The emergence of biodiversity conflicts from biodiversity impacts: characteristics and management strategies

Abstract

Conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities occur in all habitats and can impact severely upon socio-economic and biological parameters. In a changing environment, with increasing pressure on ecosystem goods and services and increasing urgency for biodiversity conservation, these conflicts are likely to increase in importance and magnitude and negatively affect biodiversity and human wellbeing. It is essential, however, to better understand what is meant by 'biodiversity conflicts' in order to develop ways to manage these effectively. In view of the complexity of the social and ecological contexts of conflicts, this paper explores 'biodiversity impacts' linked to agricultural, forestry and other sectoral activities in the UK. The paper then describes the transition from 'biodiversity impacts' to 'biodiversity conflicts', illustrating this concept with specific examples. While generalisations relating to conflict management are made difficult by their unique contextual settings, this paper suggests approaches for their management, based on the experiences of scientists who have been involved in managing conflicts. We consider the role of science and scientists; trust and dialogue; and temporal and spatial scales in biodiversity conflicts and highlight the combined role they play in successful biodiversity conflict management. Recommendations are also made for future research on biodiversity conflicts in a changing environment.

Trade-offs in pastoral governance in Norway: Challenges for biodiversity and adaptation

“…Curbing global biodiversity loss sits among the most pressing issues of our time (Rockström et al 2009;Young et al 2010;Butchart et al 2010). Nature conservation and pastoralism are often deemed incompatible (Young et al 2005;Skogen and Thrane 2008;Heikkinen et al 2012), and conflicts often arise from the restrictions that biodiversity conservation imposes upon land use and pastoralists' livelihoods (Heikkinen et al 2012;Young et al 2005).…”

Towards understanding and resolving the conflict related to the Eastern Imperial Eagle ( Aquila heliaca ) conservation with participatory management planning

“…Social, economic and political aspects of conflicts also need to be considered when analysing or resolving conflicts (Madden, 2004;Thirgood and Redpath, 2008;Dickman, 2010;Young et al, 2010;O'Rourke, 2014). This view has broadened the scope of investigations; therefore, stakeholder perceptions and the main drivers of conflict situations have in recent decades become the focus of many research projects on conservation conflicts, especially those regarding predator species (Zimmermann et al, 2005;Václavíková et al, 2011;Arthur et al, 2013;O'Rourke, 2014).…”

The challenge of knowledge integration in the adaptive co-management of conflicting ecosystem services provided by seals and salmon

“…This presents a challenge for the manner in which future research into seal and salmon interactions and potential solutions is conducted, and how the results are disseminated to stakeholders. The more usual mode of undertaking ecological science in such situations is to maintain objectivity by excluding stakeholders' direct input, which can subsequently undermine their trust in the research results (Young et al, 2010). Instead, scientists may have to modify their approach to include stakeholders as co-researchers, as often practiced with indigenous communities where knowledge contestation is also common (e.g.…”