Theme
Revisiting What Is Wild for Coexisting
The theme of the conference is “Revisiting What Is Wild for Coexisting.”
The concept of “wild” often refers to elements of nature that remain untamed and unaltered by human intervention. Some argue that in today’s interconnected world, true wild, untouched by human influence, is exceedingly rare or perhaps even nonexistent. In this human-dominated era, in the Anthropocene, new challenges and new debates arise around what is wild as well as what is natural.
In the Anthropocene era, human intervention is replacing the natural world, leading us to bear the responsibility of making thoughtful choices about whether a particular species should continue to exist or vanish. Who defines the natural habitat of wildlife? Is a green space or an agricultural field just as natural, or “natural” as a remote secondary forest? When should we regard wildlife range expansion as part of a species’ natural habitat, or should we classify these pioneering animals as alien species, possibly necessitating legal measures for prevention, management, and elimination? With climate change creating novel ecosystems, what is an invasive species? Could they be replacing another species with a functional role that would not survive because of the climate land-use change?
The changes linked to the Anthropocene era challenge conventional notions and strategies in biodiversity conservation, including concepts like wild, wilderness, native and non-native species, diversity within species and ecosystems, and the criteria for measuring success in biodiversity conservation.
This year’s conference theme is “Revisiting What is Wild for Coexisting.” With this in mind, among other topics, Pathways Europe 2024 will be exploring topics related to native and non-native wildlife, debates around sharing different landscapes for the conservation of wildlife, and how to adapt to forthcoming changes for enhancing coexistence.
In pursuit of Pathways’ mission of increasing the professionalism and effectiveness in the human dimensions of wildlife management field, we continue to address the most pressing issues facing conservation efforts today. We invite your perspectives on this critical topic.
Topics to explore:
- Invasive, non-native, alien species
- Free-ranging domestic animals
- Urban-city wildlife
- Protected areas spaces, green spaces, wilderness
- Coexistence-conflict
- Re-wildling,
- Ethical-moral implications
Pathways Europe 2024 Cohosts:
