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Before undertaking my PhD in understanding illegal resource use, I worked as a conservation practitioner in Greece and elsewhere for eight years. This sparked my interest in interdisciplinary research that seeks to understand people and their interactions with the natural world.

I am interested in understanding the links between human behaviour, well-being and conservation. Much of my research focuses on conservation conflict together with investigating the prevalence and drivers of peoples involvement in unlawful resource extraction. However, gathering robust data on rule breaking directly from people is challenging. For this reason my work includes testing cutting-edge social science techniques for asking people sensitive questions. I also draw on disciplines such as development studies, social and cognitive psychology and criminology in order to strengthen levels of understanding on what drives conservation rule breaking and the differing levels of tolerance people exhibit for co-existing with wildlife.

My group work on various issues including the conservation and livelihood implications of wild meat hunting and the social, heritage and economic value of intertidal collection and beach gathering activities.

Read about the Conservation & Human Behaviour Research Group

I am a member of Conservation@Bangor, a highly interdisciplinary research group using expertise and methods from biology, ecology, psychology, economics, sociology, geography, land systems science, and policy amongst others, toÌýundertake applied research which addresses the diverse threats facing species and ecosystems worldwide.

Dr Freya A. V. St. John

Reader in Conservation Science

Thoday Building, room G1

Email: f.stjohn@bangor.ac.uk

Website:Ìý

Tel: 01248 388295 (from UK)

+44 1248 388295 (international)

Research interests

• Understanding illegal resource use
• Conservation conflicts
• Conservation and human wellbeing

PhD Students

ÌýUnderstanding rule-breaking in a conservation context, School of Natural Sciences, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ. Funded by ERC (Grant No. 755965)

Elizabeth Morris-Webb: Intertidal collection and beach gathering, School of Ocean Sciences & School of Natural Sciences, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ. Funded by KESS 2 with

The influence of risk on patterns of illegal activity in a hunted landscape in West Liberia. Royal Holloway University of London (Dr Sarah Papworth), Edinburgh University (Dr Aidan Keane), Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ (Dr Freya St. John), RSPB (Dr Juliette Vickery)

I am willing to supervise a PhD

2024

• E-pub ahead of print
  Dorward, L., Ibbett, H., Dwiyahreni, A. A., Kohi, E. M., Prayitno, K., Sankeni, S., Kaduma, J. F., Mawenya, R., Mchomvu, J., Sabiladiyni, H., Saputra, A. W., Supriatna, J., Trywidiarini, T. & St. John, F. A. V., 18 Sept 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Environment and Behavior.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• E-pub ahead of print
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L., Jones, J. P. G., Kohi, E. M., Dwiyahreni, A. A., Sankeni, S., Prayitno, K., Mchomvu, J., Kaduma, J. F., Saputra, A. W., Agustin, I. Y., Trywidiarini, T., Mawenya, R., Supriatna, J. & St. John, F. A. V., 17 Jul 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Conservation Biology.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Morgans, C. L., Jago, S., Andayani, N., Linkie, M., Lo, M. G. Y., Mumbunan, S., St. John, F. A. V., Supriatna, J., Voigt, M., Winarni, N., Santika, T. & Struebig, M., 6 Mar 2024, In: Conservation Letters. 17, 3, p. 1 11 p., e13010.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L. & St. John, F. A. V., 20 Feb 2024
  Research output: Other contribution
• Published
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L., Dwiyahreni, A. A., Kohi, E. M. & St. John, F. A. V., 1 Feb 2024
  Research output: Other contribution

2023

• Published
  Ibbett, H., Jones, J. P. G., Dorward, L., Kohi, E. M., Dwiyahreni, A. A., Prayitno, K., Sankeni, S., Kaduma, J., Mchomvu, J., Saputra, A. W., Sabiladiyni, H., Supriatna, J. & St John, F. A. V., 1 Aug 2023, In: People and Nature. 5, 4, p. 1245-1261 17 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L. & St. John, F. A. V., 30 Nov 2023
  Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
• Published
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L., Jones, J. P. G., Kohi, E. M., Sankeni, S., Kaduma, J., Mchomvu, J., Mawenya, R. & St. John, F. A. V., Jun 2023, In: Conservation Science and Practice. 5, 6, e12927.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2022

• Published
  Ibbett, H., Dorward, L., Dwiyahreni, A. A., Jones, J. P. G., Kaduma, J., Kohi, E. M., Mchomvu, J., Prayitno, K., Sabiladiyni, H., Sankeni, S., Saputra, A. W., Supriatna, J. & St John, F. A. V., Oct 2022, In: Conservation Biology.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Robinson, J., Raharimalala, J., Bicknell, J., St John, F. A. V., Griffiths, R. A., Razafimanahaka, J. H. & Gardner, C. J., 1 Aug 2022, In: Environmental Challenges. 8, 100577.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

