Social vs. biological values of “nature”: a comparison of “protected areas” in Scotland and Idaho in the American West

This presentation will outline proposed comparative research on the implications of social values associated with protected areas in Scotland and Idaho (as representative of the Intermountain West in the United States).

It will begin to examine the following questions in order to inform the research question as it applies to nationally protected areas Scotland and Idaho:

• Dates of protected area designations and historical and cultural contexts
• Land ownership/management, land use history, and cultural history of protected areas prior to designation (including the removal or exclusion of people and human activity)
• Current land ownership/management , land use, and cultural values associated with protected areas
• Biological values within protected areas (such as biodiversity, landcover, etc.)
• Spatial patterns of protected areas: Connected vs. isolated landscapes, topography, etc.
• Primary reasons for establishing a protected area, as recorded in legislation and other supporting documentation
• Who designates specific types of protected areas and how public input is incorporated
• “Protected areas” excluded and included in IUCN’s typology

Ms Mackenzie Case is a GIS and Policy Analyst with professional experience in conservation nonprofits and fundraising. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration of Environmental, Natural Resource and Energy Policy, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Policy and Administration with an Emphasis in Environmental Policy at Boise State University in the state of Idaho, USA. She is author for the Blue Review (https://thebluereview.org/author/mackenzie-case/), and The Conversation USA (https://theconversation.com/profiles/mackenzie-case-304071/articles).