The federal state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany is a highly populated region with an intensive land use and a high demand for infrastructure. At the same time, it comprises unique habitats for a diversity of wildlife species. Some of these species are rare and endangered; others form high population densities and cause damages. Therefore, a growing demand of a refined wildlife management is obvious in order to conserve wildlife diversity as well as to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
A network of governmental and University based institutions, namely the Wildlife Research Unit of Baden-Wuerttemberg (WFS), the Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg (FVA) and the University of Freiburg, have developed several monitoring and research projects aiming to tackle the various issues related to the close neighborhood of wildlife and humans. In the last decades, a strong network of different stakeholders has formed a solid basis for a constructive wildlife management. This participatory approach enables a link between landowners, hunters, nature conservationists, local alliances, skilled individuals and governmental professionals.
The participatory processes, the integration of applied science and the monitoring schemes were anchored in a federal law of hunting and wildlife management unique to Germany (Jagd- und Wildtiermanagementgesetz Baden-Württemberg) since 2015. For the first time, management decisions are based by law on monitoring and wildlife research outcomes. Decision making is hence bound to solid monitoring schemes and best practice examples. Results and recommendations are presented every three years in a wildlife report, a regulatory instrument for decision making and enforcement of wildlife management. Contents of the wildlife reports, issues and trendsetting management decisions are discussed and agreed on in several participatory groups that also reflect the participatory approach:
- - a steering committee involving governmental institutions (hunting and nature conservation authorities), wildlife research institutions and non-governmental organizations (hunting association),
- - an advisory board focused on hunting and wildlife management, and
- - an advisory board focused on development of wildlife research and wildlife monitoring.
Currently following projects are conducted to strengthen networks and to foster a sustainable wildlife management for conservation and use of wildlife: Alliance for small game, Round table wild boar, Grouse working group, Red deer working group, Working group lynx and wolf, just to name a few.
Here, we give an example how wildlife management could be improved with a foundation by law and how human dimension issues can be solved by participatory approaches.
Topics: Management of Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Large Carnivores in Europe , Topics: Management of Human-Wildlife Conflicts: “Other” Species in Europe