Relying on wildlife management: How compensation programs can build trust and perceived control to sustain coexistence with brown bears in Poland

Key Points

• Compensation programs improve perceived control over wildlife interactions, fostering coexistence.
• Increased trust in wildlife management was observed among local communities, significantly benefiting wildlife conservation.
• Analysis emphasizes the role of local stakeholder engagement in effective compensation strategies.
• Highlighting the importance of financial support for communities affected by wildlife to mitigate human-bear conflicts.