Case Study 3
In 2006, the Scottish Government’s statutory nature conservation body, Scottish Natural Heritage, carried out a consultation exercise into the publics perception of controling invasive non-native species. Conservation managers understand that public support for their activities can be key to the success or failure of the projects they undertake. This is especially true when control or eradication projects are being undertaken to remove invasive non-native species.
The results were very interesting and a summary is listed below. Full details are provided in the published paper: http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/people/documents/Bremner2007.pdf
The researchers wanted to address 3 main questions, which they felt would provide conservation managers with a better understanding of public attitudes on which they could base management decisions, education programmes and publicity:
- Which socio-demographic factors influence attitudes to the management of invasive non-native species?
- Do levels of support for invasive non-native species management vary between particular species or taxa?
- Do higher levels of awareness raising of invasive species management influence the attitudes towards control or eradication programmes?
The survey was undertaken using a questionnaire of 600 randomly selected people (proportionally stratified to make it representative of different ages, genders and distribution of the population). 49% responded. The majority of respondents (73-84%) supported the control or eradication of invasive species causing economic damage or harming native, or threatened, Scottish species. Fewer people (45%) supported the eradication of all non-native species.
There were several demographic factors significantly associated with responses:
- Men were more likely to support general control and eradication;
- Older people (45-54 age group) were more likely to agree with control/eradication programmes;
- People in full-time employment were more likely to agree with control/eradication programmes;
- Respondents who had heard of control programmes before were more likely to support control/eradication programmes;
- Membership of conservation agencies was not a significant factor in responses;
- 69% of people said the methods used for control would affect their level of support for control/eradication programmes, i.e. respondents would not support what they considered to be ‘cruel’ control methods e.g. poisoning of animals;
- There was a significant difference in the level agreement for control between different species/taxa; and
- There was no indication of a difference in attitudes between urban and rural dwellers.
Some studies have shown gender may have an influence on responses e.g. for charismatic animals, such as deer, men are more likely to support lethal control methods, whereas women are more likely to support alternatives such as contraception, regardless of effectiveness.
The results of the Scottish survey highlight the importance of understanding the values and attitudes held by the general public with respect to wildlife control. The general public has a willingness to support control of invasive non-native species, but they need help to understand the threats posed and the options available. This supports the view that targeted communication and awareness raising will help increase public acceptance for control management. The issue of managing invasive non-native species is as much a social one, as it is a biological one.
