Twitching for values in the human domain: how do Australians value native birds?

Ainsworth, GB, Aslin, HJ, Garnett, ST and Weston, M.

Context

ARC project:

‘Increasing the effectiveness &

efficiency of threatened bird conservation’

Action Plan for Birds 2010

- Biophysical- Institutional

- Social

Influence of values on

conservation outcomes

1st year of PhD:

Social Values of Australian

Threatened Birds

How do Australians Value Native Birds?

- native bird species known

- valued most widely

- values held for threatened & non-threatened native species

- values held for particular native threatened species

Wildlife Management

Wildlife management:

Biophysical;

Economic,

wildlife policy framework

interactive relationships

information, values & efforts

socio-structural; valuational; institutional/regulatory

(Kellert & Clark 1991)

ecological, socio-psychological (Steinhoff 1980)

Values

Value: ‘relative worth, merit or importance’ of something:

cannot be observed directly only through their expression in the form of attitudes & behaviours

Values are critical:

personal goals: good & bad, right & wrong interpret events & information across situations & events

Social science perspective: person’s values towards wildlife thinking & behaviour in wildlife situation

(Manfredo 2008)

Culture & society

general beliefs/worldviews

values

specific beliefs/specific attitudes

behavioral commitments & intentions

behaviours

enduring

changeable

Cary et al 2000

Values: Attitudes: Behaviours:

Wildlife Values Research

Traditionally:Attitudes tested by empirical research, socio-psychological surveys, representative samples:

“I think duck hunting is ok as long as the bird is not endangered”

However, knowledge of individual native taxa across Australian society will likely be highly erratic:

- variation in prevalence, characteristics and distribution of bird taxa

- iconic / locally significant / expert knowledge

Measure of values reflected across society for native threatened birds can reveal public interest in and perceptions of individual species

Developing a Typology of Bird AttitudesDeveloping a Typology of Bird Values

No precedent for valuing an entire class of fauna such as Australian native birds (~720 species)

Review of commonly used empirical approaches to valuing wildlife

CAMPBELL, L. & SMITH, C. (2006) What Makes Them Pay? Values of Volunteer Tourists: Working for Sea Turtle Conservation. Environmental Management, 38, 84-98

- 8 value categories, qualitative

KELLERT, S. R. (1985) Social & Perceptual Factors in Endangered Species Management. Journal of Wildlife Management, 49, 528-536

- 9 value categories, quantitative

Native Bird Values Typology

The social values of Australian birds….???

Biophysical

physical attributes & biological functioning of birds

expressions of group identity or social experiences & objects of specialized attachments Aesthetic

symbolic

physical attractiveness & symbolic characteristic of birds

Aesthetic physical

spiritual meaning or message attached to birds

Spiritual

strong affection for individual animals

Anthopomorphic

increases / decreases in bird populations

Conservation

interrelationships between bird species & natural habitats

Ecological

mastery & control of birds (sport); being a good naturalist

Mastery

duty to protect & preserve birds

Moralistic

exciting experiences with birds in their natural habitat

Experiential

conflict between birds & humans

Negative

material benefit of bird products to human society (food)

Utilitarian-consumption

Which of these values does society hold for native birds?

?

material benefit of bird habitat to human society (development)

Utilitarian-habitat

• 13 value categories

• nationally representative, publicly available data; • data directly aligned with value category, directly related to individual bird species

13 Value

categories

21National projects

XSocial

profiles

Native Bird Values Correlation Matrix

Media Stories

Influence of media on public perception of native birds is important

Newsbank – 162 local, regional, and national newspapers 1998 – 2010

Complete full-text content:community events, schools, politics, government policies, cultural activities, local companies, state industries, & people in the community

67,156 bird stories identified 2,830 analysed

across all value categories

negative conservation

moralistic

utilitarian-habitatbiophysical

Wildlife Values &Conservation Outcomes

Social profiles = better understanding of our relationship with native birds- as a whole class of fauna, as families, as individual species

This research is ultimately important for threatened bird conservation:- understand priorities currently given to individual species

- useful for communicating conservation messages to the broader community

Better understanding of ourselves as humans and development of Australian culture

With grateful thanks to…

NSW / ACTDavid Collyer Mimmo CozzolinoSusan FreemanVanessa Keyzer Cilla Kinross Hollis TaylorLes TerrettAndrea Wild

NTFiona DouglasMichael HonerTim Schinkel

QLDJoan DawesNoela Edwards Jean Tucker Maureen Cooper

VICRob Buttrose, Grace Lewis, Megan Moore, Alan Sergi, Janelle Thomas, Paris Yves

WAIan AbbottGreg Barrett Fiona Colbeck Clive NealonKirsty Sadler

State / territory conservation departmentsBirdwatching tour companiesNational galleries and librariesAustralian Defence ForcesConservation volunteer groupsAustralian Institute of SportRegional shire councils