Applying Public Participation Geographic Information Systems to Wildlife Management |
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| Authors: | Cody Cox Wayde Morse Christopher Anderson Luke Marzen |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA;2. Department of Geology and Geography, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA |
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| Abstract: | Wildlife management increasingly incorporates public participation to be more inclusive and reduce tensions between management and the general public in the decision-making process. There is also a need, however, to include spatial data since most wildlife biological and biophysical data are stored spatially in geographic information systems (GIS). This article presents a method for integrating this information using public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS). We asked stakeholders to identify specific places on a map that they would like to see maintained for the conservation of particular threatened species. This information is useful for identifying public wildlife management preferences and for allowing comparisons between public and expert opinions. We found high levels of public accuracy in identifying suitable habitat for threatened species conservation. We also identified places of potential conflict due to incompatible stakeholder preferences, but found little conflict between public conservation and development preferences. |
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| Keywords: | GIS conservation participatory planning spatial targeting collaboration |
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