Support for Transnational Conservation in a Gain-Loss Context

Efficient biodiversity conservation may rest on support for transnational cooperation; particularly for migratory species. Support for transnational conservation efforts may hinge on key issues like the potential outcomes and whether any collaboration aspect is highlighted. We designed an experiment focused on conservation of open land habitats in Denmark and the Netherlands. We tested how support of Danish households depends on framing in a context of possible losses of habitats and on possible contributions from Dutch households to the conservation case. We further tested for presence of loss aversion in outcomes and income. We found that the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for gains in open land habitats at home tended to increase when habitat losses were possible. Framing in the context of others, Dutch households, contributing consistently affected Danes' WTP for increasing protected habitat areas and for avoiding habitat losses. And the less Dutch households contributed, the more Danish households contributed with the converse also being true. Our results suggest that overall support for habitat conservation for migratory birds may be higher in cases where a risk of habitat losses exists. Results also suggest that support for conservation at home increase when respondents perceive that they share the challenge with other countries.