What should we do? An explanatory analysis of the decision-making process in biodiversity conservation

Conservation decisions can have a major impact on species, and landscapes and the people who live in them. For academics who wish to be involved in conservation practice, understanding how these decisions are made is crucial. This mixed-methods study used a descriptive approach to understand decision types, actors, influences and information sources in biodiversity conservation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven conservation professionals to generate information on decision making and then used these data to develop a survey completed by 36 conservation professionals. This approach highlighted numerous important insights for conservation academics wishing to support conservation decision making, and we suggest that identifying the frequency and complexity of decision types in conservation could highlight areas where academics could have the greatest impact.