Feathered majesty in the grainfield? Conflict, conservation, and the whooper swan in Iceland

• Main Author: Jones, Shauna Laurel, 1980-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Álft; Uppskerubrestur; Viðhorf; Umhverfisvernd; Cygnus cygnus; Iceland; Whooper Swan
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/30456

This thesis investigates relationships between cultural values and conservation practices, focusing on the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in Iceland. Conflicts between farmers and swans in Iceland have triggered debates about how to balance utilitarian concerns with interests in visual appeal and other affective qualities in species conservation. This study therefore addresses the following: (1) How are swans conceptualized aesthetically, symbolically, and sentimentally in Iceland in light of their protected status and increasing population? (2) To what extent are swans conceived of as active agents in their environment? (3) How do these notions play out in the human–wildlife conflict between farmers and swans, as well as in broader social and conservation contexts? Qualitative data drawn from interviews with farmers, wildlife enthusiasts, and policy-shapers has been gathered and analyzed to address these questions. The study revealed a range of nuances and ambivalence within participants’ ideas about the cultural values of swans, with different groups approaching these values as fixed or contingent, respectively. Secondly, the degree to which participants attributed agency to whooper swans likely facilitates the swan’s recasting as a pest in the countryside. Finally, the study underscores the fact that management of “nuisance” species is always an ethically entangled issue that should engage public discussion. This case presents a timely opportunity to achieve a richer understanding of how cultural attitudes toward other animals gain value within conservation decision-making, a critical component of illuminating the often-concealed “biopolitics of conservation” that directly affect the protection of wildlife and landscape around the world. Í þessari ritgerð er fjallað um tengsl menningarbundinna gilda og ákvarðana um náttúruvernd. Horft er sérstaklega til stöðu álftarinnar (Cygnus cygnus) á Íslandi. Árekstrar milli bænda og álfta hafa vakið upp umræðu um hvernig ná megi jafnvægi í tegundavernd milli ...