TY - JOUR
T1 - The social context for conservation
T2 - Amphibians in human shaped landscapes with high nature values
AU - Hartel, Tibor
AU - Scheele, Ben C.
AU - Rozylowicz, Laurentiu
AU - Horcea-Milcu, Andra
AU - Cogălniceanu, Dan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier GmbH
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - Many human-shaped landscapes have high natural and cultural values and support viable amphibian populations. The challenges and approaches required to achieve the persistence of amphibians in such landscapes are clearly different from approaches commonly applied in protected areas. Contrary to protected areas or natural landscapes, where amphibian conservationists can have direct control over management, in human-shaped landscapes, management options must incorporate local communities’ values and socio-economic aspirations. However, consideration of the social aspects of amphibian conservation are not well represented in the amphibian conservation literature. Here, we propose that amphibian conservationists should: (i) assess the controllability of their management actions for achieving long-term sustainability; (ii) understand the values and attitudes of landowners towards amphibians, as well as amphibian-friendly practices (local scale) and land stewardship forms on which amphibian conservation initiatives can be built (landscape scale); and, (iii) understand the social and economic drivers of land-use, which is crucial for building adaptive potential in conservation programs. Since targeted amphibian conservation initiatives are limited in human-shaped landscapes, focus on the broader socio-economic context conducive to amphibian persistence is crucial.
AB - Many human-shaped landscapes have high natural and cultural values and support viable amphibian populations. The challenges and approaches required to achieve the persistence of amphibians in such landscapes are clearly different from approaches commonly applied in protected areas. Contrary to protected areas or natural landscapes, where amphibian conservationists can have direct control over management, in human-shaped landscapes, management options must incorporate local communities’ values and socio-economic aspirations. However, consideration of the social aspects of amphibian conservation are not well represented in the amphibian conservation literature. Here, we propose that amphibian conservationists should: (i) assess the controllability of their management actions for achieving long-term sustainability; (ii) understand the values and attitudes of landowners towards amphibians, as well as amphibian-friendly practices (local scale) and land stewardship forms on which amphibian conservation initiatives can be built (landscape scale); and, (iii) understand the social and economic drivers of land-use, which is crucial for building adaptive potential in conservation programs. Since targeted amphibian conservation initiatives are limited in human-shaped landscapes, focus on the broader socio-economic context conducive to amphibian persistence is crucial.
KW - Biodiversity conservation
KW - Conservation policy
KW - Human development
KW - Social sciences
KW - Wildlife-friendly management
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075218625&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jnc.2019.125762
DO - 10.1016/j.jnc.2019.125762
M3 - Article
SN - 1617-1381
VL - 53
JO - Journal for Nature Conservation
JF - Journal for Nature Conservation
M1 - 125762
ER -