Predators, stewards, or sportsmen – how do Norwegian hunters perceive their role in carnivore management?

Hunting is increasingly seen as a management strategy in regulating large carnivore populations and reducing conflicts with human interests. A central theme in the carnivore debate is the role of the hunter in simulating natural predation and structuring of ecosystems. We surveyed a sample of Norwegian hunters to examine how they see their role in the ecosystem and to what extent environmental attitudes affect their perceptions of key functions of hunting. The hunters share a positive perception of themselves as responsible and law-abiding actors and important stewards of the ecosystem of great importance to wildlife management. Factor analysis revealed four underlying dimensions of the hunters’ perceptions of salient functions of hunting related to management, recreation, predation, and poaching. Environmental orientation was shown to affect perceptions of recreational and experiential functions of hunting, views on poaching, and perceptions of the stewardship role of hunters. Data on the multifaceted role of hunters can be important in the development of a socially legitimate hunting ethic in the increasingly complex sociopolitical landscape of carnivore management. hunters, hunting functions, carnivore management, ecosystem stewardshipPredators, stewards, or sportsmen – how do Norwegian hunters perceive their role in carnivore management?publishedVersio

Media Coverage of Environmental and Social Change in Northern Norway’s Coastal Regions : Main Themes in National and International News

Media are important agents in the shaping of northern images. Media coverage influences public perceptions and policy governing resource and societal development. But popular media often provide incomplete and skewed representations compared to the documentation provided by scientific literature and the range of activities and interests present in a region. We conducted a topic analysis of media coverage of environmental and social change in the Helgeland, Lofoten, and Vesterålen regions in northern Norway and Svalbard in the high Arctic during approximately 2014 to 2018. Our findings show that popular media collectively contribute to an image of expanding economic development based on natural resource exploitation. However, this narrative is incomplete in terms of the societal dynamics linked to natural resource development as documented in the scientific literature and somewhat biased towards climate change, oil and gas exploitation, tourism, and marine harvesting. Emergency preparedness issues and economic transitions are under-communicated, and we conclude that the popular media narrative only partly represents an alternative to the government policy discourse on northern issues. northern Norway; media coverage; environmental and social change; Helgeland; Lofoten; SvalbardpublishedVersio

Sustainable Tourism in Svalbard: Balancing economic growth, sustainability, and environmental governance

This commentary introduces a methodology and theoretical framework for studying how the tourism industry might balance the competing demands of economic growth and environ mental governance. We focus on the “balancing act” Svalbard tourism industry must play among sometimes competing demands of climate change mitigation and emissions from tourism, and of strict Norwegian environmental management policy and demands for increased tourism. While these are specific to Svalbard, the balancing act of competing needs is the core challenge of the UN Sustainability Goals giving this research global and pan-Arctic relevance. Through collaboration between two tourism organisations, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and Visit Svalbard and an interdisciplinary team of scien tists, we will co-produce knowledge about how to innovate new opportunities while protecting the wilderness, the very backbone of tourism. This collaboration considers how policy, climate change, and local attitudes together may affect the tourism industry and helps to define and develop sustainable tourism operations and products. For instance, tourists may participate in environmental and community-related activities or “micro safaris” rather than a sole focus on charismatic megafauna. Policy discussions about tourism growth need to consider how local and national governments anticipate and navigate rapid social, political, and environmental changes.publishedVersio

Effects of Arctic commercial shipping on environments and communities : context, governance, priorities

Increasing shipping traffic in the Arctic Ocean creates an emerging need to understand the consequences of maritime operations on the Arctic environment and coastal Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, as well as potential governance responses. To address this need, we examine recent shipping trends and assess their impact on Arctic environments and communities. Our arguments are novel, and are built around contemporary empirical investigations and published scientific studies, reports, and government documents. The paper concludes that the environmental and community impacts vary across the Arctic and that greater international coordination is needed to learn from experience, to share assets and capacities, and to guide responsible and sustainable development of Arctic shipping. Given the possibility for opening of the Transpolar Sea Route within the coming decades, further proactive steps, such as developing a governance framework, could help Arctic shipping avoid rather than attempt to correct problems. Shipping Arctic routes Indigenous peoples Local communities Social and environmental concerns RiskspublishedVersio

Who are legitimate stakeholders? National and local perceptions of environmental change in the Lofoten islands, Norway

