The Value, Limitations, and Challenges of Employing Local Experts in Conservation Research


Por: Elbroch M., Mwampamba T.H., Santos M.J., Zylberberg M., Liebenberg L., Minye J., Mosser C., Reddy E.

Publicada: 1 dic 2011
Resumen:
Evidence suggests that the involvement of local people in conservation work increases a project's chances of success. Involving citizen scientists in research, however, raises questions about data quality. As a tool to better assess potential participants for conservation projects, we developed a knowledge gradient, K, along which community members occupy different positions on the basis of their experience with and knowledge of a research subject. This gradient can be used to refine the citizenscience concept and allow researchers to differentiate between community members with expert knowledge and those with little knowledge. We propose that work would benefit from the inclusion of select local experts because it would allow researchers to harness the benefits of local involvement while maintaining or improving data quality. We used a case study from the DeHoop Nature Preserve, South Africa, in which we conducted multiple interviews, identified and employed a local expert animal trac

Filiaciones:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Ctr Invest Geog Ambiental, Morelia 58190, Michoacan, Mexico
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, 1088 Academic Surge, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
Cyber Tracker Conservation, P.O. Box 962, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
ISSN: 08888892
Editorial
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC, COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA, Estados Unidos America
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 25 Número: 6
Páginas: 1195-1202
WOS Id: 000296962700028
ID de PubMed: 21966985

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