Abstract
Wild geese are increasing in agricultural and urban settings across Europe, leading to widespread human–geese interactions. This study examined how the public’s acceptance of geese (attitude and acceptance capacity) varied depending on place dimensions, interactions with geese in different settings (place-based experience), and psychological factors, including wildlife value orientations, beliefs about the ecosystem services and disservices geese provide, and emotions. A survey was conducted in two municipalities with large goose populations in Sweden; Kristianstad and Örebro (n = 898). Results revealed a favorable view of the occurrence of geese, although a substantial share believed the number of geese was too high. Place-based experiences of geese were correlated with acceptance (e.g., more experience on beaches was associated with a negative attitude) and the importance of psychological factors for acceptance was confirmed. The study highlights the need to consider the public’s experiences of geese for sustainable goose management.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 421-437 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Human Dimensions of Wildlife |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 16 Apr 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Sept 2020 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgmentsWe are very grateful for the comments on an earlier draft from two anonymous reviewers and the associate editor.
Funding
This work was supported by the Umeå Universitet.
Keywords
- cognitions
- emotions
- place-based experiences
- public acceptance
- Wild geese