Abstract Drawing on ongoing ethnographic and participatory action research within forest occupations in Germany, this paper develops the concept of ‘caring with forests’ to theorise the mutual, multidimensional relationships of care that emerge between humans and more‐than‐human beings in environmental protest settings. Departing from a personal encounter during fieldwork at a forest occupation resisting sand and gravel extractivism, the article argues that forest occupations constitute sites and conditions that enable ontologically relational, non‐anthropocentric practices of caring for and with the forest: squatters take care of the forest by resisting its destruction, while the forest, in turn, sustains its human inhabitants. Theoretically, the paper bridges feminist and materialist perspectives on care (Federici, Tronto), relational‐ontological and posthumanist approaches (Kohn, Puig de la Bellacasa, Haraway) and indigenous cosmologies and cuerpo‐territorio frameworks, extending Tronto's notion of ‘caring with’ beyond human relations to more‐than‐human worlds. Empirically, the study draws on eleven interviews with forest squatters and ‘forest people’, three interviews with local forest rangers, participatory action research with a photographer and filmmakers, informal conversations and social media material collected since 2024, analysed through qualitative content analysis. The empirical discussion is organised around four dimensions: (1) un/caring relations with forests produced by extractive industries and failed renaturation; (2) forest occupations as care‐giving environmental protests; (3) mutual care‐giving amongst humans in the everyday life of occupations; and (4) mutual, ontologically relational care between humans and more‐than‐humans. These findings support two broader contributions: conceptualising forest occupations as sites of protest that foster caring relationships with their more‐than‐human surroundings and advancing the search for sustainable, ethical ways of relating to more‐than‐human worlds against the disruptions caused by environmental destruction. The paper thereby contributes to debates at the intersection of care ethics, social movement studies and more‐than‐human/relational ontologies, situating everyday, intimate and often‐overlooked caring practices at the heart of environmental resistance. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Participants in environmental education programmes can have different preexisting attitudes and experiences that could influence the educational outcomes. The present study focuses on zoo education and its goal of connecting people to nature. It analyses the effect of educational programmes on participants' connection to nature, considering their preexisting (initial) connection to nature. Twenty zoos collected data from programme participants using questionnaires before and after their programmes. Using the Illustrated Inclusion of Nature in Self scale, participants were categorized as low, medium and high connected to nature. The evaluation data was then analysed based on the demographics of the participants (age, gender, zoo visit frequency) and the programme components (programme duration, animal contact, topic of conservation). The results indicated that the programmes had a stronger effect on connection to nature among low‐ and medium‐connected participants than among those with high initial connection to nature. Further, the influence of demographic characteristics and programme components was more pronounced for low‐ and medium‐connected participants. Low‐ and medium‐connected participants showed greater increases when they directly encountered animals, heard about conservation or participated in long programmes. Gender played a role insofar as women with a low connection to nature experienced a stronger increase in their connection to nature than low‐connected men. Infrequent zoo visitors benefited less from educational programmes. In contrast, these factors had little effect on the outcomes for participants who had a high connection to nature from the beginning. Since the initial values correlated with the extent to which people's connection to nature changed, we recommend keeping them in mind when conducting research or evaluations. This applies not only to people's connection to nature; initial values in general could help explain results that practitioners and researchers might encounter. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Olive farming represents a prime example of a biodiversity‐rich land‐use system in the Mediterranean, deeply rooted in a long history and cultural traditions, yet it faces mounting challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, and declining economic viability that put its sustainability at risk. As such, olive farming also serves as a model case of broader trends in agriculture, where extensive land‐use systems with long histories are increasingly under pressure to intensify production and optimize costs. Three farming systems currently dominate olive production: traditional, conventional, and sustainably intensified systems. Yet, a systematic comparison of their sustainability performance is still lacking. To address this gap, this study pursues two aims: (1) to systematically compare the sustainability dimensions of current olive farming, (2) to outline pathways for future agroecological systems. Our results reveal clear trade‐offs between sustainability dimensions in current farming systems. Traditional systems preserve cultural heritage but are often economically not viable and, in many regions, insufficiently resilient to climatic stress. Conventional systems achieve higher yields but are