Envisioning Predator Free Miramar

<p><b>Rapid urbanisation and population growth has led to the fragmentation of vital ecosystems, disconnecting communities from the natural environment, and escalating the worldwide biodiversity crisis that we are currently experiencing. In 2015, New Zealand responded to its biodiversity crisis with the most significant large-scale conservation strategy the nation has seen. The Predator Free 2050 initiative aims to facilitate environmental changes for its indigenous flora and fauna to thrive again.</b></p> <p>New Zealand’s conservation approach has typically focused on predator management through off-shore islands and in fenced eco-sanctuaries. However, in order to achieve this nationwide predator-free status, conservation efforts must be extended into the urban realm. The success of this will rely heavily on the engagement of the public. This presents an opportunity to potentiate new knowledge around the links between community engagement and conservation in order to generate socio- ecological relations in urban environments. From a case study approach, this research will explore how landscape architecture can respond to the issues of biodiversity loss, land scarcity, and urban disconnect from nature by strengthening the relationship between social infrastructure and ecological health in an urban environment.</p> <p>Miramar Peninsula (Wellington) has seen strong community efforts to become the first predator free suburb in the country. Its size and defensibility make it a logical starting point to begin predator management across Wellington city. Watts Peninsula is a prominent cultural and historical landmark located on the northern tip of Miramar Peninsula. Despite its rich heritage, the area receives low levels of public use and is overrun by exotic species. Recently, government funding was allocated to provide recreational, safety and cultural benefits through the establishment of a reserve at Watts Peninsula. This presents an opportunity to address the future upgrade of the reserve by following the principles of Predator Free 2050 initiative, linking conservation with socio-ecological resilience.</p> <p>Watts reserve has been approached as a case study for developing design-led research. The research is oriented towards facilitating the ecological transformation of the area at the same time that social inclusiveness is embraced. In order to generate tangible changes, a range of small, strategic and feasible spatial interventions have been explored. The applied research methodology showcases the capacity of universities to develop civic engagement by linking national debates with local needs. The final aim of the research is to reflect how landscape architecture can catalyse the urban conservation movement to improve the habitability and sociability of our cities.</p>

Envisioning Predator Free Miramar

<p><b>Rapid urbanisation and population growth has led to the fragmentation of vital ecosystems, disconnecting communities from the natural environment, and escalating the worldwide biodiversity crisis that we are currently experiencing. In 2015, New Zealand responded to its biodiversity crisis with the most significant large-scale conservation strategy the nation has seen. The Predator Free 2050 initiative aims to facilitate environmental changes for its indigenous flora and fauna to thrive again.</b></p> <p>New Zealand’s conservation approach has typically focused on predator management through off-shore islands and in fenced eco-sanctuaries. However, in order to achieve this nationwide predator-free status, conservation efforts must be extended into the urban realm. The success of this will rely heavily on the engagement of the public. This presents an opportunity to potentiate new knowledge around the links between community engagement and conservation in order to generate socio- ecological relations in urban environments. From a case study approach, this research will explore how landscape architecture can respond to the issues of biodiversity loss, land scarcity, and urban disconnect from nature by strengthening the relationship between social infrastructure and ecological health in an urban environment.</p> <p>Miramar Peninsula (Wellington) has seen strong community efforts to become the first predator free suburb in the country. Its size and defensibility make it a logical starting point to begin predator management across Wellington city. Watts Peninsula is a prominent cultural and historical landmark located on the northern tip of Miramar Peninsula. Despite its rich heritage, the area receives low levels of public use and is overrun by exotic species. Recently, government funding was allocated to provide recreational, safety and cultural benefits through the establishment of a reserve at Watts Peninsula. This presents an opportunity to address the future upgrade of the reserve by following the principles of Predator Free 2050 initiative, linking conservation with socio-ecological resilience.</p> <p>Watts reserve has been approached as a case study for developing design-led research. The research is oriented towards facilitating the ecological transformation of the area at the same time that social inclusiveness is embraced. In order to generate tangible changes, a range of small, strategic and feasible spatial interventions have been explored. The applied research methodology showcases the capacity of universities to develop civic engagement by linking national debates with local needs. The final aim of the research is to reflect how landscape architecture can catalyse the urban conservation movement to improve the habitability and sociability of our cities.</p>

Rovviltforvaltning og reindriftsnæringen: Hvordan kan en todelt målsetting praktiseres i samsvar med internasjonale konvensjoner?

