Ballot initiatives—antithesis of human dimensions approaches or catalyst for change?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The proliferation of ballot initiatives focused on wildlife issues is a concern in the wildlife management community. Ballot initiatives have the potential to constrain state wildlife agencies’ effective use of scientific human dimensions inquiry and stakeholder‐involvement processes for management decision making With this possibility in mind, we consider the implications of ballot initiatives on human dimensions research and application and on stakeholder‐involvement processes. We describe the qualities of a human dimensions/stakeholder approach to wildlife management, compare the traits of ballot initiatives versus the human dimensions/stakeholder approach, and then consider the roles and contributions of human dimensions inquiry in a ballot initiative‐prone political environment. The contributions discussed are: forecasting the likelihood of ballot initiatives, illuminating issues and special interests, planning educational communication, designing stakeholder input and involvement processes, and predicting consequences of ballot initiatives.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: