potentially-dangerous predator, found in parts of the world with the most dense and poorest human populations. In these contexts, protecting the tiger through Protected Areas can become a significant political challenge. Specifically, to conserve the tiger we need Protected Areas with minimal human disturbances. However, Protected Areas that do not account for local concerns are known to create antagonism and conflict that often jeopardizes conservation. This dilemma represents a gridlock in tiger conservation: tiger conservation needs strict Protected Areas; Protected Areas depend on local support, but the very establishment of these Protected Areas can antagonize local communities. To minimize conservation-related conflict and to better implement conservation programs, we need a deeper understanding of the social factors that affect tiger conservation outcomes. Using Corbett Tiger Reserve (India) as a case study, we applied grounded theory to analyze stakeholder interactions related to tiger conservation. Building on our past research, we were able to categorize stakeholders and generate substantive theory on stakeholder interactions at the local level. Through this paper, we will discuss the role of potential and existing social institutions: community institutions, nongovernment organizations and political groups. Our preliminary analysis shows that stronger village institutions may provide better safeguards against conservation related conflict, and can help in effective tiger conservation. 30