Stakeholder Perspectives on the Current Decision-Making Process of Invasive Alien Plant Management

Abstract

Effective management responses to different risks posed by invasive alien plants (IAP) rely on the ability to assess the appropriateness of the decision-making process involved. IAP management is highly dynamic and complex, involving diverse stakeholders and it remains unclear whether the current decision-making processes are appropriate for managing IAP. However, there have been some notable successes both locally and elsewhere in the world. Here, 30 key informant interviews were conducted with private landowners (n = 7), natural resource managers from government parastatals (n = 7), private sector (n = 5), non-governmental organisations (NGO) practitioners (n = 6) and researchers (n = 5) involved in IAP management, to better understand the perspectives on the current decision-making process. In addition, the compliance of the current IAP decision-making process to the principles of robust decision-making was assessed. The availability of a plethora of management plans, science-based decisions, the creation of jobs, flexible process and coordination were frequently identified strengths. Furthermore, the results showed no significant differences among stakeholder groups in how the respondents characterise their current IAP decision-making process, with infrequent mention of the principles of robust decision-making. The findings demonstrate how infrequently the principles of robust decision-making are incorporated into the current IAP decision-making process. Incorporating the principles of robust decision-making offers an avenue for improving the decision-making process for invasive alien plant management.