Attitudes towards biodiversity management
This page is no longer updated. The information presented here formed part of our previous areas of research. This has included research carried out on behalf of our research partners, commerical contracts and also the Scottish Goverment's Strategic research programme during the period 2011 - 2016.
We have left these pages here to provide background information on our previous areas of research. Further details on the RESAS strategic programme of research (2016-21) will be made available.
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Public attitudes towards biodiversity and its management are poorly understood, raising concerns over the effectiveness of public participation in biodiversity policy making. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with members of the public to assess attitudes towards the management of an island ecosystem in which the abundance of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is compromised by the expansion of an invasive plant, tree mallow (Lavatera arborea).
Our work found factors such as balance and naturalness were strongly important to the respondents. The findings provide evidence that social attitudes offer valuable and meaningful information to biodiversity policymakers and managers, and allow insights into the way value judgments influence biodiversity management and conservation.
Who is working in this area?
Related Publications
- Invasive plant suppresses charismatic seabird - the construction of attitudes towards biodiversity management options. Fischer, A., van der Wal, R. 2007. Biological Conservation 135, 256-267.
This research was funded by the Scottish Government RESAS Strategic Research 2011-2016.