Debates on future resource policy in northern regions raises the question of who are the legitimate stakeholders to include in policy deliberations? The Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway is a world-class nature tourism destination, the key spawning ground for North Atlantic cod as well as a reservoir of large unexploited offshore oil and gas deposits. We surveyed the resident Lofoten population and the larger Norwegian public to ascertain to what extent local and national perceptions of the value of selected environmental attributes and the importance of drivers of environmental change align across geographic scales. Lofoten residents and the national public both assign high value to environmental attributes, but local residents place more emphasis on harvesting marine and agricultural resources than the national public, which is more concerned with the status of individual species and conservation symbols. Our results show that the national public expresses so much interest in Lofoten that they should be considered a legitimate stakeholder in discussions about its future development paths, and while they relate to the area in a broadly similar way, there may be some specific areas of conflict that need to be considered.acceptedVersio

Linking social values of wild reindeer to planning and management options in Southern Norway

Norway is home to the last remaining populations of wild mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Europe. Concerns over anthropogenic and natural drivers have led to change in the management regime from a population-based model to an area-based model. More complex management goals, increasing involvement of stakeholders, and larger management units call for improved knowledge about reindeer-related values. We examined the responses of 1000 respondents to 39 statements of attitudes and values associated with wild reindeer presence and the management situation in two reindeer regions of southern Norway. We used a partial least-squares path modeling approach to examine the nexus between the attraction of wild reindeer, sustainability concerns, utilitarian and non-utilitarian values, conflicts, and attitudes toward hunting. The results show that local concepts of the sustainability of reindeer are based on opinions about the ecological requirements as well as the roles reindeer can play in the social and economic development of the communities. The attraction of reindeer is a function of consumptive as well as non-consumptive objectives. Segments of the community with different consumptive orientations can share ideas about the attraction of reindeer, but diverge in their interpretation of the sustainability of the species. Improved knowledge about the diversity and complexity of value orientations associated with wild reindeer can be a useful tool for developing multi-objective management frameworks with a diversity of stakeholders who may share similar values and interests, although they have different experience and knowledge bases

The role of wild reindeer as a flagship species in new management models in Norway

Wild reindeer are under pressure from human development projects throughout their habitat. Norway is currently making a significant move to establish a new management model based on national reindeer regions and regional management plans. A focus on wild reindeer as a flagship species allows the species to be included as a broad conservation objective in complex land-use plans. The authors surveyed a representative sample of residents in the Rondane and Setesdal regions to examine their perceptions of the current status of reindeer and how management relates to other social and development issues. Local actors and institutions, including hunters, were perceived as more responsible and suited to make decisions about reindeer population sizes and management objectives than non-local actors. There was little local consensus on the role of human impacts on wild reindeer, and residents rated local knowledge higher than scientific knowledge for management purposes. Rondane residents attached more importance to reindeer than Setesdal residents, but the latter saw reindeer as more threatened by human development. New management approaches will need to take a social-ecological perspective and recognize that the inclusion of reindeer can enhance broader conservation goals at regional, national, and international levels, but may also escalate local social conflicts. flagship species, local participation, regional management, wild reindeeracceptedVersio

Concern about climate change, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation andlandscape change: Embedded in different packages of environmental concern?

Climate change and biodiversity loss are often seen as the two most serious environmental threats facing humanity. It also seems to be a common notion that concerns about these issues are embedded in the same package of environmental concern among the public. In this article, we probe the relationship between dimensions of concern about environmental challenges. In a general population survey in Norway, respondents were asked how concerned they were about several environmental issues. Factor analysis revealed that concern about climate change and concern about major causes of biodiversity loss, such as habitat destruction, loaded on different factors. When respondents ranked the three issues they were most concerned about, there was minimal overlap between climate change and biodiversity loss. It appears that relatively distinct profiles exist, based on different interpretations of current environmental challenges. The profiles are differently related to background factors such as social class, education and gender. These relationships are not strong, but the association between confidence in various institutional actors and the concern profiles is quite distinct, and different for the two. Further research is needed to properly elucidate drivers behind the different orientations.acceptedVersio

Rekruttering til jakt. En undersøkelse om motiver for å avlegge jegerprøven, barrierer og tiltak for å øke andelen aktive jegere

