Mapping Relationships among People, Wildlife, and Parks: The Role of Qualitative Data

Background and Research Aims: Mitigating human-wildlife conflicts and promoting coexistence are fundamental for biodiversity conservation and social justice. This need is especially crucial in and around protected areas, which were historically established without the participation of local communities. Here, we aimed to map the relationships among people, wildlife, and protected areas to understand the social and ecological drivers of conflict and poaching. We also examined people’s attitudes toward wildlife and parks to develop strategies that can promote coexistence. Planning for coexistence deals with complex problems in socio-ecological systems, therefore, it benefits from non-reductionist, holistic and profound approaches such as qualitative analysis and systems thinking methods. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 47 residents living around two protected areas of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using narrative analysis and we used a systems-thinking approach to map the structure and dynamics of the socio-ecological system. Results: Residents identified job opportunities, education, and religion as key factors fostering positive attitudes towards wildlife and protected areas. In contrast, restrictions on resource use, poor socioeconomic conditions, crop and livestock depredation, and local corruption contributed to negative perceptions. Poaching was primarily motivated by subsistence needs and retaliation following wildlife damage. Qualitative data were essential for understanding local perspectives and contextualizing human-wildlife interactions. Conclusion: Integrating qualitative analysis with a systems-thinking approach provided a comprehensive understanding of relationships among people, wildlife, and protected areas. Our results highlight the importance of addressing human-wildlife conflicts and planning coexistence strategies surrounding protected areas to advance conservation objectives while supporting human well-being. We also stress the role of meeting socioeconomic needs to effectively overcome conservation challenges and foster social justice. Implications for Conservation: Our findings underscore the importance of conflict resolution, surveillance, dialogue between parks and communities, and improving socioeconomic conditions to achieve coexistence and social justice.