Short Communication: Systems-based conservation and conflicts between species protection programs

Abstract

Abstract. Although the conflict between conservation efforts and economic growth is a major topic of conservation science, the conflicts between different conservation projects are much less documented and represented in the literature. We provide an overview of some case studies where these conflicts arise and discuss how to manage and solve them. We argue that conflicts are unavoidable, and that we can find optimal and efficient solutions only by studying the holistic, macroscopic properties of whole socio-ecological systems. Novel computational solutions offer simple and efficient simulation toolkits providing indicators that can support strategic and integrative decisions from a systems perspective.

Quantitative Spatial Ecology to Promote Human-Wildlife Coexistence: A Tool for Integrated Landscape Management

“…For example, from 2005-2016, 21 727 cases of crop raiding, 6,768 of livestock depredation, and 1,152 of property damage were reported in Kenya (Long et al, 2020). Human-wildlife interactions can thus occur at high frequencies, with even multiple conflict types happening concurrently over a given area (Jordán and Báldi, 2013;Sigaud et al, 2020). HWC should be assessed while considering that people's degree of tolerance for wildlife can be fundamental to finding solutions to promote human coexistence with dangerous or damage-causing species (Treves and Bruskotter, 2014;Struebig et al, 2018).…”

“…For example, multiple species may be simultaneously impacted by local interventions. Monitoring is required to ensure that mitigation measures aimed at reducing a given HWC does not jeopardize other conservation or management objectives (Jordán and Báldi, 2013;Sigaud et al, 2020). Also, wildlife management is often driven by the immediate need to solve a problem (Blackwell et al, 2016), such actions may have to precede the development of a mitigation plan based on an exhaustive understanding the behaviors resulting in HWC.…”

Emerging conflict between conservation programmes: when a threatened vertebrate facilitates the dispersal of exotic species in a rare plant community

“…In such cases, sanctioned management measures implemented to favour a specific threatened species might impede ongoing management efforts aimed towards other threatened species, resulting in an inextricable conservation dilemma (Williams et al, 2011). Despite this growing challenge, the potential for conflicting conservation goals is rarely considered in conservation planning and few published examples exist (Jord an & B aldi, 2013). Tackling conflicting conservation programmes requires a detailed understanding of the underlying ecological mechanisms that generate conflict so that managers can adjust the type of interventions applied.…”