WP5: Decision making and conflicts

Integrating multiple values: the ‘value’ of hunting and integrative research on hunting

Overview

To meet competing demands being placed on natural resources on a global scale, more integrated, ecosystem-based approaches to management are required. This involves recognising and managing trade-offs in order to avoid conflict.
In the context of hunting and biodiversity, this often involves comparisons between a complex range of values, including cultural, economic and ecological factors. Integrated thinking is not only essential for making decisions in policy and practice to balance these interests, but also for researchers seeking to provide the knowledge-base to inform governance by providing a more holistic understanding of the values and impacts of hunting.

Both the ‘value’ of hunting and the process of researcher integration were investigated in the HUNT project and this document summarises our work to:

• Integrate the economic, cultural, social and environmental values and impacts associated with hunting and assess trade-offs involved in decisions about hunting and other land management objectives, especially conservation.
• Evaluate the challenges and benefits of integrating research on these multidimensional aspects of hunting.