associated with environmental degradation and reduced long‐term resilience due to intensive input use and landscape simplification. Sustainably intensified systems strive to integrate productivity with environmental care but rely heavily on external technologies and inadequately address social equity and input dependency. Given the limitations of current approaches, agroecology emerges as a promising pathway for systemic transformation of olive farming. Nevertheless, significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the effects of specific agroecological practices on social and governance indicators and the need for the operationalization of holistic frameworks that capture interactions among practices and sustainability dimensions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract The aurora borealis (northern lights) is an abiotic natural phenomenon that contributes to human well‐being. There is currently a significant research gap in primary qualitative valuation of the aurora's links to people. This exploratory qualitative study applies the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) framework in a novel context to study interactions between people and the aurora in Greenland. The main aims of the study are to: (1) identify nature's contribution to people (NCP) in Greenland from the aurora and (2) explore how local stakeholders can enhance management of NCP from the aurora. Drawing on 28 semi‐structured interviews conducted primarily in Ilulissat, Kulusuk and Tasiilaq, the aurora is found to provide benefits to people in a variety of ways. Benefits from the aurora span five NCP categories, including: energy, learning and inspiration, physical and psychological experiences, supporting identities and maintenance of options. The majority of benefits were non‐material in nature, although material benefits in the forms of tourism revenue and energy were also mentioned. Practical considerations are explored for the localities of Ilulissat in western Greenland and the Ammassalik region (Tasiilaq & Kulusuk) in eastern Greenland. These study sites vary in their social, economic and institutional profiles and demonstrate moderate heterogeneity in perceptions about co‐production and potential avenues for the management of NCP from the aurora. Ilulissat demonstrates a broad spectrum of potential for institutional co‐production, where there are considerable anthropogenic assets for underpinning NCP from the aurora. In contrast, Tasiilaq and Kulusuk demonstrate more purely relational values, where tourism‐related benefits are currently less developed. The information about aurora benefits and the role of co‐production elicited in this study can serve to support and inform decision‐making related to cultural heritage facilities, educational initiatives and tourism infrastructure pertaining to the aurora. Reflections about the usefulness of the IPBES framework in an abiotic context are discussed, and opportunities for future research are outlined. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Urban nature provides essential ecosystem services, but their use and perception vary based on socio‐demographic factors, including settlement type, which reflects differences in socio‐economic and environmental conditions. This study compares how residents of new town developments (master‐planned areas) and unplanned settlements (organically developed) use and perceive ecosystem services in South Tangerang city, Indonesia. A social survey of 403 residents was conducted to examine differences in provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services. We determined that new town residents had twice the odds of having views of nature from their homes compared with residents of unplanned settlements. In contrast, residents of unplanned settlements had higher odds of relying on water provisioning services, indicating greater dependence on natural water sources. No significant differences were found in the perception of regulating services such as flood and heat mitigation between the two groups. These findings highlight how different settlement types as an outcome of (new‐build) gentrification can shape the ways residents use and perceive ecosystem services, suggesting the need for urban planning strategies that consider variations in ecosystem service benefits across these communities in cities with both new town developments and unplanned settlements. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Indonesian translation: Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Noise pollution is an environmental stressor negatively affecting humans and biodiversity. Noise pollution is often measured and regulated according to loudness, but in this study, we assessed noise pollution based on human perceptions of soundscapes. We used the participatory science project Sound Around Town to collect data reflecting personal interpretations of soundscapes. Participants logged the perceived loudness and pleasantness of sound sources during 10‐min listening sessions outdoors at their homes. Participants generally rated mechanical anthropogenic sounds as the least pleasant and natural sounds as the most pleasant. Pleasantness decreased with perceived loudness for mechanical and non‐mechanical anthropogenic sources of sound and for biotic natural sounds, but increased with loudness for abiotic natural sources of sound. Controlling for demographics, sense of place was higher for people detecting nature‐based soundscapes (louder and more pleasant natural sounds like birds and wind) and suburb‐like soundscapes (louder, more pleasant non‐mechanical anthropogenic sounds like music and quieter cars and planes). Sense of place was lower for people detecting city‐like soundscapes (less pleasant mechanical anthropogenic sounds like loud cars and planes). Compared to white participants, non‐white participants reported a lower sense of place. Even though non‐white participants reported higher exposure to suburb‐like soundscapes, they reported lower exposure to nature‐based soundscapes, possibly affecting their sense of place. Synthesis and applications: Our findings indicate that nature‐based soundscapes are linked to a sense of place, which has implications for both biodiversity conservation and social justice. Efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity could be strengthened by promoting human‐nature connections through natural soundscapes that also enhance community well‐being. