Abstract In a socio‐ecological system such as the Maritime‐Terrestrial National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia (PNIAG), a considerable amount of information is available about ecological processes, but much less information about social issues. The human side is a fundamental part of the system and must be considered in conservation actions. This article presents a discrete choice experiment that analyses the preferences of visitors for the conservation programs being developed in the PNIAG. With respect to fauna, the experiment delves into the preferences for managing the yellow‐legged gull population, a species whose populations have declined significantly in the PNIAG in recent years. Regarding habitat management, a program for eliminating non‐native forest species is proposed, as well as two ecological restoration alternatives based, respectively, on (i) recovery of the coastal scrubland that existed prior to the forest plantations or (ii) planting native trees coming from the coast near the islands of the national park. We conducted a discrete choice experiment with visitors to the PNIAG. Based on 4141 responses, we found that experienced visitors show greater knowledge about matters such as the population trend of the yellow‐legged gull or the identification of species that are present in the park, and different intensities of preferences for conservation programs are also observed. Generally, the results show that a laissez‐faire strategy would involve a loss of welfare. There is an observable social demand for moderate management measures in the PNIAG. Such measures are embodied by actions that prevent the continuing decline of the yellow‐legged gull populations and by actions of forestry restoration using local deciduous trees, while maintaining the current plantations of non‐native species in the remainder of the park. The experiment allows identifying certain conflicts between the ecological and social dimensions, and the conclusion is that there is considerable room for conciliation.
Soliño et al. (Tue,) studied this question.