Scope: Due to human land use, climate change and economic pressures, the world around us is changing rapidly, with drastic negative consequences for our natural environment and the biodiversity it harbours. Of the many global environmental challenges we are confronted with, biodiversity loss is clearly one that is surpassing sustainable boundaries, indeed more than any other over the past decades (Mace et al 2014, see fig 1: Rockström et al 2009). The repercussions of these losses will be enormous for both the functioning of ecosystems as well as the livelihoods of people.
In many areas rewilding of the environment, in terms of vegetation and wildlife, has become common practice as possible policy measure to counter biodiversity loss. Although this is seen as a positive development, as biodiversity may provide opportunities in the form of ecosystem services (e.g. pollination, natural food source, recreation and income-generating opportunities through ecotourism), this measure also creates its own challenges. These challenges arise when, for example, increasing numbers of wildlife enter human-dominated landscapes where they may not have occurred for a long time; creating conflicts with agriculture and forestry, increasing zoonotic disease risk, and disease transmission between wild and domestic animals.
Conservation science is often focused on understanding and finding ways to mitigate conflicts between humans and nature and to promote reciprocal opportunities and benefits. The complexity of human-nature interactions raises a fundamental question: How do we balance diverse and sustainable vegetation and wildlife with the requirement of social and economic sustainability? In other words, how can we understand and promote sustainable conservation of nature?
Target group: The course is aimed at PhD candidates, postdocs, and other academics
Course duration: 6 days
Contact: PE&RC Office: office.pe@wur.nl
Registration of interest: You can register your interest HERE (note: this is not an official registration).