• Published
  Ibbett, H., Jones, J. P. G. & St John, F. A. V., 1 Aug 2021, In: Biological Conservation. 260, 109191.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Galvez, N., St John, F. A. V. & Davies, Z. G., 18 Nov 2021, In: Frontiers in Conservation Science. 12 p., 712044.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Santika, T., Wilson, K. A., Law, E. A., St John, F. A. V., Carlson, K. M., Gibbs, H., Morgans, C. L., Ancrenaz, M., Meijaard , E. & Struebig, M. J., Feb 2021, In: Nature Sustainability . 4, 2, p. 109–119
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Jones, S., Papworth, S., Keane, A., Vickery, J. & St John, F. A. V., Apr 2021, In: Conservation Biology. 35, 2, p. 722-732 11 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Mason, T. H. E. & Bunnefeld, N., Feb 2021, In: Conservation Science and Practice. 3, 2, e316.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Meijaard , E., Santika, T., Wilson, K. A., Budiharta , S., Kusworo , A., Law, E. A., Friedman, R., Hutabarat, J. A., Indrawan, T. P., St John, F. A. V. & Struebig, M., Jan 2021, In: Conservation Science and Practice. 3, 1, e2189.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

2020

• Published
  Friedman, R., Rhodes, J., Dean, A., Law, E., Santika, T., Budiharta , S., Hutabarat, J. A., Indrawan, T. P., Kusworo , A., Meijaard , E., St John, F. A. V., Struebig, M. & Wilson, K. A., Sept 2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 3, 16.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Friedman, R., Guerrero, R. S., McAllister, R. R. J., Rhodes, J., Santika, T., Budiharta , S., Indrawan, T. P., Hutabarat, J. A., Kusworo , A., Yogaswara, H., Meijaard , E., St John, F. A. V., Struebig, M. J. & Wilson, K. A., 1 Sept 2020, In: Land Use Policy. 97, 104738.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Jones, S. C. Z., Papworth, S. K., St John, F. A. V., Vickery, J. A. & Keane, A. M., Dec 2020, In: Conservation Science and Practice. 2, 12, e315.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2019

• Published
  Jones, S., Keane, A., St John, F. A. V., Vickery, J. & Papworth, S., 30 Aug 2019, In: Conservation Biology. 33, 4, p. 895-905
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Moon, K., Blackman, D. A., Adams, V. M., Colvin, R. M., Davila, F., Evans, M., Januchowski-Hartley, S. R., Bennett, N. J., Dickinson, H., Sandbrook, C., Sherren, K., St John, F. A. V., van Kerkhoff, L. & Wyborn, C., Mar 2019, In: Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 10, 3, p. 294-302 9 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Santika, T., Wilson, K. A., Budiharta , S., Kusworo , A., Meijaard , E., Law, E. A., Friedman, R., Hutabarat, J. A., Indrawan, T. P., St John, F. A. V. & Struebig, M. J., 1 Jun 2019, In: People and Nature.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Jones, S., Papworth, S., Keane, A., St John, F., Smith, E., Flomo, A., Nyamunue, Z. & Vickery, J., Sept 2019, In: Biological Conservation. 237, p. 338-347
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Steadman, J., Austen, G. & Redpath, S. M., Mar 2019, In: People and Nature. 1, 1, p. 6-17
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• Published
  Gálvez, N., Guillera-Arroita, G., St John, F. A. V., Schüttler, E., MacDonald, D. & Davies, Z., May 2018, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 55, 3, p. 1393-1405
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Struebig, M. J., Linkie, M., Deere, N. J., Martyr, D. J., Milliyanawati, B., Faulkner, S. C., Le Comber, S. C., Mangunjaya, F. M., Leader-Williams, N., McKay, J. E. & St John, F. A. V., 27 Aug 2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 3455.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Linkie, M., Martyr, D., Milliyanawati, B., McKay, J., Mangunjaya, F., Leader-Williams, N. & Struebig, M., 1 Jul 2018, In: Conservation Letters.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Meredith, H. M. R., St John, F. A. V., Collen, B., Black, S. A. & Griffiths, R. A., Apr 2018, In: Conservation Biology. 32, 2, p. 366-375
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Teel, T. L., Anderson, C. B., Burgman, M. A., Cinner, J., Clark, D., Estevez, R. A., Jones, J. P. G., McClanahan, T. R., Reed, M. S., Sandbrook, C. & St John, F. A. V., Feb 2018, In: Conservation Biology. 32, 1, p. 6-8
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
• Published
  McKay, J., St John, F. A. V., Harihar, A., Martyr, D., Leader-Williams, N., Milliyanawati, B., Agustin, I., Anggriawan, Y., Karlina, K., Kartika, K., Mangunjaya, F., Struebig, M. & Linkie, M., 14 Nov 2018, In: PLoS ONE.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Williams, S., Gale, S., Hinsley, A., Gao, J. & St John, F. A. V., Oct 2018, In: Conservation Letters. 11, 5, e12569.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
• Published
  Robinson, J., Fraser, I., St John, F. A. V., Randrianantoandro, J., Andriantsimanarilafy, R., Razafimanahaka, J. H., Griffiths, R. A. & Roberts, D. L., 1 Oct 2018, In: Biological Conservation. 226, p. 144-152
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2017

