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Workshop Report by Stephen Decker

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:51:46 +0100

Overveen Workshop Summary

Wild bison in the Netherlands?

On October 13th, 2009 Holland's Provinciaal Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland (Puur Water en Natuur, PWN) and the Large Herbivore Foundation (LHF) hosted the first workshop in a number of years to focus on the Human Dimensions of large herbivore restoration and management. The workshop was held in Overveen, the Netherlands at the edge of the Kraansvlak dunes and was attended by more than 30 people from the Netherlands and several other Western European countries as well as two Canadians. The workshop began with introductions and warm welcomes by Hans Kampf, who recently replaced Fred Baerselman as the new director of the LHF, and Piet Veel, sector manager for nature and recreation with the PWN. The workshop was divided into three sections:

presentations by project leaders and experts in the area of large herbivore restoration and management,
an excursion to the PWN's 200 ha European bison enclosure, and an afternoon working session to identify
learn about some of the most pressing human dimensions issues facing bison restoration in the Netherlands.

Bison restoration project Kraansvlak dunes

As part of his introduction to the workshop Mr. Veel provided a brief overview of the bison restoration project in the Kraansvlak dunes. Since 2007 the PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland (provincial Drink Water Company), in association with Stichting Duinbehoud, ARK and Stichting Kritisch Bosbeheer has worked to successfully initiate, manage and promote the establishment of a European bison herd in the Kraansvlak dunes reserve. Though the animals are located within a 200 ha fenced enclosure, the Kraansvlak pilot project has achieved important successes.
These successes include the following:

providing opportunities for research on bison impacts on dune areas and general bison ecology,
offering guided excursions to allow members of the public to view bison, providing an opportunity to study bison-human interactions,
contributing to future efforts to restore free-ranging bison in the Netherlands.

Given the important work of the PWN in this area, the Kraansvlak reserve was a very fitting location for this past October's human dimensions workshop.

Presentations from various countries

The morning session of the workshop included interesting and informative presentations by researchers and project managers from Canada, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. For those unfamiliar with the field of Human Dimensions, Stephen Decker began the workshop presentations with an explanation of the field and its importance for large herbivore restoration and management.
Stephen explained that Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management is a field of study which seeks to gather, understand and explain the attitudes, beliefs, concerns, and opinions of stakeholders and members of the public who are concerned about or affected by wildlife management efforts. Such information is essential for wildlife managers and nature conservationists because failing to understand and address the concerns of the public and interest groups can result in unsupported decisions, which may contribute to public opposition to nature and wildlife conservation efforts.
Presentations by project leaders (see presentation overviews and abstract links elsewhere on this webpage) highlighted human dimensions issues associated with bison restoration and management efforts in several European countries. The presentations by the guest speakers relayed experiences and issues that are of interest to all interest groups and individuals associated with bison restoration and management.

The experiences discussed in the presentations included the following:

Efforts to address the concerns of farmers regarding crop damage and disease transfer
Nature conservation opportunities provided by former military areas
Positive bison-human interactions in an enclosed area
Opportunities for further human dimensions-related research on public beliefs and attitudes regarding bison
Learning from the LHF's extensive project experience to help to establish and maintain new bison restoration and management projects
The role of bison in maintaining and restoring biodiversity and ecosystem functions
The importance of gathering information on bison-related beliefs and attitudes that is representative of all stakeholder groups
How bison react to public visits and tours
Challenges and opportunities for other, more extensive, bison restoration projects

These presentations gave workshop participants a good base of information and allowed them to effectively participate in the afternoon session of the workshop. Before the afternoon session began, however, workshop participants were treated to an excursion into the nearby Kraanvslak reserve where they were able to see the features of the reserve area, view the bison herd and network with other workshop participants.
Following the excursion, Joep van de Vlasakker and Stephen Decker led a facilitated workshop session which involved workshop participants working together to identify, discuss and evaluate human dimensions challenges and opportunities facing European bison restoration and management in the Netherlands and elsewhere. Participants were divided into small groups and worked together to compile lists of the biggest challenges facing bison restoration and management efforts in the Netherlands.
This exercise produced an extensive list of more than 30 challenges (Table 1). Each group then presented their list of challenges to the entire group of participants for discussion and evaluation.

