Factors promoting hunting groups’ sustainable harvest of moose in a co-management system




Tuominen Laura S., Wikström Mikael, Helanterä Heikki, Karell Patrik, Pusenius Jyrki, Rapeli Lauri, Ruha Leena, Vuorisalo Timo, Brommer Jon E.

PublisherSpringer Nature

2023

Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports

21076

13

2045-2322

2045-2322

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48348-2(external)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-48348-2(external)

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/182326597(external)



Collaboration between and within management levels and involvement of local communities (co-management) increases sustainable management of natural resources. In Finland, moose (Alces alces) are harvested by hunting groups within a co-management system, providing meat and social benefits. We computed the 14-year change in moose harvest (2007–2020) for 4320 hunting groups. Moose harvest declined on average 1.1% per year, but with substantial variation in moose harvest changes between the hunting groups. We extracted information describing the collaboration between the hunting groups, their democratic status as well as leader dynamics, and the year of establishment. A hunting group’s moose harvest was more stable (i.e. declined less) when the hunting group was (1) established a longer time ago; (2), had more changes in leadership over time, but did not depend on collaboration with other local hunting groups (in terms of jointly holding moose hunting licenses), whether the hunting group was a registered society (presumed to be more democratic than a non-registered one) or had consecutive leaders that shared a surname (presumed to be related). We conclude that encouraging resource users’ early establishment in groups and groups’ long-term persistence and promoting democratic leadership roles improves stable benefits from a natural resource in a co-management system.


Last updated on 2025-27-03 at 22:02