This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Farmers and foresters manage around 80% of Germany's land area. They are therefore key agents of change in protecting biodiversity—and are often accused of not doing enough to protect it.
A research team led by Marion Mehring, who heads the Biodiversity and People research group at the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE), wanted to determine the level of awareness and motivation regarding biodiversity protection among these groups. Their 2023 study, which surveyed more than 1,000 respondents, showed that the two groups do not need further appeals for biodiversity conservation—quite the opposite. Awareness of the biodiversity crisis and the motivation to take action are high within the agricultural and forestry sectors.
The research team developed a specific concept for biodiversity awareness to determine the extent to which stakeholders in agriculture and forestry are prepared to actively embrace and implement biodiversity targets. The concept of biodiversity awareness is now being made available to the international biodiversity research community for the first time—in a publication in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. Drawing on the concept of environmental awareness, it offers not only a theoretical definition of biodiversity awareness but also demonstrates how it can be systematically measured.
Lead author Mehring describes the concept as follows: "Biodiversity awareness contains three components. With regard to the cognitive component, we ask to what extent people agree that human-induced biodiversity loss is a fact. This is not a question of knowledge, but of attitude.
However, emotions also play a role." In other words: What feelings and values do people associate with the loss of biodiversity? Does the issue of biodiversity loss emotionally affect them, or do they feel it is being greatly exaggerated? "Thirdly, there is a conative component.
This describes the willingness to act: Are people prepared to change their own behavior? Do they support appropriate measures, or do they implement them themselves?" For biodiversity researcher Mehring, the concept is relevant because it shows this: "Someone can be very well informed about biodiversity without drawing any conclusions for their own behavior." This is a particularly important insight when it comes to communicating about the biodiversity crisis. "Anyone wishing to promote biodiversity-friendly behavior should not only convey information, but also appeal to values, create emotional connections and highlight concrete opportunities for action." This increases the likelihood that knowledge will be translated into behavior that promotes biodiversity.
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