Managing bird populations: for whom and at what cost?

Abstract

Conservation is a necessary component of sustainable development. Human activities have had and continue to have a negative effect on natural ecosystems. There is a need to move to a more co-operative, effective and accountable management of "communal resources" including fauna and flora. Many issues negatively influence the ability of conservation managers to perform well and for all stakeholders. Society's underlying philosophic and economic attitudes are important. Most contemporary Southern Hemisphere societies see nature as separate from people and manage with a welfare mentality. Most financial incentives favour degraders of natural values and penalize those who conserve or behave sustainably. The other major issue which precludes effective management is the approach of government managers. Performance tends to be patchy, unaccountable and often based on simplistic single factor notions. There appears to be a general failure to provide diversified products to different stakeholders. These issues with suggestions for improvement are discussed with special reference to the management of rare bird populations and of fire.