Table 1: Challenges as Identified by Participants

Fear of the animal
Fear of bison-caused damage
Public Fear of losing access because of reserves
Scientific Debates
Government attitude (Minister does not want fuss)
Legal liability (regarding damage/injuries)
Assumptions by managers about thoughts and attitudes of the public
Lack of funding
Single interest groups (hunters, farmers)
Debate about fencing
Need media support for bison ("Knut effect")
Irresponsible conduct by visitors to reserves
Lack of knowledge about behaviour of wild animals
To create areas of sufficient scale
Need to analyse feelings on different levels
Extinction - responsibility
Need to encourage local pride in local nature reserves and natural areas
Emphasize unique nature experience in areas with large herbivores
Need to assess / increase public knowledge levels regarding bison and bison ecology
Bottom up approach (first gain support of the general public then the politicians)
Need organizations with areas willing to reintroduce bison Need to use facts to challenge mistaken beliefs that bison and cows hybridize and that bison are dangerous
Need more examples (pilot projects) with bison in nature
Need to establish cooperation between nature conservation organizations (tronger network)
Need bigger wilderness areas (nature is divided too much between different areas)
Identify why we want to reintroduce bison (need a guiding plan for bison restoration and management in the country)
Need to communicate why we want to do this (reintroduce bison) to create sufficient acceptance
"Recognize our own paradigm" especially with respect to densities. What should determine densities cultural carrying capacity (public acceptance) or ecological carrying capacity?
Need a sound research base from pilot projects
Convincing Government laws regarding agriculture are challengingand highlight that bison are original species
How to deal with professional compliance
Support / acceptance by farmers. Need money for compensation.
Need support of local inhabitants and those using the area for recreation
Conflicts with roads and demands of fauna underpasses and overpasses
Fences for bison that allow red deer, wild boar, etc. to pass through

Following an extensive discussion about the nature of the challenges identified and whether some could be grouped as more general issues, workshop participants cast votes to indicate which of these challenges presented the largest roadblocks or barriers for bison restoration and management in the Netherlands. Despite having initially identified both a large diversity and a large number of challenges, participants very clearly identified just three challenges out of 35 as being the most important issues to address.

The three most important challenges identified by workshop participants are as follows:

Need to develop more pilot projects (like the Kraanvslak) to expose the public to bison, educate people about bison behaviour and ecology and conduct scientific research on bison behaviour and ecology.
Need bigger wilderness areas/reserves to support ecosystem functions, allow for species migrations, buffer against the effects of global climate changes and support/enhance species diversity.
Need to reduce fear of bison. Public safety fears were identified by several workshop participants as important issues in their project areas. Farmers' concerns regarding disease transfer and crop damage were also identified as significant issues that need to be addressed.

It is important to note that two additional issues emerged from discussions during the workshop These issues relate to

important challenges regarding the transportation (domestically and internationally) of bison and
the need for more effective networking opportunities among individuals and interest groups interested in promoting European bison restoration and management efforts. After some discussion and debate regarding these three central challenges workshop participants were again divided into groups and asked to identify possible solutions for each challenge.

This exercise produced a rich list of almost 30 possible solutions (Table 2) to these most important challenges. While some of the solutions identified relate specifically to a particular challenge identified, others are more general in nature and thus may apply to a larger variety of challenges.

Table 2: Main Challenges and Solutions as Identified by Participants

Need to develop more pilot projects

Begin by identifying potential suitable areas (i.e. areas with few problems / controversies and big, natural areas.
Employ experience (e.g. successes / lessons learned) from other pilots (e.g. Kraansvlak).
Formulate clear goals (e.g. more species / open to the public).
Develop pilots with clear objectives / research questions.
Develop relationships with decision-makers supportive of bison restoration efforts.
Groups interested in bison restoration and management should work as a team - take a systematic approach (may help resolve difficulties with regulations).
Find someone with guts to begin a new pilot and work through the growing pains - learn from the ‘growing pains' of other projects.
Use Kraansvlak as a model to follow for future pilots - or to extend from (increase size of Kraansvlak or link Kraansvlak with other areas).

Need bigger wilderness areas/reserves

Lobby to link to existing areas using relevant nature conservation policies.
Identify pilot areas with the right conditions (size) to address these objectives.
Apply lessons learned in smaller project areas to gain support for establishing larger reserve areas.
Explore the possibility of converting former military areas to reserves.
Enlarge existing pilot project areas and consider the value of a broader spectrum of herbivores (possibly even carnivores).
Connect existing areas.
Support and learn from networks and corridors in the Veluwe are.

Need to reduce fear of bison

Gather data regarding fear.
Formulate solutions to address concernsEducate the public.
Host / offer excursions to the public to allow people to experience bison behaviour (visitors will become ambassadors / promoters).
Develop education materials for all age levels.
Develop positive image in the media to create the "Knut effect".
Develop a communication plan to address fear.
Encourage experience exchanges where local people can learn from their counterparts in areas where bison currently exist.
Similar to the exchange organized by Uwe Lindner (Rothaarbegirge project, Germany) where local interest group representatives made an excursion to Bialowieski National Park in Poland to learn from their counterparts about issues related to bison.The challenges and associated solutions identified by the Overveen workshop participants have been well documented and are currently being compiled to form the basis of LHF efforts relating to bison restoration and management in the coming months. The LHF has the intention to organizing a follow-up human dimensions workshop in 2010 or 2011 to discuss progress on addressing the main challenges and associated solutions identified in Overveen.

Thanks and further discussions

The LHF and PWN sincerely appreciate the cooperation and hard work of workshop participants and look forward to continued cooperation with and assistance from network participants in the coming months as we move forward with efforts to address the challenges identified.