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Millions of hectares of rangelands have been subject to degeneration through overgrazing, agricultural expansion, urbanisation and afforestation. Countering this, regeneration is a natural process whereby rangeland ecosystems revive themselves. This understanding of regeneration has mostly been missed in definitions of regenerative ranching, which reduce it to a food production approach requiring some combination of practices and/or outcomes. In this article, we present a fresh framing and demonstrate how regeneration can be held as a broad value amongst ranchers—guiding the way they interact with and attach importance to nature. Broad values are general moral principles and life goals that guide human and non‐human interactions. When regeneration is held as a broad value amongst ranchers, it means more than just valuing the natural regenerative processes of social‐ecological systems. There are four dimensions to regeneration as a broad value: (1) a desire to improve degenerated land; (2) a belief in cyclical processes of renewal; (3) a return of agency to non‐human parts of the system; (4) a belief that regeneration leads to a good and fulfilling life. Ranchers do not need to undertake practices associated with regenerative ranching to hold regeneration as a broad value, nor do they need to identify as a regenerative rancher. We suggest that regeneration has the potential to be a widely held broad value in and beyond the context of ranching. As a value, it is potentially consistent with the Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 2050 Vision for Biodiversity of living in harmony with nature. Promoting regeneration as a guiding value/principle, distinct from practices and outcomes, might help mobilise diverse groups interested in just and sustainable rangeland futures. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract We live in times of crises and calls for a transformative social‐ecological change are voiced increasingly often. The question is, however, how such a transformation could be achieved. The prevailing view is that we are living in an era in which human activities significantly altered planet Earth: the Anthropocene. According to this narrative, humans are a very powerful force, turning the global situation for the worse. It has been argued that this view can cause disillusion and frustration, thus hampering the willingness to change the situation. With this conceptual perspective piece, we explore the potential of the concept of a Symbiocene as a transformation vision able to stimulate action. At the core of the concept, we see a call for renewed human–nature relationships, and we discuss how current changes in the conception of nature, humans and their relationships can be utilized as scaffoldings for the conception of a Symbiocene. We explore how to move from an economy‐centred thinking with degenerative environmental effects to a planet‐centred thinking with regenerative effects, and suggest that sensory‐triggered experiences, induced by interactions with nature and arts, are key for achieving this transition. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract The long history of reindeer herding in Fennoscandia has shaped the mountain tundra by influencing its productivity, nutrient and carbon cycling and vegetation structure. By partly limiting shrub expansion, extensive reindeer grazing contributes to ecosystem resilience and helps mitigate climate change effects. Yet, outdoor tourism is discussed as a major pressure that can alter reindeer grazing patterns, with likely consequences cascading onto the tundra plant communities and vegetation structure. To study this, we tagged reindeer with GPS and accelerometers in three Swedish reindeer herding districts experiencing different levels of tourism pressure, and analysed their occurrence and grazing activity in relation to human infrastructures, habitat and predators. In the district with the highest tourism pressure, reindeer avoided large buildings but tolerated hiking trails. Responses were more mixed in the two other districts where large national hiking trails were avoided, but small cabins were not. Interestingly, the reindeer grazing patterns measured with accelerometers showed a different response to that inferred from reindeer occurrence alone, revealing that even where reindeer did not avoid human infrastructures, their grazing activity was still decreased. In all districts, we detected interactive effects between predators and human infrastructures, suggesting a ‘human‐shield’ effect at play, that is reindeer used the proximity to specific types of human infrastructure as a refuge from predation. This context‐dependent tolerance of reindeer towards humans according to predator presence reveals that even non‐lethal human presence in the mountains, in the form of tourism, can influence predator–prey