Public willingness to engage in backyard conservation in New Zealand: Exploring motivations and barriers for participation

People and Nature

article

Christopher K. Woolley¹  Stephen Hartley¹  Nicola J. Nelson¹  Danielle F. Shanahan¹ 

[1] Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington;Centre for People and Nature

关键词: behaviour change;    biodiversity;    nature relatedness;    predator control;    pro-conservation behaviours;   

DOI  :  10.1002/pan3.10243

学科分类：护理学

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

1. Citizen science and participatory conservation offer benefits to urban wildlife andhelp foster human–nature relationships in cities. To optimize conservation andsocial outcomes it is important that initiatives appeal to participants of a widerange of sociodemographic backgrounds. However, this can be challenging whenmotivation and willingness to undertake activities are influenced by socioecological context. In New Zealand, where control of invasive mammalian predators isa predominant strategy for conservation, trapping of rodents and mustelids hasbecome a popular form of backyard conservation.2. To understand how the appeal of pest trapping compares with that of other conservation activities, we investigated relationships between sociodemographiccharacteristics of participants and willingness to undertake three different backyard conservation activities (trapping of pest mammals, monitoring of pest mammals and monitoring of native animals). We also examined barriers and motivationsfor participating in these activities.3. Willingness to engage in pest trapping was generally higher than that of the otheractivities, and although willingness scores for all activities were related to respondents’ connection to nature, this relationship was weaker for pest trappingthan for monitoring activities. Willingness was also positively related to naturedose for all three activities. Concern for the environment was the only significantmotivator of participation for all three activities while social interaction, contributing to community and enhancing one's ego were positively related to willingnessfor the monitoring activities only.4. The more general appeal of pest trapping may reflect its more tangible outcomesfor conservation or the additional benefits it offers participants through removalof domestic pests.5. Understanding why some activities appeal across a wide sociodemographic spectrum may allow improved project design that maximizes participant recruitment.By encouraging participation of a wide range of people, such activities could provide an opportunity for people to become more connected with nature.

【 授权许可】

CC BY