Stakeholder Engagement in Invasive Alien Species Management – a Case Study in North-Brabant

Abstract

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major driver of global environmental change and can have a big influence on societies. Stakeholder engagement is increasingly recognized as an important topic in IAS decision-making. Understanding the different perceptions and policies of stakeholders in necessary in order to facilitate a successful implementation of management practices. This research aims to answer the question: To what extent do North-Brabant stakeholders’ perceptions and policies on invasive alien species in reinforce or contradict each other and how does this influence invasive alien species management? Ten key stakeholders have been identified, and In-depth interviews, a literature review and a review of policy documents have been carried out to identify the management implications of IAS-management in North-Brabant. The data has shown that there is a lack of resources among the stakeholders, mainly due to a lack of urgency, prioritizing and familiarity of IAS. Moreover, several different perceptions lead to implications in IAS-management. This will lead to stakeholders taking a passive stand and start waiting for the other party to take action. The data also indicates that the lack of uniformity and policies between the stakeholders results in IAS-management implications as well, as tackling the problem does not feel feasible.