interactions in the tundra. By decoupling spatially explicit grazing activities from presence‐only habitat selection, this study highlights that, even if reindeer might appear tolerant to human presence in the mountains, outdoor tourism can still disturb them by disrupting their grazing. As this study was conducted in a region experiencing substantial land use changes, our findings stress the need to better recognise the effects of human interactions with the tundra wildlife, particularly herbivores such as reindeer, as these can cascade onto other trophic levels and therefore affect broader ecosystem processes under climate change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Urban community gardens are often assumed to enhance fine‐scale biodiversity, yet repeated disturbance and shared horticultural norms may also contribute to urban biotic homogenization—the convergence of species composition across spatial scales and sites within the urban matrix. We conducted a seed bank emergence trial over 16 months across 350 plots in 37 community gardens spanning eight neighbourhoods in Boston, USA, to assess how germinant abundance, diversity and composition varied across plots, gardens and neighbourhoods, and to identify key landscape and management predictors Across the garden network, the seed bank was dominated by introduced annuals with traits linked to disturbance tolerance and rapid colonization, indicating a broad prevalence of ruderal life‐history strategies. Despite this dominance, abundance, diversity and community composition were variable within and among gardens. Garden‐level variables—particularly abandonment rates and total crop abundance—were the strongest predictors of seed bank abundance and diversity, though predictors were detected across multiple spatial scales. Notably, garden‐level abandonment was associated with lower germinant abundance and diversity, complicating assumptions that visible weedy vegetation inherently reflects neglect Together, these findings show that spontaneous vegetation in community gardens emerges relationally through interactions among gardener practices, shared norms and urban context. Recognizing how management shapes urban soil seed banks can inform more flexible and inclusive green infrastructure design. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Since diversity is often a management objective for peri‐urban tree communities on public land, one might expect to find greater diversity there than on private land, where such objectives are less common. However, this expectation rests on an assumption that people control diversity towards objectives, overlooking the role of relationships between people and trees. Theories of care offer a novel lens for exploring how such relationships relate to tree diversity. We quantitatively assessed tree diversity and qualitatively explored tree care across a peri‐urban landscape in Canada. We surveyed trees on private and public land in forest and non‐forest patches using 121 tree plots to compare diversity (species richness, evenness and size distribution). Through thematic analysis of 31 interviews associated with some of these plots, we explored expressions of tree care, including care about, taking care of, caregiving and care‐receiving. We asked how care varied and related to measurable differences in tree diversity. In forested patches, species diversity was high and there were no significant differences between private and public lands, suggesting landscape drivers are a primary force dictating tree diversity. In non‐forested patches, private plots had greater tree species richness than public lands and the only very large trees (>100 cm DBH). These diversity differences may reflect differences in non‐forest tree care, in addition to landscape drivers. Our findings reveal a paradox in which public land managers described tree diversity as an objective, yet non‐forested private lands, where no such objective existed, had greater diversity than public lands by most measures. Public land managers expressed care about native species and tree community resilience, while private landowners expressed care about particular trees, shaped by personal relationships, emotions and intergenerational efforts. Through explicitly considering care within a study of tree diversity, we found potential explanations for this paradox. Scale of responsibility and resources constrained some public tree care, while private tree care was emotionally satisfying and less constrained by institutional pressures. Everyday acts of personal care may therefore support diversity in ways that are difficult to replicate institutionally. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract This study investigates how combining Citizen Science and Art workshops within curated wildflower meadows can generate repeated, positive experiences with nature, and foster a sense of care for it. The project aimed to increase awareness, encourage responsibility, and develop competencies related to urban nature. We conducted 16 free‐entry workshops in four diverse urban parks in Sheffield, UK, engaging 73 community members and local volunteers. Activities included pollinator surveys and art methods such as cyanotype printing, microscope drawing, and weaving, all focused on the newly installed meadows. Participants reported significant positive emotions, describing the sessions as ‘informative, creative, therapeutic, relaxing.’ The activities encouraged the acquisition of new knowledge (e.g., distinguishing between pollinator species) and helped participants appreciate the microscopic scale of urban nature. The workshops incentivised care for nature by fostering community connections and inspired participants to launch their own nature initiatives. However, several barriers to developing a sense of care were identified, including a lack of free time, community resources, and funding. This research shows that positive and intentional interactions with urban nature such as curated landscapes can trigger the care for nature process within individuals and communities when four elements are considered: the environment and the natural typology, provision of knowledge and skills, encouragement of curiosity and wonder, and community engagement. Further research on encouraging action is needed. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract People and Nature is a ‘journal of relational thinking’. This editorial explores what relational thinking can mean and how it might be operationalized in the context of humans and the environment. Relational thinking may seem intuitive because it recognizes the world's inherent interconnectedness. However, the question of how to operationalize relational thinking in social‐ecological research is rich and multifaceted. This is because doing research that embraces and advances relational thinking can be complex, particularly when research expands beyond social science to human–nature relationships with diverse organisms and ecological systems. This editorial offers one synthesis of existing work on relational thinking and outlines practical suggestions for how to recognize and implement deeper relationality in research. It synthesizes nine themes that can offer guidance for researchers who aim to clarify and strengthen how their research employs and advances relational thinking.
Abstract Volunteers play a crucial role in urban ecological restoration, and in the Aotearoa New Zealand context, volunteer effort is a central tool used to drive landscape‐scale conservation outcomes. Here, we identify the motivations and benefits that drive community involvement and commitment to conservation initiatives, drawing on a unique case study of a large‐scale, urban, introduced‐predator control initiative in New Zealand. We conducted an online survey of 311 residents who had or had not participated in voluntary efforts to control introduced mammalian predators in an urban context. We use structural equation modelling to demonstrate that commitment to predator control can be understood as a function of an individual's relational values, their motivations for, and the benefits they derive from participating. Relational values were positively associated with commitment, the motivations that prompt participation (environmental, social, and a desire for restoration and exercise), and the benefits derived from participating (personal satisfaction and attachment to the site). People who volunteered in a community group devoted more time and reported greater commitment to predator control than those who were not part of a group. The results suggest that relational values may be a deep leverage point in social‐ecological systems to promote behaviour change. Our findings help explain why people participate and provide important information that will assist practitioners to develop strategies to engage and retain volunteers and make environmental volunteering a mutually beneficial experience for the natural environment and people. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Nature connection plays an important role in the relationship between nature contact and well‐being, but explanations of how this occurs are sometimes ambiguous while evidence is conflicting. Philosophical tensions in the way we study nature connection make it difficult to clarify these matters: while the idea of nature connection is grounded in an understanding that people are part of nature, conceptual, and empirical strategies used to study it often assume people and environment are separate. We aim to support a more careful conceptualisation of the relationship between nature and well‐being, with a focus on the concept of nature connection. We ground our analysis in an account of scientific approaches (scientific worldviews) in the study of human–nature relationships. Some psychological research is more mechanistic in approach, treating people and the environment as distinct entities that change through interactions best understood through detached observation. Other research is more holistic or relational, considering humans and nature as mutually defining facets of events or systems, with knowledge assumed to be situated relative to the observer. We argue that a spectrum of scientific approaches is needed to understand human–nature relationships. We demonstrate the relational assumptions of nature connection and assess how this aligns with its application in studies of nature and well‐being, including the way nature connection is defined and observed. We examine 10 psychological theories of how nature contact influences well‐being, noting that such theories implicitly or explicitly shape how nature connection can be defined and understood to operate. In both analyses, we highlight theoretical aspects that are aligned with more mechanistic or more relational approaches. We argue researchers need to be alert to scientific worldviews associated with the concept of nature connection, and to define, observe, and theorise nature, nature connection, and well‐being in ways that explicitly address the researcher's purpose and assumptions. To support clarity and alignment in theorisation, we synthesise a list of mechanistic and relational conceptual approaches to studying nature and well‐being, including suggestions regarding definitions, unit of analysis, approach to dynamics and change, and the role of the researcher. