Social-ecological-systems approach to badger management in the UK

The UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries, with 1 in 4 native mammals facing extinction1. Lacking Government-owned protected areas, UK conservation focuses heavily on private farmland, where its implementation depends on farmers' willingness to participate.

Perhaps the most contentious issue at the intersection of wildlife conservation and farming is the management of bovine tuberculosis (TB)2. England's largest remaining terrestrial carnivore, the European badger, can transmit TB to cattle, and so the government actively encourages farmers to cull badgers. Culling is highly controversial, prompting vigorous campaigning by mainstream wildlife groups, and active interference by others.

As well as its direct impact on farm ecosystems, badger culling may have indirect effects via human societies. Farmers who perceive the wildlife sector as anti-cull may be unwilling to engage with schemes aimed at conserving farmland wildlife. Local residents and communities may be torn between the views of the farming and wildlife sectors. Culling may encourage a farming style which strongly prioritises production over conservation, in contrast with social and policy trends towards more nature-friendly farming, which have been linked to reduced TB risk3. The government plans to replace culling with badger vaccination2, but social factors are likely to delay this transition.

This project will take a social-ecological systems approach to understanding how differences in badger management influence biodiversity, farming outcomes, and the relationships between stakeholders (farmers, wildlife sector, local communities). Study sites in Cornwall, Derbyshire, and Sussex provide opportunities to compare and contrast management regimes. Methods will include biodiversity monitoring on culled and vaccinated farms using camera traps and acoustic monitoring, semi-structured interviews, q-methodology, focus groups, and key informant interviews using narrative and content analysis, to address five objectives:

(1) Develop a social-ecological-systems framework for badger management on UK farms.
(2) Explore barriers to participation in on-farm conservation activities with respect to badger management.
(3) Understand farmer preferences for alternative badger management options, including the impact of on-farm biodiversity and TB infection status on expressed preferences.
(4) Investigate differences in response to alternative badger management outcomes between different stakeholders within the system and reveal areas of conflict and possible agreement between different communities.
(5) Develop measures that encourage farmers to engage with badger vaccination and to participate wildlife-friendly farming.

1https://www.mammal.org.uk/science-research/red-list/
2https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/870414/bovine-tb-strategy-review-government-response.pdf, 2020)
3Mathews (2006) Biol Lett 2, 271-274