Participation Under Time Constraints: Landowner Perceptions of Rapid Response to the Emerald Ash Borer

Abstract

Participatory approaches to environmental management often require lengthy periods for stakeholder involvement, but this may not always be feasible. For example, recent policy papers have emphasized the need for “rapid response” programs to eradicate newly detected invasive species before they spread. We review previous theory to demonstrate three challenges of integrating public participation in rapid response programs. We explore these in a case study of the rapid response to an invasive beetle, the emerald ash borer (EAB), in southern Ontario, Canada, in February 2003. To prevent the beetle's spread, a government agency oversaw the cutting, often at short notice, of a 10-km-wide swath of ash trees, much of which was on private land. Our interviews with local landowners detected widespread dissatisfaction with the rapid response to EAB that reflected the challenges we predicted, so we conclude with thoughts on the need for rapid participatory methods.