Linking game theory and structured decision-making for the resolution of conservation conflicts.

My work aims to use the concepts of game theory to study the motivations and actions of people involved in conservation conflicts. Framing conflict in such a way will allow inclusion of individual and/or group behaviour into decision making tools, where different resolution interventions can be modelled for effectiveness.

Case studies for this work come from across Scotland, where populations of wild geese damage crops. Individuals and groups involved in this conservation conflict include farmers, conservation organisations, government, and wildfowl shooters. Understanding how people in these groups interact with each other is key to managing the conflict itself.