Linking Social Values of Wild Reindeer to Planning and Management Options in Southern Norway

Abstract

Norway is home to the last remaining populations of wild mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Europe. Concerns over anthropogenic and natural drivers have led to change in the management regime from a population-based model to an area-based model. More complex management goals, increasing involvement of stakeholders, and larger management units call for improved knowledge about reindeer-related values. We examined the responses of 1000 respondents to 39 statements of attitudes and values associated with wild reindeer presence and the management situation in two reindeer regions of southern Norway. We used a partial least-squares path modeling approach to examine the nexus between the attraction of wild reindeer, sustainability concerns, utilitarian and non-utilitarian values, conflicts, and attitudes toward hunting. The results show that local concepts of the sustainability of reindeer are based on opinions about the ecological requirements as well as the roles reindeer can play in the social and economic development of the communities. The attraction of reindeer is a function of consumptive as well as non-consumptive objectives. Segments of the community with different consumptive orientations can share ideas about the attraction of reindeer, but diverge in their interpretation of the sustainability of the species. Improved knowledge about the diversity and complexity of value orientations associated with wild reindeer can be a useful tool for developing multi-objective management frameworks with a diversity of stakeholders who may share similar values and interests, although they have different experience and knowledge bases.

Aware or not aware? A literature review reveals the dearth of evidence on recreationists awareness of wildlife disturbance

“…Few publications explored variables such as environmental attitudes (Dunlap et al 2000), wildlife value orientation (Fulton et al 1996) or place attachment (Low and Altman 1992). Yet, there is a known influence of the interest in outdoor recreation on environmental attitudes, or on wildlife value orientations (Bjerke et al 2006, Whittaker et al 2006, Sterl et al 2010, Kil et al 2014, Kaltenborn et al 2017. Surprisingly, place attachment has not yet been considered to explain perception of wildlife disturbance even though it seems to be able to influence environmentally responsible behaviour (Vaske and Kobrin 2001).…”

“…In addition, participation in nature-based recreation contributes to the construction of attitudes and behaviour (Bjerke et al 2006, Bagri et al 2009, Larson et al 2011, Kil et al 2014, Su et al 2019. Other empirical studies of visitors performed so far have targeted topics such as stands towards management of protected areas (Hall et al 2010, Sterl et al 2010, Kaltenborn et al 2017, behaviour in nature (Lee and Jan 2015), sometimes towards wildlife (Fulton et al 1996). The field of study of human dimensions of wildlife has theorised the pattern of belief people follow in their relation to wildlife.…”

Introduction

“…The upgrading of trails, combined with adequate parking facilities and other services, is for instance taken into use to concentrate and channel traffic away from the vulnerable areas of national parks (see e.g. Kaltenborn et al, 2017).…”

“…It is only quite recently that public authorities have fully realized the need for a more adaptive management approach. Due to both increased visitation and more diversity among visitors, monitoring has become an important instrument for the manipulation of tourism traffic systems, both in terms of time and space in order to improve recreational opportunities, in reducing the risk of conflicts between different user groups (Pröbstl, Wirth, Elands, and Bell, 2010;Ankre, Fredman, and Lindhagen, 2016) and minimizing the negative impacts on ecological systems (Kaltenborn et al, 2017;Gundersen et al, 2015).…”

“…Adaptive management approaches, based on an inclusion of a wide range of stakeholders in the planning processes, have been implemented in the management of nature areas in the Nordic countries (see e.g. Kaltenborn et. al, 2017;Gundersen et al 2015;Andersen et al, 2014).…”