Andersen, O. og Kaltenborn, B. P. 2007. Rekruttering til jakt. En undersøkelse om motiver for å avlegge jegerprøven, barrierer og tiltak for å øke andelen aktive jegere – NINA Rapport 221. 26 s. For å kunne gå på jakt i Norge, må man gjennomføre et obligatorisk kurs kalt jegerprøven. Ansvaret for å arrangere slike kurs ligger blant annet hos Norges Jeger- og Fiskerforbund (NJFF). Årlig uteksamineres det ca. 10 000 jegerprøvekandidater, men tendensen har vært avtagende de siste årene. Tall fra SSB viser at omtrent halvparten av uteksaminerte jegerprøvekandidater ikke blir aktive jegere i ettertid. Det foreligger lite kunnskap om årsakene til dette frafallet. Formålet med denne rapporten er å se nærmere på årsaken til at så vidt mange personer ikke fortsetter å jakte etter at de har tatt jegerprøven. Data er samlet inn ved hjelp av en postal spørreundersøkelse som ble sendt ut til 3000 respondenter i juni 2006. Datainnsamlingen ble avsluttet 1. oktober 2006. Utvalget bestod av 1000 kvinner (16-50 år) og 2000 menn mellom 16- 25 år pr. 1. april 2006. Vi har fått inn data fra 1113 personer, som gir en svarprosent på 37 %. Svarprosenten var henholdsvis 49.6 % for kvinner og 31 % for menn. Det var altså en klart lavere andel menn ift. Kvinner som svarte på undersøkelsen (18,6 prosentpoeng). Av informantene var 22 % mest interessert i storviltjakt, 73 % i småviltjakt, mens kun 5 var interessert i fellefangst og ingen oppga jakt på sel. Kvinner er mer interessert i småviltjakt (72 %) enn storviltjakt (22 %). Det var svært liten forskjell mellom kvinner og menn i interesse. Av de som oppga at de var mest interessert i småviltjakt, så er jakt på ryper/skogsfugl de klart mest interessante jaktformene. De motivene (for å ta jegerprøven) som scorer høyest er tradisjonelle motiver som spenning og naturopplevelse, samt å kunne ha muligheten til å gå på jakt. De viktigste opplevde barrierer er: studier, manglende utstyr og for liten erfaring. Vi identifiserte seks hovedmotiver for å ta jegerprøven. Motivene har vi kalt ”Opplevelse”, ”Kjøtt/matauk”, ”Slekt/venner”, Ferdighet/lære noe nytt”, ”Framtidige jaktmuligheter” og ”Opplæringstilbud i skole/Forsvaret”. De tre første er klart viktigst. På samme måte som for motiver identifisert vi noen hovedtrekk når det gjelder årsaker til at folk som har gjennomført jegerprøven ikke deltar videre på jakt. Disse har vi kalt ”Tilgjengelighet”, ”Manglende erfaring/kunnskap”, ”Negative holdninger til jakt” og ”Fysiske begrensninger”. Hoveddimensjonene blant ønskede tiltak var ”Bedre kunnskap om jakt og våpen”, ”Bedre tilgjengelighet, mer informasjon”, Behandling av felt vilt, mer kurs i jakt” og ”Oppfølging fra familien de første turene”. Vi så nærmere på sammenhenger mellom grupper av motiver, barrierer, samt alder, kjønn og bosted som uavhengige variable og de fire tiltakskategoriene. Vi kan tenke oss at motiver og opplevde barrierer er forutsetninger for å jakte eller å ikke delta i jakt, og vil dermed påvirke hvilke tiltak som man bør prioritere. Vi ser også at barrierer og tiltak henger sammen og er dermed ikke helt uavhengige variable. Det man opplever som barriere, ønsker man som tiltak for å fjerne denne barrieren.Andersen, O. and Kaltenborn, B. P. 2007. Recruiting new hunters. A survey of motives for com-pleting mandatory training, barriers and actions to increase the numbers of active hunters. NINA Rapport 221. 26 pp. Around 10 000 persons annually complete the national hunting education program (jeger-prøven) in Norway, but the number is decreasing. This report investigates the main reasons to why approximately 50 % of the candidates who finish this training do not proceed to become active hunters. We used a questionnaire to examine this question among 3000 candidates were classified as inactive hunters. The response rate was 37 per cent (n=1113). About 75 per cent of the respondents were most interested in small game hunting, especially grouse species. The three most important motivational factors for becoming a hunter were “nature experience”, “hunt for game meat” and “family and friends”. The three most important barriers to be-coming an active hunter were “availability of hunting areas”, lack of experience” and “negative attitudes toward hunting”. Four main actions to avoid inactive hunters were identified “Increased knowledge about hunting and arms”, “Better information and availability of hunting ar-eas”, “More knowledge about taking care of the game after the hunt” and “Family and friends should support the inexperienced hunter in the early stages of hunting”. Based on motivational factors, barriers and preferred actions, we recommend the following ac-tions to recruit active hunters following the national hunting education program: 1. The families of the candidates need to be more aware of the need for support and follow up in the beginning of their “hunting career”. We know generally that the social networks of young people can determine to which extent the candidate continues with the new activity later on in life. 2. Offer a specialised course in hunting (for certain species) after the completion of the national hunting education program. 3. Provide more information about the hunting opportunities locally and regionally during the national hunting education program course

