A critical assessment of a protected area conflict analysis based on secondary data in the age of datafication.

Recently, a global trend towards a broader use of secondary data in social sciences has been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. This evoked doubts about the validity of the results unless restrictive assessment procedures are implemented. To address this need in the field of protected area (PA) conflict analysis, we propose a three-fold approach (theory-, method-, and cross-scale simulation-driven) to assess the usefulness of the utilized state register dataset and the indicator analysis methodology for the multi-level recognition of PA conflict determinants. With the ultimate aim to inform case study selection, we processed 187 relevant indicators from the official Statistics Poland register for a Lesser Poland region. We distinguished five types of PA conflict determinants in Lesser Poland ('urbanity', 'agriculture', 'tourism', 'small-scale entrepreneurship', and 'sprawl') and respective groups of 15 clusters comprising local-level units. For one cluster, we juxtaposed the obtained results with secondary data from another source (Internet content) and for a specific PA (Tatra National Park). Although the reported conflict issues corresponded to the indicator-derived descriptors of the cluster, in the theory-driven phase of the assessment, the state register failed to address the key prerequisites of PA conflicts. We have demonstrated that, in crisis conditions such as COVID-19, the proposed method can serve as a proxy for a multi-level recognition of PA conflict potentials, provided that it synthesises the results of different methodological approaches, followed by in-person interviews in the selected case studies.

Effects of connection to nature on residents' perceptions of conservation policy justice of Natura 2000.

We examined the effects of human connection to nature on residents' concerns about justice in conservation policies of Natura 2000. Expansion of Natura 2000 conservation network has resulted in local communities having to consider Natura 2000 in their development plans, and justice concerns have been strong in some communities near Natura 2000 sites. We conceptualized Natura 2000 justice within a framework composed of 3 domains of conservation justice: distribution, recognition, and representation. To examine the effect of nature connection on perceived justice of Natura 2000, we conducted a door-to-door survey of rural resident (80.09% response rate) in 3 municipalities of Pomerania in Poland. The effect of connection to nature on perceived distribution of Natura 2000 benefits was positive (b = 0.187, t = 7.057, p < 0.001); perceived communication about Natura 2000 was positive (b = 0.089, t = 2.940 p < 0.01); perception of limitations was positive (b = 0.078, t = 2.416, p < 0.01); perceived recognition was positive (b = 0.117, t = 3.367, p < 0.001); and perceived representation was positive (b = 0.123, t = 5.015, p < 0.001). Our results suggest local residents' bonds with nature matter and they should be considered when new conservation approaches, such as Natura 2000, are introduced.

Efectos de la Conexión de los Residentes con la Naturaleza sobre la Percepción de la Política de Justicia de Conservación de Natura 2000 Stzelecka et al. Resumen Examinamos los efectos de la conexión humana con la naturaleza sobre los intereses de los residentes en cuanto a la justicia en las políticas de conservación de Natura 2000. Como resultado de la expansión de la red de conservación Natura 2000, las comunidades locales han tenido que considerarla dentro de sus planes de desarrollo y el interés por la justicia se ha fortalecido en algunas comunidades cercanas a los sitios de esta red. Definimos la justicia de Natura 2000 dentro de un marco compuesto por tres dominios de justicia de la conservación: distribución, reconocimiento y representación. Para analizar el efecto de la conexión con la naturaleza sobre la justicia percibida de Natura 2000, realizamos una encuesta a domicilio a los residentes rurales (80.09% de respuesta) de tres municipios de Pomerania en Polonia. El efecto de la conexión con la naturaleza fue positivo para las percepciones de la distribución de los beneficios (b = 0.187, t = 7.057, p < 0.001), la comunicación (b = 0.089, t = 2.940 p < 0.01), las limitaciones (b = 0.078, t = 2.416, p < 0.01), el reconocimiento (b = 0.117, t = 3.367, p < 0.001) y la representación (b = 0.123, t = 5.015, p < 0.001) de Natura 2000. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los lazos de los residentes locales con la naturaleza son importantes y deberían considerarse cuando se introduzcan nuevas estrategias de conservación, como Natura 2000.