Improving wolf management practices on ranchlands in southwestern Alberta: An evaluation of two collaborative processes

This report examines the decision processes of two collaborative local initiatives that focused on reducing wolf-livestock conflicts in southwestern Alberta. The objectives of the study are to (1) assess the strengths and weaknesses of each initiative, (2) determine if, and how, such initiatives can build trust among stakeholders, (3) determine if, and how, such initiatives can design and implement effective mechanisms to reduce on the ground conflicts between large carnivores and livestock, and, (4) identify challenges and successes in using the evaluative criteria. The evaluation shows that both collaborative processes succeeded in gathering useful information for decision making and one initiative succeeded in its promotion function. Weaknesses included poor goal definition, lack of clarity in process, unclear stakeholder responsibilities, lack of evaluation and termination policies, and poor external communication. Despite these weaknesses, the results indicate that trust can be built and wolf-livestock conflicts can be addressed through such collaborative initiatives.