Public Participation in Wildlife Management: What Do Stakeholders Want?

Abstract

As public participation in environmental decisions has increased, natural resource management agencies have been challenged to involve stakeholders constructively in the resolution of a variety of contentious issues. This research examines how evaluative criteria, initially derived from theory and literature and then refined based on input from agency staff and stakeholders, can provide natural resource agencies with guidance for designing context-specific stakeholder involvement strategies. To provide illustrations, we conducted inquiries in two communities experiencing wildlife management conflicts. Results suggest that quality stakeholder involvement processes use scientific information, have genuine influence on decisions, treat citizens fairly, and promote informative communication and learning.