Social Perceptions of Forestry Practices on Anticosti Island

Transcription

1 Social Perceptions of Forestry Practices on Anticosti Island Presented by Marie-Hélène Rousseau Graduate Student in Forestry Sciences Project Supervisors: Louis Bélanger Louis Guay Laval University August 26 th 2005

2 Context Sustainable Forest Management Recognition of the necessity to consider and integrate public concerns in the forestry resources management process The study of social acceptability and perceptions of forestry practicies

3 Hunting Industry Forest Industry Main economic activity for the residents of the island Good hunting: a result of a good hunting succes and the quality of the land Share the same territory Contributes to the long-term restoration of white tail deer habitat. Forestry pratices might alter the quality of the land

4 Objective To determine the perceptions, concerns and needs of the different forest stakeholders in relation to forestry practices on Anticosti Island. Studied Groups : Residents Guides Hunters Tourists

5 Methodology 1. Qualitative method Total of 50 interviews Residents: 15 interviews Guides: 15 interviews Hunters: 11 interviews Tourists: 9 interviews 2. Quantitative method Residents

6 Main topics: Perceptions related to deer and forest resources issues Perceptions of logging/forestry practices Concerns and fears concerning forest management and deer population on Anticosti island Public consultation process

7 Results Residents: qualitative and quantitative Guides: qualitative Hunters: qualitative Tourists: qualitative

8 Residents How do they perceive the issue concerning white tail deer and the loss of its habitat? Loss of biodiversity Fir and deer??? The white tail deer density causes an important loss of biodiversity Moderately disagree 3% Moderatelly agree 24% Totally disagree 15% Moderately disagree 10% Moderately agree 21% Totally disagree 3% Totally agree 70% The loss of balsam fir threatens the white tail deer survival in the long term Totally agree 54%

9 Should we intervene? No intervention: 51% agree 47% disagree By controling deer population Deer population control: disagree Scenario 1: No intervention Totally disagree 38% Moderately disagree 9% No opinion/don't know 2% Totally agree 23% Moderately agree 28% Scenario 2 : To control deer density by commercial hunting Totally disagree 72% Totally agree 8% Moderately agree 10% Moderately disagree 10% Scenario 3: To control deer density by introducing a predator Totally agree 2% Totally disagree 87% Moderately agree 5% Moderately disagree 6%

10 By restoration of deer habitat (enclosures) Enclosed cut block strategy: agree (73%) disagree (25%) Senario 4: To restore deer habitat (balsam fir forests) by the enclosed cut block strategy Moderately disagree 11% Totally disagree 14% No opinion/don't know 2% Totally agree 41% Must intervene For biodiversity To improve deer conditions To avoid a potentiel decrease of deer population that might threaten hunting industry Moderatelly agree 32%

11 Do not intervene No lack of food The loss of balsam fir forest is not a threat for the deer survival Deer will survive and adapt itself (genetically or behaviour) : by eating something else such as spruce by making more important fat reserves Natural balance: cycle of increases and decreases of deer density

12 What do they think about the actual forest management? Enclosures strategy: moderately acceptable to totally acceptable What do you think about the present enclosed cut block strategy? Totally unacceptable 12% Moderatly unacceptable 6% No opinion/don't know 10% Moderatly accepotable 41% Totally acceptable 31% Enclosures size: less than 10 km 2 Which size is acceptable for enclosed cut block? No opinion/don't know 15% Other 12% Less than 30 km² 3% Less than 20 km² 6% Less than 5 km² 11% Less than 10 km² 53%

13 Area occupied by cutting: moderate Spatial distribution of cuts: moderate What do you think about the present size of cut area on the island? No opinion/don't know 1% Totally unacceptable 18% Moderatly unacceptable 22% Totally acceptable 24% Moderately acceptable 35% What do you think about the present distribution of clearcuts on the island? No opinion/don't know Totally 5% unacceptable 18% Totally acceptable 30% Moderately unacceptable 18% Moderately acceptable 29%

14 Logging in general: moderatly acceptable I consider logging unacceptable on Anticosti because it threatens the white tail deer population. 5% I consider logging unacceptable on Anticosti because it threatens the white tail deer hunting industry. 2% I consider logging on the Island unacceptable because Anticosti is an important ecological environment that we should preserve. 9% Other 3% I consider logging on Anticosti Island acceptable. 2% I consider logging on Anticosti acceptable insofar as forestry practices must be made to harmonize with other forest uses such as deer hunting and recreation. 79%

15 Impact of logging on hunting activities Positive: Gives acess to new areas In new cuts (less than 5 years old) Negative: High deer density Good visibility In old cuts (past 5 years old) Low density of deer Bad visibility Logging influence or modify white tail deer hunting quality on the island. No influence/no modification 4% Mostly negative 33% Exclusively negative 4% Exclusively positive 19% Mostly positive 40% Positive impact: 59% Negative impact: 37%

16 Fears and concerns Enclosed cut block strategy Experimental: unknown results Difficulty to manage the deer inside the enclosure: Size: less than 10 km 2 Quantity: important workload for the residents Use another strategy to clear out the deer of enclosures

17 Enclosed cut block strategy Loss of area for hunting : short term : low deer density inside long term : dense forest = bad visibility Village economy Bring economic benefits to the village

18 Guides Origin: Pourvoirie du Lac Geneviève Logging on Anticosti: generally unfavorable Origin: SÉPAQ Logging on Anticosti: moderately favorable

19 Fears and concerns Blocks deer migration Experimental: unknown results Still a lot of deer inside enclosures Use another strategy to clear out the deer of enclosures Impact of a potentiel decrease of deer population on their jobs (hunter s satisfaction) Loss of area for hunting: short term/long term

20 Hunters Origin: Maine/Vermont (4 interviews) Logging in general : positive opinion Logging on Anticosti: acceptable «they should cut more, it gives food for the deer, they need more food» Origin: Quebec (7 interviews) Logging in general: negative opinion Logging on Anticosti: moderately acceptable «if it is controlled and if it doesn t affected hunting activites»

21 Informed or not informed issues deer/habitat: well informed enclosures strategy: in majority well informed well informed acceptable not or poorly informed unacceptable

22 Tourists aerial view from the plane Origin: Quebec Logging in general : negative opinion Logging on Anticosti: unacceptable «it is a nonsense to log on Anticosti» Informed or not informed Issues deer/habitat: poorly informed Enclosures strategy: not informed Once informed level of acceptability increases wilderness

23 Recommandations Lack of information concerning deer/vegetation issue Uncertainties, fears and concerns: should we intervene? Knowledge transfer Researchers Residents Guides Hunters Tourists

24 Lack of information Concerning enclosures strategy Tourists and Hunters: opposition to logging on Anticosti Knowledge transfer Hunting guides Summer guides Hunters Tourists

25 Enclosures strategy Residents and Guides: opposition enclosed cut blocks Loss of area for hunting: Short term: Long term: Issues Have to respect the 10 years (effective deer management) Have to plan sylvicultural treatments

26 Difficulty to clear out the deer: Have to respect a reasonable size (less than 10 km 2 ) Block deer migration: Reasonable size Have to consult the guides

27 Use another strategy to clear out the deer of enclosures

28 MERCI