Adaptive Pathways for Coexisting With Wildlife Workshop

Production landscapes overlap with wildlife habitat, which invariably gives rise to human-wildlife conflicts (HWC). Nonlethal solutions to HWC in production landscapes such as Wildlife Friendly Farming (WFF) have been... [ view full abstract ]

Production landscapes overlap with wildlife habitat, which invariably gives rise to human-wildlife conflicts (HWC). Nonlethal solutions to HWC in production landscapes such as Wildlife Friendly Farming (WFF) have been successfully implemented in South Africa and the USA but the wide scale adoption of WFF remains limited. Top carnivores predate on species that have an economic value to humans, particularly domestic livestock, which gives rise to conflicts with livestock producers. Conversely, herbivores can damage or consume crops or compete with livestock for food resources affecting food security and agricultural livelihoods. The reasons for the conflicts may vary throughout the world and can be classified as a wicked problem: complex, open-ended, intractable, and contested (Head 2008). Such problems sit at the interface of social and natural systems and are characterized by high levels of uncertainty as to the nature and extent of the risks involved for individuals and society (van Buren et al 2003). In this context, landholders, often encouraged by institutional arrangements, typically resort to lethal control of perceived ‘problem’ wildlife.

We propose to facilitate a 120-minute workshop using a novel participatory visioning technique (Jacobs et al in press) to explore ways in which interactions between landholders and wildlife may be transformed from conflict to co-existence. We will draw on expertise and tacit knowledge of participants to discuss real world solutions to HWC and identify actions towards WFF in production landscapes internationally. We aim to use this information to construct a conceptual model of transformation in a forum specifically created for open discourse among participants. In the context of a common conceptual framing of purpose to mobilise action on WFF. Solutions to the problem of HWC are likely to lie in collective action by multiple stakeholders to encourage practice change among farmers, in addition to new institutional arrangements, such as coordinated government, cross-sectoral collaboration, mediation and conflict reduction processes (Head 2008).