The role of trust in public attitudes toward invasive species management on Guam: A case study

Abstract

Public attitudes toward invasive alien species management and trust in managers' ability to effectively manage non-native species can determine public support for conservation action. The island of Guam has experienced widespread species loss and ecosystem transformation due to invasive species, most notably, the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis). Despite Guam's long history with invasives and extensive efforts to eradicate them, we know little about the sociological context of invasive species and drivers of public support or opposition on the island. Using focused group discussions, we explore public attitudes toward invasive species management measures. Respondents were familiar with the common invasive species on Guam and recognized that they were not native. They expressed support for management activities, interest in more effective and frequent management initiatives, and desire to participate directly in conservation actions. Participants also expressed frustration with government institutions and lack of confidence in managers' ability to control invasive species. Perceptions of managers' trustworthiness, communication with managers, and positive personal experiences with managers were related to positive attitudes about management and support for existing initiatives, indicating the important role of trust and engagement for invasive species management.

The human and social dimensions of invasion science and management

“…Many invasive species generate conflicts of interest, and engagement is crucial for avoiding, reducing or resolving such conflicts (Crowley et al, 2017;Zengeya et al, 2017;Novoa et al, 2018;Crowley et al, this issue;Villatoro et al, this issue). Approaches used to deal with conflicts include building social learning and trust between parties and promoting effective communication (Novoa et al, 2016(Novoa et al, , 2018Crowley et al, this issue;Wald et al, this issue). Crowley et al (this issue) stress the need for collaborative planning, transparency and inclusivity to ensure effective management and to prevent conflict; they emphasize that disregarding public opinions and values is a fundamental mistake when designing management strategies for invasive species.…”

Intervener trustworthiness predicts cooperation with conservation interventions in an elephant conflict public goods game

“…Previous studies (Hamm et al, 2016;Smith et al, 2013;Wald et al, 2018) have gained rich insights into stakeholder cooperation or support using surveys or interviews. By contrast, games enable experimental manipulation, but unrealistic incentives can lead to poor external validity (i.e.…”

“…In some quantitative (Hamm et al, 2016), and qualitative (Wald, Nelson, Gawel, & Rogers, 2018) , who justified in-game cooperation with reasoning related to: the ability, benevolence or integrity of themselves or the intervening groups (bar colour), the benefits of cooperation generally or concerns related to wildlife conservation trustworthiness constructs on responses to conflict interventions may be context-dependent.…”

Moving from Latent to Manifest Problem: Trajectories Across Scientific and Public Salience of Invasive Alien Species

“…Using NVivo v.12 software, we coded for inertia (on the part of government and of the community), action (by government and by the community), and species' impacts. We coded axially, setting the categories in advance and adjusting them during the process if deemed expedient (Wald et al 2019). Community action took place when NGOs, individual citizens, or civil society organizations undertook some kind of activity regarding an invasive alien species.…”