Knowledge and power in wildlife management

摘要: Who has knowledge and how it is communicated between groups can help determine who power in wildlife management. Despite a trend toward more transactional processes that purposefully incorporate stakeholder knowledge, technical science-based information remain dominant inputs for governance the United States elsewhere. Thus, most decision-making rests with managers politicians, depends on scientific includes varying involvement of local stakeholders. Resultant tension from top-down result conflict over stagnated Understanding public perceptions improve management effectiveness balances bottom-up approaches. We used Michigan wolf as case study to explore these ideas, first our this relationship regard delisted endangered species. Through semi-structured interviews highly involved stakeholders throughout (n = 21) 6 months after wolves were August September 2012, we qualitatively explored related 1) inequalities among 2) role associated hunting Michigan. Emergent themes relationships sources decision-making, political overrides science 3) special interests disenfranchise other publics, 4) mistrust decision-makers exists With further testing validation, might inform predictive models inferential studies useful participant planning engagement. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.