Understanding farmers' perspectives and engagement with wildlife conservation practices: Insights from a European wildcat reintroduction
Abstract Farmers are important stakeholders in many conservation projects; however, their relationships with conservation practices and institutions are complex and can reflect competing visions and priorities for the same spaces. The reintroduction of carnivores into farmed landscapes can be especi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-08-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70070 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Farmers are important stakeholders in many conservation projects; however, their relationships with conservation practices and institutions are complex and can reflect competing visions and priorities for the same spaces. The reintroduction of carnivores into farmed landscapes can be especially contentious because of actual or perceived risks to livestock and livelihoods. Effective engagement between conservationists and farmers is essential for positive reintroduction outcomes. The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) is Critically Endangered in Scotland and is extinct in England and Wales, where reintroduction has been proposed. Using semi‐structured interviews, we investigated livestock farmers' perspectives on conservation practice, focusing on wildlife reintroductions and the prospect of wildcat restoration. Farmers often perceived wildlife conservation practices as removed from the needs of rural landscapes. Discourses initiated by prominent individuals and amplified in the media were perceived as ‘anti‐farmer’ and have fostered feelings of distrust of conservation practices and associated organisations. While we highlight farmers' senses of detachment and imposition, most farmers expressed willingness to engage with reintroduction projects if they were engaged in the ‘right’ way. Face‐to‐face interactions and investment in a long‐term local presence were seen as essential in engendering positive relations between farmers and trusted individuals. Cultural salience of wildcats was low among livestock farmers in these regions, where wildcats were long extinct. Uncertainties and confusion about wildcat ecology meant that many farmers, irrespective of their support for reintroduction, overstated both negative impacts and potential benefits. The conflation of reintroductions and ‘rewilding’ appeared detrimental to support for reintroductions. Transparency and clarity in communicating the scope of a project and farmer involvement were important. Individual and community level engagement as well as local involvement in planning reintroductions are central to fostering positive relationships between farmers and conservation organisations. Where the cultural salience of a species is low, such approaches can reduce the risk of misinterpretation of a species impacts and project objectives. Our wider exploration of current problems and potential solutions (as perceived by farmers) between farming and wildlife conservation means our results apply to a host of conservation initiatives where there is a need to facilitate better interactions between these groups. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
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| ISSN: | 2575-8314 |