Conservation in a changing world: assessing the conservation status of an agriculturally adapted species, the blue crane. Appendix 2: Farmer interviews

<p dir="ltr">Conservation of species residing on privately-owned agricultural land requires a holistic understanding of landowner views and the agricultural system. In the Western Cape Blue Cranes <i>Anthropoides paradiseus</i> occur on intensively farmed agricultural land, and therefore the population is impacted by farmer decisions. I conducted interviews with farmers in the Overberg (n = 20) and Swartland (17) in June 2019 and June 2021, to understand climate change adaptation strategies, agricultural change and attitudes to Blue Cranes and their conservation. The main agricultural change in the last few decades has been a switch to minimum till, or conservation farming, a trend which is to increase, as it was cited by farmers as their main climate change adaptation strategy. Minimum till is one of three pillars of conservation agriculture, which are minimum soil disturbance, maintaining soil organic cover (leaving stubble on the land or cover crops) and using crop rotation. Many of these practices should benefit cranes, although increased reliance on chemicals for weed and pest control may be detrimental. Many farmers experience crop damage from rodents and geese, and the use of rodenticide to control rodents is widespread. Some farmers are aware of poison being used for geese in their area, despite it being illegal. A greater conservation presence is needed in this landscape to curb these practices, and to encourage responsible pest control. Overall, the interviewed farmers had positive attitudes towards Blue Cranes on their farms, 62% of farmers got the highest possible attitude score for these attitude statements. Despite this positive attitude, overall farmer attitudes towards Blue Crane conservation initiatives were only mildly positive, mainly because most farmers believe that Blue Cranes are doing well in the area. This information can guide future conservation approaches; it is possible that a more integrated approach, where interventions have multiple goals, could be effective. For example, assisting farmers find solutions for crop damage by geese and rodents, would be beneficial to farmers and biodiversity, including cranes.</p>