Jensen, E. A. (2010). Upstream public engagement at the zoo. Report for the EU-funded EU-Zoos-XXI project and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
This report describes key findings from a series of concurrent focus groups comprising the Durrell Wildlife Park – Public Participation Meeting (PPM). This PPM is part of the larger European Commission-funded project EU-Zoos-XXI, which will see other PPMs taking place at zoos across Europe in Portugal, Sweden and Rome. The aim of these PPMs is to engage with members of the zoo visiting public and understand the kinds of educational and engagement needs they would like to see addressed by zoos. This unique approach involves engaging publics upstream in the decision-making process, and empowering them to guide the development of the zoo’s educational provision.
Although the PPM participants focused primarily on defining the development of the Durrell ‘Demonstration Project’, the PPM focus groups also offer important insights into visitor interests, priorities and engagement preferences. This report presents both specific educational interventions identified as desirable by participants and general principles of visitors’ engagement interests and needs revealed through in-depth, systematic analysis. The results show that in terms of message content, participants advocated a focus on the interconnectivity of life on Earth, alongside the provision of details about the scope and details of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust’s efforts to redress negative impacts on endangered wildlife. An unexpected rationale for the latter focus was to make Durrell Wildlife Park a ‘seethrough zoo’ that is transparent in its goals, actions and impacts. This transparency was viewed as important for justifying admission costs, as well as demonstrating the legitimacy of the organization its requests for donation and further support from visitors in seeking to promote wildlife conservation.