LHF very much looks forward to further discussions with you all in the near future and to our continued work in the area of Human Dimensions of large herbivore restoration and management and thanks Stephen Decker (and all the others) for all their work.

Stephen Decker is Lecturer Sustainable Resource Management, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, Canada.

For questions and remarks, please send us a comment.

Workshop on Bison and Human Interaction

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:03:19 +0100

Workshop bison and Human Interactions in combination with field excursion

Kraansvlak, Overveen, The Netherlands, 13 October 2009

In spring 2007 the PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland started with a pilot project with European bison (wisent) on the 200 ha sand dune area Kraansvlak, a closed-off area near the Kennemer Dunes (near Overveen / Haarlem), accompanied by scientific research. It is a cooperative project of PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland, Stichting Duinbehoud, ARK and Stichting Kritisch Bosbeheer (http://www.wisenten.nl/wisenten/home).

Its aim is to acquire knowledge and experience with bison in the Dutch situation, the food strategy and the effects of the bison on the sand dune landscape, dune dynamics and dune vegetation. Besides the interaction between wisent and landscape, also the co-existence with other grazers as well as human visitors is being studied. After an acclimatization period, during which the animals could only be watched from a viewpoint or through the fencing, excursions into the area will be organized. The project will be evaluated after 5 years.

Bison are important as flagship species for example for ecological corridor projects, establishment of protected area as well as for re-wilding projects. People attitudes towards re-introduction and protection of large mammals are not always positive, especially in areas where species have become extinct a long time ago. Human Dimension has become an important science to address this issue in a scientific way.

On 13 October 2009 a workshop on the Human Bison relation has been held to share the experiences. The workshop was organised by the Large Herbivore Foundation (LHF), on invitation and in co-operation with PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland (Provincial drinkwater company for the province of North-Holland). A selected group of experts, who are - in a practical way - directly involved with new pilots in the Netherlands and neighbouring countries attended.

Room was given to discussions in the form of a workshop, to draw some outlines for the following phase; bison re-introduction in the Netherlands. We consider a follow-up next year for the policy makers and politicians.

Workshop report and pictures

Download the workshop report, written by Stephen Decker
Caroline Stravers made a series of photos, published in Picasa

Workshop program

We could not upload all presentations because of the size, please don't hesitate to ask for it.

1. Human dimension and large herbivores, Stephen Decker, Wilfrid Laurier University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Ontario, Canada

How can the human dimension approach help the nature manager of wild nature, and what are the experiences with HD, especially large herbivores in North America and Kraansvlak and other relevant projects?
Mental change in nature conservation and human attitude, fear, other nature, change in human use of the area.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121545125/abstract

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Human dimension and large herbivore

2. Experiences form abroad, Uwe Lindner, Taurus Naturentwicklung e.V.; Wittgenstein-Berleburg'sche Rentkammer

What are the experiences and perspectives for bison in Germany, Rothaargebirge?
How did HD help the process?http://www.wisente-rothaargebirge.de/pdf/lecture/7-Tommy%20Svensson.pdf
What where the main reasons why the project can now be implemente

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Taurus Naturentwicklung

3. Experiences and perspectives for bison in Germany near cities, Peter Nitschke, Sielmanns Naturlandschaft Doberitzer Heide

Example of the Doberitzer heide: how does the public encounter the bison? How will they encounter the bison in the future?

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Sielmanns Naturlandschaft Doberitzer Heide

4. Experiences from Sweden, Eriksberg, Tommy Svensson, Wildgehege Eriksberg, Schweden

People - bison interactions; why is bison important for Eriksberg?
How can people see the bison in Eriksberg? How close can they get to the bison? Any negative encounters?

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION:Bison re-introduction in Slowakia

5. Bison re-introduction in Slowakia, Michal Adamec - State Nature Conservancy. presented by Joep van de Vlasakker

The bison re-introduction started in 2003 was an ecological success.
The project has come to a hold due to objections from hunters and farmers.
HD and targeted communication in combination with international support can help the further implementation of the re-introduction.

6. How experiences in Western Europe and Eastern Europe can benefit from each other, Joep van de Vlasakker, LHF, Nature Conservation Manager

With our experiments in Europe we can demonstrate how to develop the bison' natural role.
Examples of conflicts between people and bison.

7. HD and bison in the Kraansvlak, Piet Veel, sector manager nature & recreation, PWN Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland

Experiences so far with human attitudes,
behaviour of bison towards humans,
future plans for public access/HD

8. Afternoon workshop, Stephen Decker & Joep van de Vlasakker

Questions discussed: how to make it happen:

What arguments did you met in your situation against bison?
What do you think will be the negative arguments against free ranging bison in the Netherlands?
What target groups do we need to address?
How to find out what the real arguments/feelings are in the Netherlands against bison?
How to change negative feelings into positive feelings ?
Which HD tools do we need for reintroduction under Dutch circumstances?
What communication tools/techniques do we need?