Page 159 - A bird’s-eye view of recreation - Rogier Pouwels

In urbanized landscapes nature areas fulfil a multitude of ecological and social functions which are increasingly appreciated by society. Where these functions come under threat, site managers feel the need to find solutions and take measures to protect them. In doing so they have to make choices, because different functions require different solutions and some of these may conflict. Moreover, in the current political and social climate, stakeholders often hold opposing views about which function is most important. A common example of such conflicts, certainly in the last twenty to thirty years, is between outdoor recreation and bird conservation in nature areas. In such cases, managers will be able to make more evidence-based, transparent and socially supported decisions if they can draw on scientific knowledge and make use of scientific tools, for example by predicting the impact of management interventions on bird conservation and outdoor recreation targets. However, the validity of using scientific knowledge and tools is under debate because it is not certain they can provide the desired clarity of information. Previous research has shown that for knowledge and tools to be used in environmental decision making, they must possess three attributes: credibility, salience and legitimacy. These three attributes are interdependent: an overemphasis on one of them is often accompanied by underdevelopment of the other two. However, finding the best balance is complex as each person involved in the decision-making process may value the attributes differently. Also, questions have been raised about scientific knowledge on the relationship between outdoor recreation and bird conservation. Although research shows that in most situations visitors have a negative impact on bird species, the evidence is often expressed in short-term and local impacts, such as flight distance. This type of knowledge lacks salience and legitimacy as managers need to be able to predict the impact of outdoor recreation on long-term and regional conservation targets, such as the population size of protected species.
This thesis focuses on understanding how scientific knowledge and tools could
support conservation managers in finding a balance between outdoor recreation and
bird conservation as two of the main functions in nature areas. I present new scientific
knowledge and tools on the impact of hikers on bird populations. In four case studies,
I integrated site-specific data and local knowledge into existing scientific methods and
concepts to increase their salience and legitimacy, while at the same time maintaining S their credibility. I discuss how this new knowledge and these new tools might help
managers in a collaborative decision-making process with stakeholders. Finally, I reflect on the trade-offs between credibility, salience and legitimacy and propose directions for future research.
Summary
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