Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study
Abstract Concepts such as ecosystem services and nature's contributions to people are frameworks for articulating the value of nature and biodiversity conservation. Yet it remains difficult to argue for the conservation of species and habitats where they are inconspicuous or ‘non‐charismatic’....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-10-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10372 |
| _version_ | 1811205903063449600 |
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| author | Alice Hague Anke Fischer Anja Byg Alba Juarez‐Bourke Scott Herrett Antonia Eastwood |
| author_facet | Alice Hague Anke Fischer Anja Byg Alba Juarez‐Bourke Scott Herrett Antonia Eastwood |
| author_sort | Alice Hague |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Concepts such as ecosystem services and nature's contributions to people are frameworks for articulating the value of nature and biodiversity conservation. Yet it remains difficult to argue for the conservation of species and habitats where they are inconspicuous or ‘non‐charismatic’. This paper investigates the perceptions of a woodland area in rural western Scotland, designated for its high conservation value and characterised by habitats, rare species and species assemblages with limited appreciation by non‐experts and no obvious ‘utility’ value. Based on interviews with residents and visitors as well as workshops with participants representing different types of local expertise, we show how people experience and perceive the benefits from such woodlands. Overall, our study participants emphasised values and ecosystem services that benefitted humans, strongly drawing on stories of cultural or historical land use to argue for more material opportunities to be created. For those participants without ecological expertise, the designated conservation value, albeit respected and accepted, remained vague and bland. Participants also articulated a strong underlying development logic, pushing in some way for ‘more’ to be made from the woodlands so that more people could receive benefits from the woodland either directly (e.g. mental restoration; increased use for recreation) or indirectly (e.g. through creating jobs in the local tourism industry). Our findings suggest that managing for conservation alone might cause challenges in acceptability, especially where the species and habitats conserved are of little obvious value to the non‐specialist. At the same time, participants recognised that they valued the woodland being unique in some way, and that increasing the material use of the woods might harm the very essence of what made it special. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:37:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6887096f33b4a09b016bae21ee29f24 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:37:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6887096f33b4a09b016bae21ee29f242022-12-22T03:49:21ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142022-10-01451190120010.1002/pan3.10372Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative studyAlice Hague0Anke Fischer1Anja Byg2Alba Juarez‐Bourke3Scott Herrett4Antonia Eastwood5Social, Economic & Geographical Sciences The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UKDivision of Environmental Communication, Department of Urban and Rural Development Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala SwedenIndependent researcher Aberdeen UKSocial, Economic & Geographical Sciences The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UKSocial, Economic & Geographical Sciences The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UKEcological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen UKAbstract Concepts such as ecosystem services and nature's contributions to people are frameworks for articulating the value of nature and biodiversity conservation. Yet it remains difficult to argue for the conservation of species and habitats where they are inconspicuous or ‘non‐charismatic’. This paper investigates the perceptions of a woodland area in rural western Scotland, designated for its high conservation value and characterised by habitats, rare species and species assemblages with limited appreciation by non‐experts and no obvious ‘utility’ value. Based on interviews with residents and visitors as well as workshops with participants representing different types of local expertise, we show how people experience and perceive the benefits from such woodlands. Overall, our study participants emphasised values and ecosystem services that benefitted humans, strongly drawing on stories of cultural or historical land use to argue for more material opportunities to be created. For those participants without ecological expertise, the designated conservation value, albeit respected and accepted, remained vague and bland. Participants also articulated a strong underlying development logic, pushing in some way for ‘more’ to be made from the woodlands so that more people could receive benefits from the woodland either directly (e.g. mental restoration; increased use for recreation) or indirectly (e.g. through creating jobs in the local tourism industry). Our findings suggest that managing for conservation alone might cause challenges in acceptability, especially where the species and habitats conserved are of little obvious value to the non‐specialist. At the same time, participants recognised that they valued the woodland being unique in some way, and that increasing the material use of the woods might harm the very essence of what made it special. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10372biodiversityecosystem servicesmultiple benefitsrare speciesScotlandwoodland management |
| spellingShingle | Alice Hague Anke Fischer Anja Byg Alba Juarez‐Bourke Scott Herrett Antonia Eastwood Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study People and Nature biodiversity ecosystem services multiple benefits rare species Scotland woodland management |
| title | Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study |
| title_full | Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study |
| title_short | Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value—A qualitative study |
| title_sort | conservation in conversation people s perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value a qualitative study |
| topic | biodiversity ecosystem services multiple benefits rare species Scotland woodland management |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10372 |
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