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Are birdwatchers willing to participate in local goose management? A case study from Sweden

Eriksson, Louise ; Johansson, Maria LU orcid ; Månsson, Johan ; Sandström, Camilla ; Eklund, Ann LU and Elmberg, Johan (2023) In European Journal of Wildlife Research 69(2).
Abstract

Stakeholder involvement in wildlife management is important and requires knowledge about factors motivating such participation. With several goose populations increasing in Europe and goose management incorporating multiple objectives, involvement of stakeholder groups with diverse interests is needed. In this study, we examined how evaluations of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity), but also experiences of birdwatching and birdwatcher identity, were associated with willingness to participate in local goose management. A survey among members of Sweden’s largest birdwatching organization was conducted (n = 5010). The majority of respondents, 64%, displayed a divided evaluation of geese, most frequently in terms of an overall... (More)

Stakeholder involvement in wildlife management is important and requires knowledge about factors motivating such participation. With several goose populations increasing in Europe and goose management incorporating multiple objectives, involvement of stakeholder groups with diverse interests is needed. In this study, we examined how evaluations of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity), but also experiences of birdwatching and birdwatcher identity, were associated with willingness to participate in local goose management. A survey among members of Sweden’s largest birdwatching organization was conducted (n = 5010). The majority of respondents, 64%, displayed a divided evaluation of geese, most frequently in terms of an overall positive attitude towards geese but a low acceptance for current goose population levels (i.e. acceptance capacity). Birdwatchers’ willingness to participate in goose management was generally low. Whereas they were more willing to take part in goose counts (i.e. monitoring) than to participate in local goose management groups, they were least willing to contribute to mitigating crop damage through scaring geese. Results further revealed that birdwatchers with a divided evaluation of geese and an entirely positive evaluation displayed the highest willingness to participate in goose management. However, a stronger distinct birdwatcher identity as a result of more birdwatching experiences was even more strongly associated with higher willingness to take part in goose management. The results highlight a need to intensify efforts to engage stakeholder groups with an interest in conservation issues in the participatory goose management system in Europe.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Acceptance capacity, Attitudes, Birdwatchers, Geese, Goose management, Identity
in
European Journal of Wildlife Research
volume
69
issue
2
article number
28
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85148510715
ISSN
1612-4642
DOI
10.1007/s10344-023-01649-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7226e00b-a432-4f9a-9725-850253683cc5
date added to LUP
2023-03-03 12:54:06
date last changed
2024-01-03 22:46:41
@article{7226e00b-a432-4f9a-9725-850253683cc5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Stakeholder involvement in wildlife management is important and requires knowledge about factors motivating such participation. With several goose populations increasing in Europe and goose management incorporating multiple objectives, involvement of stakeholder groups with diverse interests is needed. In this study, we examined how evaluations of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity), but also experiences of birdwatching and birdwatcher identity, were associated with willingness to participate in local goose management. A survey among members of Sweden’s largest birdwatching organization was conducted (n = 5010). The majority of respondents, 64%, displayed a divided evaluation of geese, most frequently in terms of an overall positive attitude towards geese but a low acceptance for current goose population levels (i.e. acceptance capacity). Birdwatchers’ willingness to participate in goose management was generally low. Whereas they were more willing to take part in goose counts (i.e. monitoring) than to participate in local goose management groups, they were least willing to contribute to mitigating crop damage through scaring geese. Results further revealed that birdwatchers with a divided evaluation of geese and an entirely positive evaluation displayed the highest willingness to participate in goose management. However, a stronger distinct birdwatcher identity as a result of more birdwatching experiences was even more strongly associated with higher willingness to take part in goose management. The results highlight a need to intensify efforts to engage stakeholder groups with an interest in conservation issues in the participatory goose management system in Europe.</p>}},
  author       = {{Eriksson, Louise and Johansson, Maria and Månsson, Johan and Sandström, Camilla and Eklund, Ann and Elmberg, Johan}},
  issn         = {{1612-4642}},
  keywords     = {{Acceptance capacity; Attitudes; Birdwatchers; Geese; Goose management; Identity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Wildlife Research}},
  title        = {{Are birdwatchers willing to participate in local goose management? A case study from Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-023-01649-3}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10344-023-01649-3}},
  volume       = {{69}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}