Stakeholder mental model analysis supports focused conservation policy and actions for Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) reintroduction

Andrew Blewett,Maarten Jacobs,Kasper Kok,Natalie Jones,Sharron Ogle

doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126064

Abstract

Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber has been restored to England’s natural fauna following a trial reintroduction located in the country’s southwestern region. Beavers characteristically generate profound and frequently beneficial shifts to river dynamics, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, and human cultural experience, but can also be associated with unwanted human interactions, impacts and costs. Consequently, an important objective of the trial design was to ensure conservation leadership, monitoring and mitigation for problems such as burrowing, damming and flooding, and damage to valued trees. To understand how these developments are perceived and accepted, implicated key stakeholder mental models were elicited and explored, using fuzzy cognitive map techniques. Analysis showed broad alignment of ecological understanding between stakeholders. Social perspectives showed marked divergence, a focus of concern as social conflict can undermine otherwise ecologically viable conservation benefits. To investigate perceived effectiveness of trial conservation measures, stakeholder models with and without conservation actions were experimentally compared under dynamic analysis. Overall, the findings indicate that actions taken are sustaining beaver acceptance and limiting persecution. Of stakeholder groups examined, farming appeared most susceptible to model divergence, but also strongly protected by mitigation. This is important as reconciling mental model differences is considered a necessary element in building socio-ecological system resilience. These findings highlight mental model analysis as a valuable aid to assessment of social dimensions of conservation policies. Further, mental modelling could help to focus how farm payment reform in the U.K. and similar economies might be used to support leadership and mitigation designed to improve human-beaver ecosystem resilience.

Highlights

This decision followed a 5year monitored reintroduction, the River Otter Beaver Trial, ROBT (Brazier et al, 2020) informed by prior U.K. experience of reintro duction in Scotland (Gaywood et al, 2015), which has been fol lowed by formal native species recognition by the Scottish government (Scottish Government, 2016)
Ethical and legal case for beaver reintroduction into England is well documented (Gurnell et al, 2009), we focus on exploring how human-beaver interactions may be influenced by align ment or divergence of stakeholder perspectives in an environment where people have limited long-term cultural memory of beaver pres ence (Coles, 2006), and limited recent experience of coexistence
What stakeholder mental model content differences and dynamic divergences are identifiable in relation to beaver reintroduction and conservation?

Summary

Introduction

In 2020, the U.K. Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities in England, granted permanent status to a popu lation of Eurasian beavers, Castor fiber living on the River Otter in Devon, Southwest England (DEFRA, 2020). This decision followed a 5year monitored reintroduction, the River Otter Beaver Trial, ROBT (Brazier et al, 2020) informed by prior U.K. experience of reintro duction in Scotland (Gaywood et al, 2015), which has been fol lowed by formal native species recognition by the Scottish government (Scottish Government, 2016). Reintroduction continues to be opposed by individuals and groups concerned about beaver interac tion with current modes of agricultural production, fisheries and infrastructure

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