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Communication and Wildlife Conservation (Grey Wolf and Brown Bear in Italy)

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Problematic Wildlife II

Abstract

Communication regarding the conservation of grey wolf (about 2000 individuals) and brown bear (110 individuals, including 2 subspecies) in Italy has some disadvantages. Italy does not have a national faunal plan with national strategy for the management of these species and ungulate populations. The cultural perception is quite different: brown bear is positive but not in the Alps where it was reintroduced (Trentino) and grey wolf generally negative, except by environmentalists. Appropriate communication is needed, that is, it should not be improvised, but it must be planned and an essential part of the project and not have a fixed term. Three types of management plan are discussed since a lot of difficulties troubles a plan drowned up by subjects other than the institution that will have to guarantee its realization. According to the point of view that communication is also negotiation, it is essential to understand the interests of the parties and have some empathy to apply advantageous solutions for everyone. A professional communicator who works specifically within the organization is still an indispensable figure, much better than a technician. The results of the Italian model are critically pointed out, especially a recent (2018) aggressive law of the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano (North Italy). Finally, it is emphasized that the best communication is ‘on the battlefield’ and through immediate actions.

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Acknowledgements

I am particularly grateful to Giorgio Boscagli (formerly of the Sirente-Velino Regional Park and Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Italy), Mauro Fattor (GLAMM of ATit), Luca Pedrotti (the Stelvio National Park and the Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy), Stefano Filacorda (Udine University, Italy), Paolo Molinari (KORA, SCALP) Dario Febbo (formerly of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park and Gran Sasso Laga National Park) as well as Paolo Forconi (Studio Chiros) and Corradino Guacci (S.I.Sto.Fa.‘Giuseppe Altobello’), for a range of essential information.

Francesca Marucco (Life Wolfsalps), Luigi Boitani (‘Sapienza’ University, Rome, Italy), Piero Genovesi (ISPRA, Italy), Duccio Berzi (Canis lupus Italia) and Silvano Toso (formerly ISPRA, Italy) all provided important comments.

I must warmly thank Filippo Zibordi (NatCom) and Luciana Carotenuto (Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy, and Regione Lazio) for their comments and suggestions on the paper.

A further thank you should go to Massimo Baldacci (AFV Miemo-Italy) and Guenther Mittenzwei for their reflections.

Special thanks need to go to Paul Tout who magisterially reviewed the manuscript, improving the English no end.

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  1. Montelupone (MC), ·, Italy

    Franco Perco

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  1. FIZV, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Maria Angelici

  2. Museo dell’Ecologia di Cesena, Cesena, Forli/Cesana, Italy

    Lorenzo Rossi

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Perco, F. (2020). Communication and Wildlife Conservation (Grey Wolf and Brown Bear in Italy). In: Angelici, F., Rossi, L. (eds) Problematic Wildlife II. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42335-3_17

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