Reconciling livestock production and wild herbivore conservation: challenges and opportunities

Pozo, Rocío Alfaro; Cusack, Jeremy J.; Acebes, Pablo; Malo, Juan E.; Traba, Juán; Iranzo, Esperanza C.; Morris-Trainor, Zoe; Minderman, Jeroen; Radic-Schilling, Sergio; Moraga, Claudio; Arriagada, R.; Corti, Paulo

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2021.05.002

Cited by 39 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…Some authors argue that land abandonment offers opportunities for biodiversity conservation, such as forest bird species [62] and large mammals [63,64]. Nevertheless, rewilding brings new threats and challenges for farmers, administration and society on how to coexist with wild fauna [65,66] which was underlined by stakeholders. Summarizing, we agree that the debate on agricultural abandonment should focus more on target-nuanced, context-dependent policy and management strategies [67].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Traditional Livestock Systems Fit into Contemporary Landscapes? Integrating Social Perceptions and Values on Landscape Change

2021

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European traditional cultural landscapes are increasingly modified by rural abandonment and urban growth processes. Acknowledged as of High Nature Value for providing multiple ecosystem services while contributing to human well-being, the future of these social-ecological systems is uncertain. Here we aim to (1) explore dominant land use and cover (LULC) changes linked to extensive livestock farming across an urban-rural gradient defined by a large city (Madrid) over the last three decades; (2) identify and classify the main driving forces shaping these landscape trajectories and; (3) acknowledge the main landscape values for promoting landscape stewardship under participatory governance frameworks. For doing so, we combine mapping analyses (CORINE Land cover) with stakeholder perceptions and positions. Our results show a dual process of progressive abandonment of agroecosystems linked to traditional livestock farming and an ever-increasing urban growth over the last three decades as the most important driving forces. The growing urban sprawl in areas close to Madrid begins to be perceived as problematic for interviewees. The decline of extensive livestock farming in detriment of tourism, particularly evident in rural areas far from Madrid, is perceived as a threat to the cultural heritage and traditions of rural people. This decline is also perceived as a worrying increase of wildfire risk. Stakeholders stressed the need of valuing extensive livestock farming to prevent rural-urban migration, dynamizing rural economies, conserving landscapes and traditions while producing food-quality products. Interviewees advocated for science-based, stakeholder-inclusive and participatory landscape planning and co-management, leading to more context-specific, regionalized policymaking.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Traditional Livestock Systems Fit into Contemporary Landscapes? Integrating Social Perceptions and Values on Landscape Change

2021

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“…Increasing food security with minimal negative impacts on biodiversity continues to be one of the most pressing global challenges [49]. Community-based conservation aims to address this challenge by producing both conservation and socioeconomic benefits [38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the Community Conservancy Model Work for Pastoralists? Insights from Naibunga Conservancy in Northern Kenya

2021

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Community conservancies are increasingly being established across African pastoral rangelands to help bolster wildlife conservation and livelihoods. Enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of such conservancies requires better understanding of local community participation and perceptions of their socioeconomic outcomes. Working in Naibunga Community Conservancy in northern Kenya, we evaluated: (1) local community members’ perceptions of conservancy-related socioeconomic outcomes; (2) their involvement in conservancy management and conservation activities; and (3) association between these factors (perceptions and involvement) and various demographic factors. We conducted surveys in 358 households, selected using multi-stage sampling, and additionally interviewed key informants. Large proportions (65–90%) respondents perceived conservancy-related improvements in their overall socioeconomic status, security, household income, livestock numbers, and accessibility to grazing resources, schools, and health facilities. Over 75% of respondents indicated that they were involved in conservancy management and conservation activities. Involvement in these activities was positively associated with perception of socioeconomic improvements. In addition, various demographic factors shaped both perceptions of socioeconomic changes and involvement in conservancy activities. Our findings suggest that community conservancies can improve local pastoralists’ socioeconomic wellbeing. Such conservancies can achieve far greater outcomes with greater focus on maximizing socioeconomic benefits for local pastoralists and enhancing their participation in conservancy activities.

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“…This is relevant because human, financial and time resources are limited in conservation and there is a constant competition for their allocation to cases (Hughey et al 2003, Jachowski and Kesler 2008, McDonald-Madden et al 2008, Ruiz-Miranda et al 2020). It is also increasingly recognized that different species can impact human livelihood in different ways and at different times within the same geographical area, which should be considered in management (Pozo et al 2020, 2021). Intervention in one conflict could thus be a priority for a time, and then deprioritized when another requires intervention more urgently.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intervene or wait? Modelling the timing of intervention in conservation conflicts adaptive management under uncertainty

Bach

Minderman

Mill

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The timing of biodiversity managers' interventions can be critical to the success of conservation, especially in situations of conflict between conservation objectives and human livelihood, i.e., conservation conflicts. Given the uncertainty associated with complex social-ecological systems and the potentially irreversible consequences of delayed action for biodiversity and livelihoods, managers tend to simply intervene as soon as possible by precaution. However, refraining from intervening when the situation allows it can be beneficial, notably by saving critical management resources. Here, we introduce a strategy for managers to decide, based on monitoring, whether intervention is required or if waiting is possible. This study evaluates the performance of this waiting strategy compared to a strategy of unconditional intervention at every opportunity. We built an individual-based model of conservation conflict between a manager aiming to conserve an animal population and farmers aiming to maximize yield by protecting their crop from wildlife damage. We then simulated a budget-constrained adaptive management over time applying each strategy, while accounting for uncertainty around population dynamics and around decision-making of managers and farmers. Our results showed that when the decision for the manager to intervene was based on a prediction of population trajectory, the waiting strategy performed at least as well as unconditional intervention while also allowing managers to save resources by avoiding unnecessary interventions. Under difficult budgetary constraints on managers, this waiting strategy ensured as high yields as unconditional intervention while significantly improving conservation outcomes by compensating managers' lack of resources with the benefits accrued over waiting periods. This suggests that waiting strategies are worth considering, as they can facilitate successful management with a more efficient use of management resources, which are often limiting in biodiversity conservation.

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Reconciling livestock production and wild herbivore conservation: challenges and opportunities

Abstract: Conflicts between the interests of livestock production and those of wild herbivore conservation are an increasing global challenge.

Cited by 39 publications

References 96 publications

Do Traditional Livestock Systems Fit into Contemporary Landscapes? Integrating Social Perceptions and Values on Landscape Change

Do Traditional Livestock Systems Fit into Contemporary Landscapes? Integrating Social Perceptions and Values on Landscape Change

Does the Community Conservancy Model Work for Pastoralists? Insights from Naibunga Conservancy in Northern Kenya

Intervene or wait? Modelling the timing of intervention in conservation conflicts adaptive management under uncertainty

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