Managing Community Controversy in Suburban Wildlife Management: Adopting Practices that Address Value Differences

Wildlife managers in the United States are devoting greater attention to wildlife in suburban areas, where wildlife in close proximity to people pose problems. Local community leaders and residents often demand to be involved with management decision-making. Wildlife managers attempt to facilitate development of community-derived management objectives and implement management actions tailored to local needs and circumstances. Promoting collaborative solutions in such a complex decision-making environment has several challenges: (1) individuals and groups involved in wildlife issues have markedly different attitudes and values regarding wildlife and its management, (2) participants in decision-making approach the process with differing expectations as to how they will be involved, and (3) the technical and social complexity of these issues demand the knowledge, experience, and skills of multiple players. These challenges for community-based wildlife management in suburban areas need not be viewed as insurmountable obstacles. The authors conducted 12 case studies of community-based collaborative deer management in the eastern United States to examine these challenges more fully. The results suggest that learning and capacity are two important components of effective collaborative, community-based deer management.