Modeling human-wildlife space-use patterns in peri-urban landscapes: implications for spatial planning and zoning

To provide multifunctional spaces for recreationists while protecting wildlife in peri-urban landscapes, one fundamental step is to develop an understanding of human-wildlife space-use patterns over time. In the Järfälla-Sollentuna Green-Blue Infrastructure (JSGBI), Stockholm County, Sweden, we employed an in-person, public participatory mapping approach to identify areas of interest for outdoor recreation in relation to the spatial distribution of nine mammal species, access to trails/pathways, and land-cover composition. We found that the spatial distribution of areas visited for outdoor recreation is highly heterogeneous and mostly concentrated around major inland waters. We found no correlation between the probability of human presence and access to trails/pathways. We also found that a mixed mosaic of wetlands, inland waters, grasslands, and deciduous forests was the most attractive land-cover composition to recreationists. We observed a similar pattern for wildlife occurrence in parts of JSGBI, but we did not find robust evidence to generalize this finding to the entire study area. Our model also indicated that space-use patterns by recreationists and mammal species vary over time, with a temporal overlap in May and June. Taken together, these findings suggest that in locations, where a diverse mosaic of deciduous forests and grasslands abut on wetlands and inland waters, the probability of both human presence and wildlife occurrence increases, however this spatial convergence does not necessarily occur at the same time. In such mosaics, the spatial overlap between areas visited and used for outdoor recreation and wildlife-rich zones is mostly limited to May and June. This finding reveals a significant temporal overlap in relation to space-use patterns at monthly scale. The spatiotemporal knowledge we gained through this case study highlights the importance of the strategic planning, design, and management of land mosaics and emphasizes a pressing need for data-driven zoning, planning for multiple space-use patterns, and applying time-sensitive strategies to provide space for recreationists while safeguarding mammal species.