• Published
  Hindsley, A., Nuno, A., Ridout, M. & St John, F. A. V., Sept 2017, In: Conservation Letters. 10, 5, p. 602-609
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Robinson, J., Griffiths, R., Fraser, I., Raharimalala, J., Roberts, D. & St John, F. A. V., 21 Nov 2017, In: Ecology and Society. 23, 1, 13.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2016

• Published
  Gardner, C. J., Gabriel, F. U. L., St John, F. A. V. & Davies, Z., Jul 2016, In: Oryx. 50, 3, p. 495-505
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St. John, F. A. V., Brockington, D., Bunnefild, N., Duffy, R., Homewood, K., Jones, J. P. G., Keane, A. M., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Nuno, A. & Razafimanahaka, J. H., Apr 2016, In: Biological Conservation. 196, p. 208-209
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
• Published
  Duffy, R., St John, F. A. V., Buescher, B. & Brockington, D., 14 Jan 2016, In: Conservation Biology. 30, 1, p. 14-22
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2015

• Published
  Robinson, J., St John, F. A. V., Griffiths, R. A. & Roberts, D. L., 10 Nov 2015, In: PLoS ONE. e0141460.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Keane, A. M., Nuno, A. & St John, F. A. V., 2015, In: Biological Conservation. 187, p. 279-280
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
• Published
  Robinson, J., Griffiths, R. A., St John, F. A. V. & Roberts, D. L., Apr 2015, In: Biological Conservation. 184, p. 42-50
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Smith, R. J., Biggs, D., St John, F. A. V. & 't Sas-Rolfes, M., Jun 2015, In: Conservation Biology. 29, 3, p. 953-956
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Mai, C.-H. & Pei, K., Sept 2015, In: Biological Conservation. 189, p. 86-94
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Nuno, A. & St John, F. A. V., Sept 2015, In: Biological Conservation. 189, p. 5-15
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Duffy, R., St John, F. A. V., Buescher, B. & Brockington, D., Dec 2015, In: Environmental Conservation. 42, 4, p. 345-348
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

2014

• Published
  Humle, T., Duffy, R., Roberts, D. L., Sandbrook, C., St John, F. A. V. & Smith, R. J., 20 Jun 2014, In: Science. 344, 6190, p. 1351
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
• Published
  Roberts, D. L. & St John, F. A. V., 9 Sept 2014, In: PeerJ. e562.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St. John, F. A. V., Keane, A. M., Jones, J. P. G. & Milner-Gulland, E. J., Dec 2014, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 51, 6, p. 1479-1485
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2013

• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Keane, A. M. & Milner-Gulland, E., 5 Apr 2013, Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2. Macdonald, D. W. & Willis, K. J. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell, p. 344-361
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
• Published
  Cross, P., St. John, F. A. V., Khan, S. & Petroczi, A., 16 Jan 2013, In: PLoS ONE. 8, 1, p. e53681
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Smith, R. J., Roberts, D. L., Duffy, R. & St John, F. A. V., 19 Jul 2013, In: Oryx. 47, 3, p. 323
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
• Published
  Newing, H. & St John, F. A. V., Dec 2013, In: Animal Conservation. 16, 6, p. 606-607
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

2012

• Published
  St John, F., Keane, A., Edwards-Jones, G., Jones, L., Yarnell, R. W. & Jones, J. P. G., 22 Feb 2012, In: Proceedings of the royal Society B. 279, 1729, p. 804-812
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F. A. V., Edwards-Jones, G. & Jones, J. P. G., Jun 2012, In: Environmental Conservation. 39, 2, p. 154-161
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2010

• Published
  St John, F., Edwards-Jones, G. & Jones, J. P. G., 22 Dec 2010, In: Wildlife Research. 37, 8, p. 658-667
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  St John, F., Edwards-Jones, G., Gibbons, J. M. & Jones, J. P. G., 1 Apr 2010, In: Biological Conservation. 143, 4, p. 1025-1030
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2024

• Urgency to save species from extinction has prompted increased investment in law enforcement in and around protected areas, with considerable conservation resource spent training enforcers and supporting efforts to increase detection, prosecution, and sanctioning. However, relatively little evidence for the effectiveness of these approaches exists, and in recent years, investments in conservation law enforcement have come under increasing scrutiny due to associations with human-right abuses. In response, there has been a shift amongst practitioner organisations, funders, and governments to embed rights-based approaches into protected area governance, with a specific focus on implementing social safe-guards to improve how laws are enforced. To date dominant models of law enforcement have focused on increasing the cost of offending and reducing opportunities for offending to occur. Yet, other models of enforcement highlight that procedural fairness, and the legitimacy of enforcers and the laws themselves, are important but overlooked factors which can influence compliance. This workshop will draw conservation practitioners and academics together to share expertise and explore the need, opportunities, and challenges of reconceptualising how laws are enforced around protected areas.

  22 Jul 2024 – 24 Jul 2024

  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Organiser)

• Delivery of two workshops in Jakarta and Banda Aceh to share research findings from the CONHUB project with academics, Government and NGOs representatives.

  24 Feb 2024 – 28 Feb 2024

  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Speaker)

2023

• Delivery of a series of training workshops in social science research methods and dissemination of research findings from the CONHUB project. In total 4 separate workshops were run in 4 different locations (Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Irina, Arusha). Participants included representatives from: the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources, TAWIRI, TAFORI, TANAPA, University of Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, the Open University, alongside NGOs including STEP, Lion Landscapes, Frankfurt Zoological Society, WWF, WCS.

  27 Nov 2023 – 9 Dec 2023

  Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Organiser)

• 01/04/2021 – 01/08/2022 (Finished)

• 01/06/2018 – 31/12/2199 (Active)

  Links:

  • /natural-sciences/staff/freya-st-john/en#grants_and_projects

• 23/10/2017 – 17/08/2018 (Finished)

• 01/04/2017 – 08/09/2020 (Finished)

  Description

  Funder: Darwin Initiative, 2016 – 2019

  Researchers: Freya St. John with Mangara Silalahi (Burung Indonesia), Tom Swinfield (RSPB), Rhett Harrison (ICRAF), Aidan Keane (University of Edinburgh)

  Collaborators: Burung Indonesia, PT REKI, RSPB, ICRAF, University of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ, University of Edinburgh

  Project Description: Much of Indonesia’s forest cover has been logged (>80M ha) yet studies have shown that exhausted logging concessions harbour high levels of biodiversity and supply valuable ecosystem services, consequently, their restoration is a conservation priority. 49 million people, among the poorest in the country, live on forest margins. With limited livelihood options, many depend on clearing forests for agriculture with the uncertain hope of attaining land tenure. Harapan Rainforest is an Ecosystem Restoration Concession in Sumatra which has a 90 year license to restore 98,000 ha of logged forest. With many indigenous and migrant families living within the concession and clearing land for agriculture, the situation at Harapan typifies the challenges facing forest restoration in Indonesia. This interdisciplinary project will examine the likely win-win scenario of agroforestry which has the potential to provide valuable livelihood opportunities consistent with restoration and biodiversity objectives.

  Links:

  • /natural-sciences/staff/freya-st-john/en#grants_and_projects

• 01/04/2017 – 01/08/2019 (Finished)

  Links:

  • /natural-sciences/staff/freya-st-john/en#grants_and_projects

Project: Resolving the links between poverty and rule-breaking in conservation

Funder: European Research Council Starting Grant, 2018 - 2024

Researchers: Freya St. John, Corinna Van Cayzeele (alumni), Leejiah Dorward,

Poverty is frequently perceived to be the root cause of illegal natural resource use – the hunting or extraction of wildlife not sanctioned by the state. When unsustainable, such activities threaten conservation of ecosystems and endangered species. However, understanding what motivates individuals involved is a major challenge; understandably few are willing to discuss their motives for fear of punishment. Furthermore, severe, multifaceted poverty overlaps with regions prioritised for their globally important biodiversity. This association exacerbates the problem that illegal activities pose for policy-makers responsible for managing and policing the use of nature. The dominant approach to conserving biodiversity is to establish protected areas which typically restrict resource use and manage infractions through law enforcement. However, the designation of such areas does not guarantee compliance, as demonstrated by ongoing infractions and its conspicuous profile on global policy agendas. This includes the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which calls for urgent action to halt biodiversity loss and hunting of protected species. Solving this problematic cocktail of poverty, exclusion from resources and drivers of illegal resource use requires a new approach to understanding why people break rules and to what extent poverty underpins behaviour. This project will draw on concepts from a range of disciplines, including development studies, criminology and psychology, to improve our understanding of why people break rules and to what extent poverty underpins their behaviour.

Project: Investing in agroforestry options for forest restoration inÌýIndonesia

Funder: Darwin Initiative, 2016 – 2019

Researchers: Freya St. John with Mangara Silalahi (Burung Indonesia), Tom Swinfield (RSPB), Rhett Harrison (ICRAF), (University of Edinburgh)

Collaborators: Burung Indonesia, PT REKI, RSPB, ICRAF, University of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ×ÊÁÏ, University of Edinburgh

Project Description: Much of Indonesia’s forest cover has been logged (>80M ha) yet studies have shown that exhausted logging concessions harbour high levels of biodiversity and supply valuable ecosystem services, consequently, their restoration is a conservation priority. 49 million people, among the poorest in the country, live on forest margins. With limited livelihood options, many depend on clearing forests for agriculture with the uncertain hope of attaining land tenure. Harapan Rainforest is an Ecosystem Restoration Concession in Sumatra which has a 90 year license to restore 98,000 ha of logged forest. With many indigenous and migrant families living within the concession and clearing land for agriculture, the situation at Harapan typifies the challenges facing forest restoration in Indonesia. This interdisciplinary project will examine the likely win-win scenario of agroforestry which has the potential to provide valuable livelihood opportunities consistent with restoration and biodiversity objectives.

Project: Marrying community land rights with stakeholder aspirations in Indonesian Borneo

Funder: Darwin Initiative, 2016 – 2019 Ìý

Researchers: (University of Kent) and Freya St. John

Collaborators: Fauna and Flora International Indonesia programme, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Borneo Futures, University of Queensland

Project Description:ÌýCommunity forest management (CFM) is championed as a way to benefit local livelihoods and forest conservation, and Indonesia recognises this as part of its efforts to reduce poverty. Growing decentralisation and policy reform now supports community-based management throughout Indonesia, where the government aims to reallocate 12.7 Mha of state forest to poor indigenous communities. While these reforms support human rights and could alleviate poverty, counter-intuitively they also allow communities to clear forest. The governments' plan to improve rural wellbeing thus risks compromising the very ecosystems and biodiversity on which its people depend. By producing spatial datasets and developing case-studies within CFM areas this project aims to assess the impact of CFM on wellbeing and build the capacity of local governments of Kalimantan to better incorporate environmental and developmental needs into their spatial land-use planning processes.

Project: Novel approaches to resolving conflicts over human livelihoods and biodiversity conservation: People and rising geese populations in Scotland

Funder: University of Kent Faculty of Social Science, 2016 – 2017

Researchers: Freya St. John with (University of Stirling)

Project Description: Conflicts between those interested in using versus conserving biodiversity are widely recognised as both damaging to human livelihoods and biodiversity and are increasing in scope and scale. Yet, despite this recognition, there is a lack of theory to help guide the resolution of these problematic issues. The aim of this project is to develop a novel conceptual and analytical model to resolve conflicts over biodiversity conservation and human livelihoods. Working on the island of Islay, this project will investigate issues associated with the management of geese numbers which impose costs on the island’s farmers.

Project:ÌýTolerating tigers: Do local beliefs offset human-carnivore conflicts?Ìý

Funder: Leverhulme Trust, 2014 – 2017

Researchers: Freya St. John with (University of Kent), Jeanne Mckay (FFI-Indonesia Programme), Matthew Linkie (WCS)

Collaborators: Fauna and Flora International Indonesia Programme; University of Cambridge; Universitas Nasional (UNAS) Jakarta

Project Description:ÌýLarge carnivores that cause loss of human life or livelihoods are frequently killed in retribution. However, religious or spiritual beliefs may encourage local tolerance of such conflicts. To date, conservation biologists and social scientists have not tested this aspect of human-wildlife conflict within a quantitative and interdisciplinary framework. A long-term case study of Sumatran tigers living close to Islamic farming communities allows us to explore both ecological and social determinants of such conflicts. Taken together, these data will provide timely insights into the drivers of tiger conflict, and allow us to better understand how to strengthen tolerance towards dangerous wildlife.