Periodic Reporting for period 3 - FIDELIO (Forecasting social Impacts of bioDiversity consErvation poLicies In EurOpe)
Période du rapport: 2021-07-01 au 2022-12-31
1. to understand the complexities of socio-ecological systems in Protected Areas across space and time
2. to explore the key obstacles (from a socio-economic perspective) in achieving biodiversity conservation targets and
3. to develop a guide on social impact assessment for European Protected Areas
Development of a conceptual framework explaining links between individual and collective social characteristics, perceptions of social impacts and the level of support for PAs.
Development and testing of research tools (questionnaire and interview guide) in order to explore the research objectives of the project.
Design and distribution of surveys in a sample of local communities living in 10 Protected Areas (PAs). Several of these surveys were conducted during the pandemic and we were able to capture both social impacts of the PAs but also the impact of COVID-19 on these communities in relation to the PA.
Set of individual personal interviews focusing on social impacts of Protected Areas in 4 core case studies of the project.
Data analysis
Preparation of surveys in additional areas including 3 Marine PAs in Italy, France and Spain.
Preparation of reports in 4 PAs (available on our website: www.warwick.ac.uk/fidelio)
Presentations in 5 conferences and workshops.
Organisation of 5 workshops on social impacts of PAs and also the impact of COVID-19 (Jan Feb 2019, Jan 2020, July 2020, Oct 2020, July 2021)
Establishment of a strong collaborative network with 15 PA management authorities in Europe.
Holding meetings and consultations with the managing authorities of protected areas to ensure that our methodology and research questions are relevant for their work and the local needs of the protected areas.
Regular presentations in formal and semi-formal academic settings, where both the methodology and the findings of the project are shared with fellow researchers and practitioners.
The research team is also in the process of creating an innovative complex modelling framework informed by an in-depth analysis providing significant evidence on how social impacts are differentiated based on the geographical location in which they are measured and the influence of different indicators. Our preliminary research results so far show that proximity to the cores of protected areas, meaning the zones with the strictest protection levels in a protected area, is a significant contributing factor affecting local support for protected areas. Finally, the research team has responded swiftly to the challenges of the pandemic and has already contributed significantly in producing and exchanging information regarding the impact of COVID 19 both on the management of PAs and also the impact it has had on local communities living near PAs. We gathered data via workshops, interviews and structured questionnaires (presented in our reports no 2, 3 and 4 and academic publications no 2 and 3), which capture how people ‘escaped’ to nature during the pandemic and the significant impact that the increased number of visitors has had for PAs across Europe. Our workshops brought together managers from 15 Protected Areas and were useful in facilitating the exchange of knowledge on effective methods of overcoming and managing the issue of overcrowding in PAs. To our knowledge, we were the first research team in Europe to gather such information. Beyond this, the experience of the pandemic has offered a natural experiment through which to: evaluate the resilience of local communities in and around PAs; consider how this resilience may be sustained into the future; and to explore how tensions and social impacts may be mitigated.