Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé
Abstract Robust impact evaluations are needed for conservation to learn and grow as a field. Currently we lack a large body of evidence on the effects of behaviour change interventions in social‐ecological systems. By uncovering mechanistic relationships and establishing causality we can refine futu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-12-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10162 |
| _version_ | 1818414414079983616 |
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| author | Laura Thomas‐Walters Sara Vieira Victor Jiménez Domingas Monteiro Betânia Ferreira Robert J. Smith Diogo Veríssimo |
| author_facet | Laura Thomas‐Walters Sara Vieira Victor Jiménez Domingas Monteiro Betânia Ferreira Robert J. Smith Diogo Veríssimo |
| author_sort | Laura Thomas‐Walters |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Robust impact evaluations are needed for conservation to learn and grow as a field. Currently we lack a large body of evidence on the effects of behaviour change interventions in social‐ecological systems. By uncovering mechanistic relationships and establishing causality we can refine future programmes to enhance likelihood of effectiveness. Although a range of sophisticated methodological approaches to evaluation have been developed, conceptually linking project outcomes with conservation impacts remains difficult in complex systems. For example, sea turtles are one taxon in which unsustainable harvesting has been a particular problem. There have been a number of campaigns to reduce demand for sea turtle products, but we still have little evidence documenting their outcomes. We conducted the first formal impact evaluation of a conservation marketing campaign aimed at reducing the consumption of sea turtle meat and eggs. The campaign took place on the island of São Tomé, Central Africa, and included traditional mass media advertisements as well as community events. This is one of few demand reduction evaluations that has assessed both human behaviour and biological conservation outcomes. It benefited from an advantageous setting for evaluation, as nesting sea turtles are relatively easy to monitor and the island's small size and geographic isolation increased the detectability of potentially confounding factors. We found a decrease in self‐reported sea turtle egg consumption and a decrease in poaching of adult sea turtles. However, multiple unforeseen difficulties arose which complicated attempts at causal attribution. We were hampered by spatial spillovers, design effects from the sensitive questioning technique, concurring law enforcement and changes in biological monitoring effort. These challenges highlight the difficulties faced by practitioners seeking to apply impact evaluations in the field. We reflect on what this means for future impact evaluations of behaviour change interventions in conservation. Our recommendations include combining multiple outcome measures to triangulate hard‐to‐measure behaviours and theory‐based evaluation methods to explore causal impacts. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:18:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c8ae0874ac34f6b9e9fb6d8f5ad994e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:18:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c8ae0874ac34f6b9e9fb6d8f5ad994e2022-12-21T23:03:52ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142020-12-012491392210.1002/pan3.10162Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São ToméLaura Thomas‐Walters0Sara Vieira1Victor Jiménez2Domingas Monteiro3Betânia Ferreira4Robert J. Smith5Diogo Veríssimo6Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Canterbury UKPrograma Tatô Largo do Bom Despacho Cidade de São Tomé São Tomé Sao Tome and PrincipePrograma Tatô Sítio da Pedragosa Barão de São João PortugalPrograma Tatô Largo do Bom Despacho Cidade de São Tomé São Tomé Sao Tome and PrincipePrograma Tatô Sítio da Pedragosa Barão de São João PortugalDurrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Canterbury UKDepartment of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UKAbstract Robust impact evaluations are needed for conservation to learn and grow as a field. Currently we lack a large body of evidence on the effects of behaviour change interventions in social‐ecological systems. By uncovering mechanistic relationships and establishing causality we can refine future programmes to enhance likelihood of effectiveness. Although a range of sophisticated methodological approaches to evaluation have been developed, conceptually linking project outcomes with conservation impacts remains difficult in complex systems. For example, sea turtles are one taxon in which unsustainable harvesting has been a particular problem. There have been a number of campaigns to reduce demand for sea turtle products, but we still have little evidence documenting their outcomes. We conducted the first formal impact evaluation of a conservation marketing campaign aimed at reducing the consumption of sea turtle meat and eggs. The campaign took place on the island of São Tomé, Central Africa, and included traditional mass media advertisements as well as community events. This is one of few demand reduction evaluations that has assessed both human behaviour and biological conservation outcomes. It benefited from an advantageous setting for evaluation, as nesting sea turtles are relatively easy to monitor and the island's small size and geographic isolation increased the detectability of potentially confounding factors. We found a decrease in self‐reported sea turtle egg consumption and a decrease in poaching of adult sea turtles. However, multiple unforeseen difficulties arose which complicated attempts at causal attribution. We were hampered by spatial spillovers, design effects from the sensitive questioning technique, concurring law enforcement and changes in biological monitoring effort. These challenges highlight the difficulties faced by practitioners seeking to apply impact evaluations in the field. We reflect on what this means for future impact evaluations of behaviour change interventions in conservation. Our recommendations include combining multiple outcome measures to triangulate hard‐to‐measure behaviours and theory‐based evaluation methods to explore causal impacts. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10162aquaticbehaviour changebushmeatconservation social scienceconsumer researchdemand reduction |
| spellingShingle | Laura Thomas‐Walters Sara Vieira Victor Jiménez Domingas Monteiro Betânia Ferreira Robert J. Smith Diogo Veríssimo Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé People and Nature aquatic behaviour change bushmeat conservation social science consumer research demand reduction |
| title | Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé |
| title_full | Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé |
| title_short | Challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions: The case of sea turtle meat and eggs in São Tomé |
| title_sort | challenges in the impact evaluation of behaviour change interventions the case of sea turtle meat and eggs in sao tome |
| topic | aquatic behaviour change bushmeat conservation social science consumer research demand reduction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10162 |
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