In Norway, both reindeer herders and sheep farmers base their meat production on natural outfield (utmark) pastures during the summer. In winter, most of the sheep are housed and fed indoors, while the reindeer survive on outfield pastures the whole year. During the last few decades, the losses of both sheep and reindeer to protected carnivores has increased in several areas in Norway. In this article, we focus on reindeer herding in the Troms and Nordland reindeer grazing area (reinbeiteområde). Due to large losses of reindeer calves, during the period from their birth in spring until late autumn, several reindeer herding districts hardly have any animals for slaughter. This has a very negative impact on both the economy and the cultural way of life. This article also discusses the reasons why it is difficult to document/prove who or what is responsible for the losses of reindeer calves. It is difficult to get permission to cull extra-active predators if the politically determined quota in each management region is not fulfilled. Documenting the correct number of predators inside each management region is therefore very important for reindeer herding and sheep farming. This has led to criticism and demonstrations by reindeer herders and sheep farmers. Norwegian predator policy formally builds on differentiated management. However, external review reveals that the management model builds on erroneous assumptions. Further, international law also requires that the burden created by predators does not unduly affect indigenous culture. The authors conclude that there is a need for extensive reforms in predator management in Norway.

Human–Wildlife Coexistence in Urban Wildlife Management: Insights from Nonlethal Predator Management and Rodenticide Bans

Conceptions of human–wildlife coexistence that acknowledge nonhuman wild animals as fellow urban dwellers with legitimate claims on shared urban spaces are starting to influence urban wildlife management practices. Insofar as at least some wild animals have successfully achieved membership in urban society, how has this revaluation affected how urban wildlife is governed? Our interpretive policy analysis explores this question in two areas of urban wildlife management where practices are becoming less lethal: predator management and rodent control. A directed qualitative content analysis of U.S. urban wildlife management plans and rodent control strategies reveals a shift from conflict to coexistence as the basis for understanding human–wildlife relations in urban settings. Indiscriminate killing of urban wildlife is condemned as unethical as well as impractical, and lethal control figures as a measure of last resort that must be rationally justified. Commensal rodents, however, do not benefit from this shift toward coexistence between humans and nonhuman species. Campaigns to restrict the use of rodenticides are intended to protect carnivores, not the rodents themselves. Though urban wildlife management is consistent with some elements of the vision of multispecies flourishing developed by human–animal studies scholars, not all species benefit equally from this transition, and the legitimacy of wild animals’ claims on shared urban spaces often remains contingent on their good behavior.

Animal Welfare in Predator Control: Lessons from Land and Sea. How the Management of Terrestrial and Marine Mammals Impacts Wild Animal Welfare in Human–Wildlife Conflict Scenarios in Europe

The control of predators, on land and in the sea, is a complex topic. Both marine and terrestrial mammal predators come into conflict with humans in Europe in many ways and yet their situations are rarely compared. Areas of conflict include the predation of livestock and farmed fish, and the perceived competition for wild prey (for example wolves competing with hunters for deer and seals competing with fishermen for salmon). A lethal method (shooting) and non-lethal methods of conflict reduction (including enclosures, guarding, and aversion) used for terrestrial large carnivores (e.g., bear, wolf, wolverine, lynx) and marine mammals (seals) are discussed. Control measures tend to be species- and habitat-specific, although shooting is a widely used method. Potential impacts on predator welfare are described and welfare assessments which have been developed for other wildlife control scenarios, e.g., control of introduced species, are considered for their potential use in assessing predator control. Such assessments should be applied before control methods are chosen so that decisions prioritizing animal welfare can be made. Further work needs to be carried out to achieve appropriate and widely-accepted animal welfare assessment approaches and these should be included in predator management planning. Future research should include further sharing of approaches and information between terrestrial and marine specialists to help ensure that animal welfare is prioritized.