Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf
Stauder Julia Eurac Research, Bolzano (IT) Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf
The territory of South Tyrol • Intensive agricultural activities in the lowland valleys • Traditional landscape cultivation in the mountains • 84.967 head of livestock on traditional practice of mountain-
grazing (Source: Province of Bolzano: Agricoltura e Foreste) • 1739 mountain pastures – 34% of the total area of the Province
Source: Province of Bolzano
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 2 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf
Wolf presence in the Province of Bolzano
19/08/18 GPS-collar for a female wolf
Source: Province of Bolzano: Ufficio Caccia e Pesca
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Main conflict: Predation events on alpine pastures
ECONOMIC DAMAGE OF WOLVES (PREDATION) 2010-2018 43 lambs [€] 10.000 9.680 60 8 sheeps 3 goats 9.000 54 50 8.000 6.960 7.000 40 6.000 40
5.000 4.560 30 4.180 4.000 2.900 2.880 20 3.000 19 19 18 16 2.000 1.500 10 1.000 5 0 0 0 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Damage Amount of predation events Source: Province of Bolzano: Ufficio Caccia e Pesca
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• Expected population expansion in the next years • New individuals could colonize the territory coming from: Dinaric Alps Carpathian Mountains North (Austria, Germany) South (es. Lessinia pack) Western Alps
Source: University of Rome "La Sapienza"”
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 5 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf Social aspects of the conflict • Wolf causes conflicts on a economic, political, cultural and emotional level
• Different perceptions, attitudes and knowledge in society and among different stakeholder
• High impact on local media (over 330 articles from January-November 2018) → Audience-catching
Often problematic, because information are not reliable or and lack of objective presentation
Need to consider the HUMAN DIMENSION of the conflict
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 6 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf What did we do? • First study about public attitudes towards wolves in the region
• Analysis of the deeper social conflict related to the return of the wolf
• Create a scientific background to sustain the strategic management choices developed at provincial level
• Starting point for a mitigation process
• Key questions
• What do people know about the wolf? • What is their attitude? • What are the factors influencing the attitude of people?
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3 Actions • Quantitative online-questionnaire Residents • max. 34 questions •Province of Bolzano and Province of Trento
•Qualitative interviews Local •Thematic analysis •Farmers, hunters, tourist operators Stakeholder •Province of Bolzano
•Quantitative online-questionnaire • max. 31 questions Tourists •Tourists from Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland
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Residents Lokal Stakeholder Tourists
1818 Province of Bolzano 46 face to face interviews in all 8 196 Germany 657 Province of Trento districts of South Tyrol 155 Italy 2651 Totale * 23 Switzerland 20 Austria *176 Responses from other Provinces 394 Totale
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Results from the Province of Bolzano: Residents How do you consider your personal attitude towards the wolf?
35,0% 14,1% 50,9%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Negative Indifferent Positive N= 1818
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29,5% 34,6%
60,9% 70,5%
N= 1818 N=1818
Yes No I dont` know Yes No
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 11 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf Results from the Province of Bolzano: Residents
How do you consider your personal attitude towards the wolf? Key factors: 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% o Level of knowledge o Level of fear o Education Stakeholder 63,6% 10,6% 25,9% o Urban – rural area o Social group
Others 27,5% 15,0% 57,5%
Χ2, p<0.05 N=1818 Negative Indifferent Positive
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End of traditional Hybrids Media hype alpine as main farming 50% open problem General public for prevention ignores reality Controlled if it would Lack of 50% pro <50% open work hunting as information 50% contra for eco- solution wolves tourism Farmers Hunter Tourist operator
Lack of information Poaching Alpine Information General public Conflict with farming Shooting alpine campaign ignores reality important only farming for tourism for tourists solution N=15 N=15 N=16
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How do you consider your personal attitude towards the wolf?
13,7%
26,6% 59,6%
N=394
Positive Indifferent Negative
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19,5% 36,0%
12,9% 56,6% 67,5% 7,4%
N=394 N=394 Yes, in a positive way Yes, in a negative way No Yes No I don`t know
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 15 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Knowledge and attitude of the large public, local stakeholder and tourists in South Tyrol towards the return of the wolf First conclusions and outlook
• General public and tourists have a overall positive attitude towards the wolf
• There are key factors influencing the attitude and perception
• Communication process with stakeholders has to be installed
• Information for all social groups to create understanding for the view of others
o Publication of a report with all the results for the province of Bolzano
o Enhance a local mitigation process
HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT 16 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP │ 27-27 NOVEMBER 2018 │ EURAC RESEARCH - BOLZANO/BOZEN - ITALY Stauder Julia Eurac Research Institute for Regional Development Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano Italy T + 39 0471 55423 [email protected]
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