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Agro‐pastoralist communities in Karamoja, Uganda, face food insecurity driven by climate variability, declining livestock numbers and crop failures. In this context, local ethnobotanical knowledge systems play a central role in subsistence and adaptation. This study examines how new uses of wild edible plants emerge under food shortages and the mechanisms underlying their emergence, transmission and establishment in Karamoja. We conducted focus group discussions and semi‐structured interviews in five villages among Tepeth and Karamojong communities, combined with walks‐in‐the‐woods for species verification. Qualitative analyses identified the drivers of change, learning pathways and linguistic practices, while logistic modelling assessed plant use patterns in villages. Participants reported the emergence of 27 previously unused edible plant species, mostly herbaceous and sourced from anthropogenic habitats. All new uses emerged during periods of severe food shortages and were developed primarily by women. Most species are consumed as leafy vegetables and are available mainly during the rainy season. Thus, wild plants constitute a living reservoir of resilience. New plant uses emerged largely through asocial learning, involving individual experimentation and trial and error. These uses were subsequently transmitted within and between villages through social learning, as reflected in shared vernacular names and narratives of knowledge transfer. The mechanisms of emergence, transmission and gradual integration of these practices meet the first two of the four core criteria of cumulative cultural evolution and show indications of the remaining two. These results show that the outcomes in rangeland systems depend on how culturally embedded values, norms and perceptions shape behaviour over time. Interventions must therefore recognize locally driven innovation, safeguard access to natural resources and align with the adaptive logics through which pastoralist communities manage rangelands. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes) are critical for climate regulation and biodiversity, yet significant funding gaps persist in marine conservation. While blue carbon credits are increasingly used to bridge these gaps, concerns remain regarding their efficacy in delivering socio‐economic benefits. Based on lessons from terrestrial carbon markets, failing to prioritise local community needs can lead to inequitable outcomes and externally mandated constraints, which undermine the legitimacy of nature‐based solutions. This research seeks to add to the centralised understanding of the social dimension of blue carbon by delivering a comprehensive review of 77 publicly listed projects from global and regional carbon registries. We employed a thematic domain analysis to categorise intended socio‐economic activities and used the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework to evaluate their alignment with international sustainability targets. We found that blue carbon project proponents, that is the organisations responsible for developing and implementing these projects, target a diverse array of SDGs far beyond ‘Life Below Water’ (SDG 14). We identified a shift towards integrating broader international development activities, such as infrastructure improvement, cultural heritage preservation and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Quantitative mapping demonstrates that these non‐carbon activities relate most strongly to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). However, the study identifies a systemic lack of transparency regarding how activities are selected, the role of community co‐design and the mechanisms for long‐term monitoring and evaluation. We provide a baseline analysis of how blue carbon project proponents embed sustainable development principles. Addressing these procedural, distributive and evaluative gaps is essential to ensure that blue carbon markets are developed equitably, fostering social and ecological co‐benefits while supporting international sustainability targets. To ensure blue carbon markets are developed equitably, practitioners and policymakers must move beyond participatory gestures towards robust procedural equity and enhancing project accountability. By integrating clear socio‐economic baselines and measurable social impact criteria, blue carbon project proponents can transition projects from simply carbon‐offsetting tools into trusted, holistic investments that foster resilient coastal communities and secure the long‐term integrity of global marine ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Southwest China is home to a small but rapidly expanding population of Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ), whose growth has intensified conflicts with people living in shared landscapes. These conflicts result in substantial economic losses and occasional human casualties. This coexistence paradox—where conservation success leads to significant burdens for local communities—makes understanding human tolerance critical for sustaining both elephants and people's safety and livelihoods. Using the Wildlife Tolerance Model, we surveyed 769 respondents across two regions representing contrasting ecological and social contexts: Xishuangbanna, where human–elephant conflict is frequent and severe, and Cangyuan, where elephants occur mostly within a nature reserve and rarely cause conflict. Within each region, we compared communities within the current elephant range with nearby communities outside the range but close enough for future recolonization, examining both external (e.g. exposure) and