On visitors’ minds: knowledge and perceptions of invasive non-native plant species in mountains ecosystems

Abstract

Non-native plant invasions in natural and protected areas are a major concern for nature conservation globally. Although there is a myriad of research on the topic, most have focused on the biological dimension of the issue with fewer studies looking at the social dimension of the problem. This study aims to assess some factors of the social dimension including peoples’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about non-native plants in the Arid Andes of Mendoza, Argentina. The main results show that visitors with knowledge about non-natives species are more likely to support management strategies including willingness to change their behaviour or pay to support its management. Furthermore, knowledge about non-native species not always translate into being able to identify a non-native plant. These results have important implications for natural and protected area management especially for planning effective education and information programs aiming to influence people’s behaviours. Natural areas managers can benefit from these results when designing and implementing prevention and control strategies of non-natives in natural areas.