32
Keywords Asian carp · Discrete choice model · Information provision · Public
engagement
3.1 Introduction
A lack of human and financial resources represents a bottleneck to invasive alien
species (IAS) management all over the world, although it is widely recognized that
IAS causes biodiversity loss (Didham et al. 2005; Sala et al. 2000). IAS have substantially damaged natural resource-based industries, such as agriculture, forestry,
and fishery (Pejchar and Mooney 2009; Pimentel et al. 2005). For some governments and environmental managers, access to human and financial resources in
long-term represents one of the biggest challenges for effective IAS management
(Gardener et al. 2010; Simberloff et al. 2005).
IAS management programs have considered that public involvement is an essential tool to succeed, since it could overcome the management resources shortage,
such as a lack of human and financial resources (Dunn et al. 2018; Gaertner et al.
2016; McNeely 2001). For example, common sun skinks (Eutropis multifasciata)
were removed by tourists on Green Island, leading to a decrease in skink numbers
(Chao and Lin 2017). Based on these results, the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) mentioned that citizens were one of the most important players in IAS management (CBD 2014).
In spite of a general agreement on the importance of public involvement toward
the success of IAS management, such involvement is still difficult to achieve.
Previous literature noted that public apathy toward IAS management represents one
of the biggest barriers to public involvement. For example, people who underestimate IAS impacts in Japan tended not to support IAS management (Akiba et al.
2012; Mameno et al. 2017). Thus, public education and information provision could
be effective in engaging more people (Bremner and Park 2007; Marzano et al.
2015). Based on these suggestions, some governments have provided relevant information; however, public awareness and public involvement remains insufficient
(Dunn et al. 2018). Recently, the focus shifted to indirect approaches, which comprise neither education nor information provision. For example, Morgan and Ho
(2018) showed that good tasting carp meat encouraged invasive carp removal.
So far, many previous studies have addressed the public attitude concerning an
IAS and the management thereof (Bremner and Park 2007; Mameno et al. 2017;
Wald et al. 2018), as well as the estimation of social values from IAS management
programs (Nunes and Van Den Bergh 2004; Roberts et al. 2018). However, little
research has focused on how to encourage people to participate in IAS management
activities. Thus, our study—which uses a tour that comprises carp removal activities—can provide new insights into public engagements in IAS management. This
work also extends the knowledge of voluntary conservation approaches. A few studies have focused on such approaches (Durán-Medraño et al. 2017); however, to our
K. Mameno et al.
Keywords Asian carp · Discrete choice model · Information provision · Public
engagement
3.1 Introduction
A lack of human and financial resources represents a bottleneck to invasive alien
species (IAS) management all over the world, although it is widely recognized that
IAS causes biodiversity loss (Didham et al. 2005; Sala et al. 2000). IAS have substantially damaged natural resource-based industries, such as agriculture, forestry,
and fishery (Pejchar and Mooney 2009; Pimentel et al. 2005). For some governments and environmental managers, access to human and financial resources in
long-term represents one of the biggest challenges for effective IAS management
(Gardener et al. 2010; Simberloff et al. 2005).
IAS management programs have considered that public involvement is an essential tool to succeed, since it could overcome the management resources shortage,
such as a lack of human and financial resources (Dunn et al. 2018; Gaertner et al.
2016; McNeely 2001). For example, common sun skinks (Eutropis multifasciata)
were removed by tourists on Green Island, leading to a decrease in skink numbers
(Chao and Lin 2017). Based on these results, the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) mentioned that citizens were one of the most important players in IAS management (CBD 2014).
In spite of a general agreement on the importance of public involvement toward
the success of IAS management, such involvement is still difficult to achieve.
Previous literature noted that public apathy toward IAS management represents one
of the biggest barriers to public involvement. For example, people who underestimate IAS impacts in Japan tended not to support IAS management (Akiba et al.
2012; Mameno et al. 2017). Thus, public education and information provision could
be effective in engaging more people (Bremner and Park 2007; Marzano et al.
2015). Based on these suggestions, some governments have provided relevant information; however, public awareness and public involvement remains insufficient
(Dunn et al. 2018). Recently, the focus shifted to indirect approaches, which comprise neither education nor information provision. For example, Morgan and Ho
(2018) showed that good tasting carp meat encouraged invasive carp removal.
So far, many previous studies have addressed the public attitude concerning an
IAS and the management thereof (Bremner and Park 2007; Mameno et al. 2017;
Wald et al. 2018), as well as the estimation of social values from IAS management
programs (Nunes and Van Den Bergh 2004; Roberts et al. 2018). However, little
research has focused on how to encourage people to participate in IAS management
activities. Thus, our study—which uses a tour that comprises carp removal activities—can provide new insights into public engagements in IAS management. This
work also extends the knowledge of voluntary conservation approaches. A few studies have focused on such approaches (Durán-Medraño et al. 2017); however, to our
K. Mameno et al.