The tiny Mediterranean country of Malta is often on the news for the trials and tribulations involving birds, hunters and conservationists. After a 2015 national referendum on Spring hunting ended with a very (very) narrow victory for the hunting camp, there are now discussions around the possibility of a second referendum on the same issue. … [Read more…]
NEW RESEARCH! Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a key role in biodiversity conservation. The majority of these organisations rely on public donations to fund their activities, and therefore fundraising success is a determinant of conservation outcomes. In spite of this integral relationship, the key principals for fundraising success in conservation are still guided by expert opinion … [Read more…]
Fresh of press is a new article in the journal Animal Conservation (FULL TEXT HERE). In it we describe an intervention to reduce demand for bushmeat in northern Tanzania. The intervention was centered around the 1-h radio show My Wildlife – My Community which included 15-min episodes of the radio drama Temboni, designed by PCI … [Read more…]
For years there have been reports in the popular press of the impact of the Harry Potter phenomenon in the UK on the demand for owls as pets. This narrative became so popular that it led even JK Rowling to issue several statements on this issue asking fans to not keep owls as pets. But … [Read more…]
A first! For the first time one of my articles has been translated to Chinese! A few weeks ago I wrote a piece for The Conversation entitled “Will optimistic stories get people to care about nature?” where I argue that there is a lot to gain from not succumbing to the doom and gloom messages … [Read more…]
In a recent interview for Oceana‘s blog, I talked about the importance of positive messaging in conservation and discussed how I think my Lost & Found storytelling project could help address some of the challenges we are currently facing in connecting with the public Read all about it here: http://oceana.org/blog/save-planet-scientist-says-%E2%80%98stay-optimistic%E2%80%99-0
The Earth is home to millions of species, but you wouldn’t know it from the media’s obsession with only a few dozen animals like tigers and gorillas. This narrow focus makes the most of popular fascination with large and cute creatures. Conservationists take advantage of these nonhuman celebrities to raise awareness about important issues and … [Read more…]
Just out in Biological Conservation! Check it out here Conservationists often complain that their study species are ignored by donors. However, marketing theory could help understand and increase the profile and fundraising potential of these neglected species. We used linear regression with multimodel inference to analyse data on online behaviour from the websites of the … [Read more…]
Nature doesn’t make the news often these days. When it does, the story usually revolves around wildlife on the brink, record-setting climate extremes or ruined landscapes. However, that is not the whole story. There is also good news, but it often receives little attention. It is easy to see how bleak accounts of the state … [Read more…]
Talking about nature has frequently become talking about extinction, decline and loss. But it does not have to be. The “Lost and Found” project works to bring to life the inspirational stories of those that never stopped believing and whose passion led them to rewrite the history of the species they so deeply cared about. … [Read more…]