Utvidelsesprosjekt Markbulia/ Einunna i Folldal kommune. Konsekvenser for jakt, fiske og friluftsliv

Andersen, O. & Kaltenborn, B. P. 2007. Utvidelsesprosjekt Markbulia/Einunna. Konsekvenser for jakt, fiske og friluftsliv - NINA Rapport 308. 22 s. Rapporten er skrevet på oppdrag for Glommen og Laagen brukseierforening (GLB). Her vurderes konsekvensene for jakt, fiske og friluftsliv av GLB sine planer om å øke reguleringshøyden på Markbulidammen med ca. 10 meter fra dagens reguleringsnivå. Dette medfører at sørøstlige deler av Einunndalen og arealene sør for Markbulia vil få et betydelig økt vannspeil i perioder med stor magasinfylling. Det opereres med tre ulike alternativer for reguleringshøyder, disse høydekotene er henholdsvis 870, 869 og 868 m.o.h. For småviltjakt vil området ha størst lokal og regional verdi. Den nasjonale verdien ansees å være liten. Verdien vurderes derfor på lokal og regional skala. De arealene som ligger innenfor planområdet (de berørte arealene) vil ha liten verdi for lirype og hare. For andefugl og andre jaktbare våtmarksfugler har disse arealene liten verdi. Verdivurderingen blir liten verdi. Virkningen av tiltaket settes til begrenset i forhold til småviltjakt. Konsekvensene vil være ubetydelige. For elg har planområdet liten verdi. Når det gjelder villrein, har området generelt sett liten verdi, men tidlig i jakta vil myrområdene har middels stor verdi. Verdivurderingen blir derfor middels stor verdi. Virkningen av tiltaket i forhold til storviltjakt vil i sum være begrenset. Konsekvensene vil være små negative. Andelen tilreisende fiskere på den berørte strekningen er relativt stor. Det finnes en del gode fiskeplasser på denne strekningen, og verdien settes derfor til middels stor verdi. Virkningen på fiske ved kote 870-868 settes til negative. Konsekvensene vil være små negative. Den klart viktigste effekten for andre former for friluftsliv er endringer i landskapsbildet. Landskapet i Einunndalen vurderes til å ha stor verdi. Samlet verdivurdering for annet friluftsliv blir derfor stor verdi. I det øyeblikk magasinfyllingen begynner å gå innover Einunndalen, vil dette medføre en utvasking og erosjon av strandsoner langs den berørte strekningen av Einunndalen. Dette er kanskje den mest alvorlige effekten av tiltaket og virkningen settes til negativ. Konsekvensene vil bli middels store negative. For å begrense negative konsekvenser på friluftslivet i området, bør man redusere HRV til kote 866. Dette er 4 meter under forslaget til HRV på kote 870. I dette tilfellet vil de berørte delene av Einunndalen holdes inntakt og konsekvensene av tiltaket reduseres betydelig. Et sentralt poeng er at tiltaket ikke ødelegger landskapsbildet langs veien i Einunndalen. I tillegg vil populære fiskeplasser, og muligens enkelte gyteplasser, i vassdraget holdes inntakt. Virkningen av en alternativ reguleringshøyde på kote 866 settes til begrenset. Konsekvensene ved valg av denne reguleringshøyden vil være små negative. Folldal, Hedmark, ørret, harr, ørekyte, konsekvensutredning, reguleringsmagasin, Folldal municipality, Hedmark county, brown trout, grayling, minnow, environmental impact assessment, hydropower magazin