Understanding the diversity of values underpinning forest conservation

Abstract

Values are the motivational goals that underpin individual and group decisions, attitudes, and behaviours, and often influence the success of conservation. Existing studies have provided insight into the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders towards forest conservation values. However, there are still contentions among different stakeholders regarding the values underpinning conservation policies and programs. It is still unclear what values matter most to people in forest conservation. Moreover, the specific values that can motivate and empower people to participate in conservation remain poorly understood. We examined these issues using the human value orientation lens, a framework that captures the features of human relationships and interactions with forests and with other forest users. Given the need for conservation policies and programs to align with the priorities of local people, characterising multiple stakeholder perspectives can help us to better understand and untangle the conflicting interests and diverse motivating values influencing conservation policies and programs. Working in Nigeria, a country with one of the highest rates of global deforestation, we use the Q-methodology to capture and describe the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders regarding the values that underpin forest conservation. We identify three factors representing these values, and show heterogeneity in the viewpoints held by different stakeholders. The first factor explained 24 % of the study variance and identified environmental and management values as essential. This viewpoint was largely held by hierarchical stakeholders, forest experts, and forest staff. The second factor explained 12 % of the study variance, and identified cultural values that were predominantly held by forest users. The third factor explained 13 % of the study variance, and identified economic values that were mostly held by forest experts and forest users. Our study shows a diversity of value types held for forest conservation and that there are broad differences between stakeholders regarding their viewpoints. To enhance conservation success, in addition to focussing on consensus values, decision- and policy-makers should better differentiate value types that target the specific needs of stakeholders.