HUNTing for Sustainability

This project assessed the social, cultural, economic and ecological functions and impacts of hunting across a broad range of contexts in Europe and Africa.

Project aim

The overall goal of the project ‘Hunting for Sustainability’ was to assess the social, cultural, economic and ecological functions and impacts of hunting across a broad range of contexts in Europe and Africa. Funding was provided by EU FP7 and it ran from 2009-2012.

Project objectives

The specific objectives included to:

• investigate the meanings attributed to hunting by different social groups in different localities
• analyse how institutional arrangements and institutional change influence hunting
• assess the economic importance of hunting and alternative forms of land use at different spatial scales
• establish communication concerning the design and implications of the project results with key stakeholders and policy makers, and to disseminate these findings to a wider public
• develop fora for the implementation of methodologies for the reconciliation of conflicts between key stakeholders over hunting practices.

Methodology

Qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups, observation, scenario workshops) and quantitative methods (economic valuation methods, field studies, etc).

Key findings

An overview can be found on the HUNTing for sustainability website.

More specific findings can be found below:

• discourses over the moralities of hunting in Europe and Africa
• the multifunctionality of hunting in Europe and Africa
• the role of women in illegal hunting in Tanzania and Ethiopia
• hunting in lower Omo, Ethiopia
• revenue sharing from hunting and wildlife tourism in Ethiopia.

Key contact

Justin Irvine