Conservation in a changing world: assessing the conservation status of an agriculturally adapted species, the blue crane. Appendix 2: Farmer interviews

Conservation of species residing on privately-owned agricultural land requires a holistic understanding of landowner views and the agricultural system. In the Western Cape Blue Cranes Anthropoides paradiseus occur on intensively farmed agricultural land, and therefore the population is impacted by farmer decisions. I conducted interviews with farmers in the Overberg (n = 20) and Swartland (17) in June 2019 and June 2021, to understand climate change adaptation strategies, agricultural change and attitudes to Blue Cranes and their conservation. The main agricultural change in the last few decades has been a switch to minimum till, or conservation farming, a trend which is to increase, as it was cited by farmers as their main climate change adaptation strategy. Minimum till is one of three pillars of conservation agriculture, which are minimum soil disturbance, maintaining soil organic cover (leaving stubble on the land or cover crops) and using crop rotation. Many of these practices should benefit cranes, although increased reliance on chemicals for weed and pest control may be detrimental. Many farmers experience crop damage from rodents and geese, and the use of rodenticide to control rodents is widespread. Some farmers are aware of poison being used for geese in their area, despite it being illegal. A greater conservation presence is needed in this landscape to curb these practices, and to encourage responsible pest control. Overall, the interviewed farmers had positive attitudes towards Blue Cranes on their farms, 62% of farmers got the highest possible attitude score for these attitude statements. Despite this positive attitude, overall farmer attitudes towards Blue Crane conservation initiatives were only mildly positive, mainly because most farmers believe that Blue Cranes are doing well in the area. This information can guide future conservation approaches; it is possible that a more integrated approach, where interventions have multiple goals, could be effective. For example, assisting farmers find solutions for crop damage by geese and rodents, would be beneficial to farmers and biodiversity, including cranes.

保护栖息于私有农用土地的物种，需全面掌握土地所有者的观点与农业系统运作逻辑。在西开普省，蓝鹤（Blue Cranes，学名Anthropoides paradiseus）栖息于集约化经营的农用土地中，因此其种群动态受农户决策直接影响。本研究于2019年6月与2021年6月期间，对奥弗贝格（Overberg，样本量n=20）与斯瓦特兰（Swartland，样本量n=17）的农户开展访谈，旨在了解农户的气候变化适应策略、农业转型情况，以及其对蓝鹤及其保护工作的态度。近几十年来当地农业的主要转型方向为转向少耕（minimum till）或保护性耕作（conservation farming），且该趋势仍在扩大——农户普遍将其视作核心的气候变化适应策略。少耕是保护性农业的三大核心支柱之一，另外两大支柱分别为最小化土壤扰动、维持土壤有机覆盖（即留存作物残茬或种植覆盖作物）以及实施轮作制度。尽管此类多数耕作措施对蓝鹤种群具有潜在益处，但农户愈发依赖化学药剂防控杂草与病虫害的行为，可能会对其产生不利影响。不少农户面临鼠类与雁类造成的作物损害问题，且普遍使用杀鼠剂防控鼠害。尽管毒杀雁类属于违法行为，但部分农户表示知晓当地存在此类毒杀行为。该区域需要强化保护工作的介入力度，以遏制此类有害行为，并鼓励农户采用负责任的病虫害防控方式。整体而言，受访农户对其农田内的蓝鹤持有积极态度，其中62%的农户在相关态度量表中获得了最高评分。尽管农户对蓝鹤个体持积极态度，但他们对蓝鹤保护项目的整体态度仅为温和积极，这主要是因为多数农户认为当地蓝鹤种群现状良好。本研究结果可为后续保护工作提供指引：采用兼具多重目标的整合式干预方案，或可取得良好的保护成效。例如，协助农户解决雁类与鼠类造成的作物损害问题，将同时惠及农户与包括蓝鹤在内的生物多样性。