The relentless exploitation and unsustainable use of wildlife, whether for food, medicine or other uses, is a key concern for conservationists worldwide. Indeed, wildlife conservation and sustainable use have recently become centrepieces in conservation and development research. Assessment, interpretation and ultimate action in a scientific study of exploited species must consider numerous factors: from the biology, habitat requirements and population dynamics of the species in question to the relationships that people have with their environment and the species within it. Any long-term management plan must ensure that people and wildlife can coexist - otherwise it is doomed to failure.
Conservation and Sustainable Use provides a practical and integrated approach to carrying out research on the conservation of exploited species. It is relevant to both tropical and temperate biomes and is applicable to all exploited species, including mammals, fish and plants. It describes both the practical (field) and theoretical (modelling) techniques for obtaining and interpreting information, integrating biological, social, economic and institutional analyses. It also demonstrates how to translate information into effective action through appropriate interventions, from legislation to changing people's attitudes. This is the first time that all these issues have been covered together in a single, practically-orientated volume.
1. Introduction
2. Techniques for surveying exploited species
3. Understanding natural resource users' incentives
4. Assessing current sustainability of use
5. Developing Predictive Models
6. Choosing management approaches
7. Implementing management for long-term sustainability
"[...] provides a practical and integrated approach to carrying out research on the conservation of exploited species of any kind."
– Institute of Zoology
"' [...] fills an important gap and assembles a great deal of valuable information of interest to readers of Sustainable. One of the merits of the book is its clarity."
- Sustainable, December 2007."