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Stakeholder cooperation can be vital in managing conservation conflicts. Laboratory experiments show cooperation is less likely in the presence of uncertainty. Much less is known about how stakeholders in real-life conservation conflicts respond to different types of uncertainty. We tested the effects of different sources of uncertainty on cooperative behavior using a framed field experiment and interviews. The experiment compared a baseline scenario of perfect certainty with scenarios including either: (a) scientific uncertainty about the effectiveness of a conflict-reduction intervention; (b) administrative uncertainty about intervention funding; or (c) political uncertainty about the extent of community support. We applied these scenarios to a conservation conflict in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, involving the management of geese to simultaneously meet both conservation and farming objectives. We asked 149 crofters (small-scale farmers) if they would commit to cooperate with others by helping fund a goose management plan given the three sources of uncertainty. On average, intention to cooperate was highest (99%) in scenarios without uncertainty, and lowest under administrative uncertainty (77%). Scientific uncertainty and political uncertainty both had less of an effect, with over 95% of crofters predicted to be willing to cooperate in these scenarios. Crofters who indicated concern for other crofters suffering the impact of geese were more likely to cooperate. The longer an individual had been a crofter, the less likely they were to cooperate. 4. Synthesis and applications. Crofters’ intention to cooperate is high but lessened by uncertainty, especially over the commitment from other stakeholders such as government, to cooperate on goose management. Existing cooperation on goose management may be at risk if uncertainty is not reduced outright or commitments between parties are not strengthened. This has wide applicability, supporting the need for researchers and government advisers to: (a) determine how uncertainty will impact intention of stakeholders to cooperate; and (b) take steps (such as uncertainty reduction, communication or acceptance) to reduce the negative impact of uncertainty on cooperation.

Unaltered forests, i.e. those free from any human footprint are extremely rare in the world, and are probably extinct in the Mediterranean area. Nevertheless, there are some remaining pockets ('stands' as they are known in forestry jargon) of the ecological structures and processes characteristic to this type of mature forests. These are usually located in steep and inaccessible places where management has been impossible or unprofitable. Since the 1950s, however, with the drastic reduction in the use of firewood and more recently, the timber market crisis, forest maturity is gradually seen to be recovering in certain locations. The LIFE RedBosques project  aims to contribute to the task of identifying, describing and showcasing these singular enclaves, precious not only for their scarcity but also for the original biological communities they harbour and the ecological processes they maintain, as well as their role in promoting human wellbeing. This document offers a compilation of the questions most commonly asked regarding forest maturity, by professionals and the general public alike. These questions are arranged by subject, and the answers are based on the scientific literature and the contributions of a large group of experienced subject-matter experts.

Natural regeneration is a cost-efective, nature-based tool for restoration that enhances esilience, supports local biodiversity, and supplies multiple ecosystem goods and services. However, for social, cultural and economic reasons, the potential of natural regeneration for achieving large-scale restoration objectives and climate mitigation targets is often overlooked. This information brief makes specific recommendations for policy changes that could enhance the role of natural regeneration in ecological restoration interventions and as an integral component of forest and landscape restoration.