Participatory scenario planning to facilitate human-wildlife coexistence

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

Fostering human-wildlife coexistence requires transdisciplinary approaches that integrate multiple sectors, account for complexity and uncertainty, and ensure stakeholder participation. One such approach is participatory scenario planning, but to date, this approach has not been used in human-wildlife contexts. We devised a template for how participatory scenario planning can be applied to identify potential avenues for improving human-wildlife coexistence. We drew on 3 conceptual building blocks, namely the SEEDS framework, the notion of critical uncertainties, and the three-horizons technique. To illustrate the application of the proposed template, we conducted a case study in the Zambezi region of Namibia. We held 5 multistakeholder workshops that involved local people as well as numerous nongovernment and government stakeholders. We identified 14 important wildlife species that generated multiple services and disservices. The subsequent benefits and burdens, in turn, were inequitably distributed among stakeholders. Government actors played particularly influential roles in shaping social-ecological outcomes. We identified 2 critical uncertainties for the future: the nature of governance (fragmented vs. collaborative) and the type of wildlife economy (hunting vs. photography based). Considering these uncertainties resulted in 4 plausible scenarios describing future human-wildlife coexistence. Stakeholders did not agree on a single preferred scenario, but nevertheless agreed on several high-priority strategies. Bridging the remaining gaps among actors will require ongoing deliberation among stakeholders. Navigating the complex challenges posed by living with wildlife requires moving beyond disciplinary approaches. To that end, our template could prove useful in many landscapes around the world.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftConservation Biology
Jahrgang35
Ausgabenummer6
Seiten (von - bis)1957-1965
Anzahl der Seiten9
ISSN0888-8892
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 01.12.2021

Bibliographische Notiz

Funding Information:
This research was funded by Volkswagen Foundation through postdoctoral grants to R.K. and T.S.J. We thank all stakeholders. We are grateful to Kabika Kumoya for workshop facilitation and translations and Alice Limani Poniso for assistance. We also thank the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology for a research permit, the government of Namibia for permission to conduct research, and the University of Namibia for hosting our study. Ioan Fazey inspired us to use the three‐horizons method.

Funding Information:
This research was funded by Volkswagen Foundation through postdoctoral grants to R.K. and T.S.J. We thank all stakeholders. We are grateful to Kabika Kumoya for workshop facilitation and translations and Alice Limani Poniso for assistance. We also thank the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology for a research permit, the government of Namibia for permission to conduct research, and the University of Namibia for hosting our study. Ioan Fazey inspired us to use the three-horizons method.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology

DOI