2022 Volume 28 Issue 1 Article ID: 2035
Allocation of local revenues from birdwatching to conservation projects can incentivize conservation of endemic bird species and other wildlife. However, nature tourism can also negatively affect target species and their habitats. In 1984, as part of a project to protect Blakiston's fish owl on the Shiretoko Peninsula of Hokkaido, the Japanese government purposely refrained from disclosing the owl's habitat to the public. However, lodging facilities on the Shiretoko Peninsula have begun to distribute owl feed to allow their guests to observe and photograph these rare birds. This practice has led to widespread dissemination of information on the owl's habitat, prompting concerns that conservation efforts may be adversely affected. As a countermeasure, conservationists have proposed a "show and protect" policy. The first step of this policy is to gradually reduce and eventually eliminate all artificial feeding so that the owl can be observed in more natural settings. The second step is to discourage any activities that will detract from the global and local value of the Shiretoko region. The third step is to provide an educational framework for people to learn about Blakiston's fish owl and its conservation. Implementing this conservation policy requires cooperation and consensus building among a diverse group of people, including local residents, members of the tourism industry, tourists, researchers, and government officials. In this study, to better understand the views of the public on the proposed policy, we conducted interviews with members of the local community, who will play important roles. The survey results indicate that there are no significant inconsistencies between the goals of the conservation policies and the views of local stakeholders. However, these groups differed in their perceptions of the natural environment, local community life, nature conservation initiatives, and profitable nature use. For this "show and protect" conservation policy to be effective, rules must be established in a creative and flexible manner to facilitate collaboration among people with diverse perspectives. The main challenges to this goal are recognizing a plurality of values, mutual acceptance of different objectives, and consensus building among stakeholders.