internal (e.g. values) drivers of tolerance, and contrasting realized tolerance under current exposure with anticipated tolerance in areas without regular elephant presence. Respondents expressed ambivalent attitudes towards elephants—admiring their cultural significance yet showing low tolerance for proximity. Tolerance was higher in elephant‐absent than in elephant‐present areas, consistent with the contrast between anticipated and realized tolerance, and higher in the low‐conflict than in the high‐conflict region, reflecting both the psychological burden of exposure and the influence of local conflict intensity. Tolerance was shaped less by material losses than by intangible and institutional factors. Emotional and psychological dimensions—including perceived intangible benefits, fear, trust in management authorities, and personal interest in animals—were stronger predictors of tolerance than direct economic costs. Exposure influenced tolerance indirectly through its effects on perceived intangible benefits and costs, revealing the complex emotional mechanisms underlying coexistence. These findings demonstrate that coexistence depends as much on managing perceptions and trust as on mitigating damage. Promoting tolerance requires strategies that strengthen the sense of safety, enhance positive engagement with wildlife, and reinforce institutional trust. More broadly, these results show that conservation policy must move beyond economic compensation to address the socio‐cultural and psychological foundations of coexistence—insights essential for designing China's planned Asian Elephant National Park and for managing recovering populations of conflict‐prone megafauna globally. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Digital surveillance technologies (DSTs) are widely applied in nature recovery for their potential to generate novel data on species and ecosystems through digital tracking, automation (e.g. from hazardous locations) and from newly recruited citizen scientists. However, their use raises a number of wider questions relevant to nature recovery. This paper is an interdisciplinary review of published literature about the potentialities and implications of digital surveillance for nature recovery. DSTs have the potential to contribute to the collection of novel data useful in nature recovery, and allow rapid and efficient capture, management and analysis of data, potentially increasing the speed and reducing the cost of acquiring scientific knowledge. New scientific data may helpfully direct conservation action (e.g. in spatially explicit policy on migration corridors), but there can be problems of bias and distraction. However, digitalisation also shapes human understandings of non‐human nature in complex ways, and contributes to the rise of virtual digital natures. The use of DSTs has implications for the future role of human workers, and a role in commoditising nature and extending the grip of technology corporations. The deployment of DSTs also has implications for (i) human rights (e.g. around protected areas); (ii) for its part in the environmental impacts of digitalisation (e.g. mineral and energy consumption and e‐waste); and (iii) for the welfare of tracked animals. The paper concludes that DSTs can make important scientific contributions through the volume and diversity of data and automated management. However, several issues need close attention from users: the potential of digital technologies to shape conservation action, public understandings and commoditisation of nature, and the importance of human rights, animal rights and the environmental impacts of digitalisation. Ethical frameworks, transparency about methods (especially in published papers) and discussion across the nature recovery community are important if the benefits of DSTs are to be realised without associated costs. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract Context : Bats provide vital ecosystem services but can also generate disservices or sanitary concerns, particularly where human–bat interactions are frequent. Understanding public perceptions of bats is essential for effective conservation and risk communication. Objectives : This study investigates the drivers of public perceptions of bats on Reunion Island, focusing on knowledge, perceived ecosystem services and disservices, and bat‐related sanitary risk perceptions. Methods : An online questionnaire was completed by 768 residents. Structural equation modelling was used to examine relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, Nature‐relatedness, personal experiences with bats, bat knowledge and perceptions, allowing assessment of both direct and indirect effects on risk perception. Results : Residents most frequently associated bats with insect pest control and biodiversity maintenance, whereas guano accumulation and noise disturbance were the most cited disservices. Higher Nature‐relatedness and education level correlated with greater bat knowledge and agreement with ecosystem services. Positive encounters with bats were linked to higher knowledge and lower perceived disservices. Negative perceptions of disservices and bat interactions were associated with elevated sanitary risk concerns. Conclusions and Implications : Perceptions of bats are shaped by both cognitive and experiential factors. Context‐specific public education, promoting positive bat interactions and targeted outreach can reduce misconceptions, support risk mitigation and foster coexistence. In island ecosystems such as Reunion, integrating perception‐based strategies into conservation and public health planning is essential. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
