H-BRS scientists research insect diversity in nature reserves - focus on stakeholders

The results of the interdisciplinary research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) are now available. One central finding is that even in nature reserves, the loss of biodiversity and habitats continues unabated. Because: Protected areas contain and are surrounded by arable land - even with conventional use. Insects in nature reserves fly to a far greater extent than previously assumed to forage on crops, so that adjacent farmland has a detrimental effect on the occurrence of endangered species on the periphery of the protected habitats.

Together with Angela Turck, a research associate at the IZNE, the scientist used social science methods to research the perspectives of the farmers in particular, who were identified as the main stakeholders. In a multi-stage process, the IZNE first used questionnaires to identify the challenges and needs of farmers in the selected project areas. In the further course, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with farmers. The Bonn-based opinion research institute dimap conducted these on behalf of the project. The research was accompanied by interviews with other stakeholders in order to gain a greater diversity of perspectives and insights into the heterogeneity of stakeholders' views. In discussions with the farmers, the researchers discussed questions about existing and possible compensation for efforts, financial incentives, the demands and requirements of the different actors and the motivation to protect insects. Finally, in a participatory workshop, the university worked out recommendations for action together with the most diverse interest groups in order to make the diverse concerns around a nature reserve work together in the interest of biodiversity.

"Insect conservation, and thus also biodiversity conservation, should be recognised as a public service where the costs are not borne by the main stakeholders alone. Society as a whole benefits from biodiversity conservation as it provides important ecosystem services. It is therefore justified that these costs are also borne by society, for example through targeted support programmes," says scientist Angela Turck.

The scientific institutions of the DINA project have derived four central recommendations for the effective protection of insect diversity from their joint research work. For example, they advocate taking greater account of the surrounding agricultural land of protected areas in landscape planning. Biodiversity and environmental monitoring should be expanded and the framework conditions for insect conservation improved. They emphasise the need for participation and acceptance by all stakeholders.