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    Understanding the role of psychological distance in preventing the spread of kauri dieback
    (PLOS, 2025-10-27) Benson HAN; Grant A; Lindsay N; Hine D; Fan J
    Background Kauri dieback is a soil-borne pathogen of the family Phytophthora which is lethal to kauri trees. Despite its risks, residents of New Zealand often do not follow imposed mitigation strategies. In this study we explored the potential impact of three factors on psychological distance to kauri dieback: pro-environmental worldviews, trust in government and physical distance from kauri forests. We also investigated the extent to which previously validated psychological distance measures predicted kauri forest visitors’ compliance with boot-cleaning and trail-usage guidelines (behaviours linked to the spread of kauri dieback). Methods A survey assessing beliefs and behaviours related to kauri dieback was completed by a sample of 451 New Zealand residents who had visited a kauri forest in the past four years. Two path analyses were conducted to determine whether the effects of environmental worldview (NEP score), trust in government, and physical distance on boot cleaning and track use compliance behaviours were mediated by psychological distance. Results Direct effects indicated that higher NEP score and closer physical distance significantly reduced psychological distance, but trust in government did not. Closer psychological distance also significantly improved self-reported track use and boot cleaning behaviours. Indirect effects indicated that psychological distance significantly mediated the effects of worldview, trust and physical distance on boot cleaning and track usage. Several significant direct effects of the exogenous predictors on the compliance behaviours were present after controlling for the mediator, indicative of partial mediation. Conclusions Psychological distance is a reliable predictor of respondents’ boot-cleaning and track-use compliance. Interventions to decrease psychological distance may be beneficial for increasing compliance, although the effects were modest and other potential determinants of compliance also require investigation.
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    Compliance with kauri forest protection in New Zealand’s regional parks: the mediating role of trust on local versus visitor populations
    (Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature, 2024-09-19) Grant A; Lindsay N; Benson H
    Realising behavioural change in long invested environmental practices is often difficult to achieve, especially when scientific understanding of the issues is still unfolding. Having confidence in one’s action requires knowledge that actions will be effective in improving environmental outcomes. Currently, we know little about the role of social trust in mediating complex and uncertain knowledge of environmental problems and the required actions needed to address them. In this quantitative study, we surveyed 472 users of endangered kauri forests in New Zealand to better explore the role of trust in relation to pro-environmental behaviours (PEB) designed to mitigate effects of the devastating plant disease, kauri dieback. Findings show uncertainty about the scientific knowledge of the issue, recommended actions and efficacy of proposed solutions significantly influenced PEB for both residents and visitors of forests; however, this relationship was partially mediated by trust, particularly among locals residing within 5 km of infected forest areas. These findings indicate the need for closer engagement with local residents to develop institutional and scientific trust in kauri dieback interventions. We outline activities that may help build trust and recommend new areas of research to support higher compliance with environmental protection initiatives.
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    Emerging advances in biosecurity to underpin human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health.
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023-09-15) Hulme PE; Beggs JR; Binny RN; Bray JP; Cogger N; Dhami MK; Finlay-Smits SC; French NP; Grant A; Hewitt CL; Jones EE; Lester PJ; Lockhart PJ
    One Biosecurity is an interdisciplinary approach to policy and research that builds on the interconnections between human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health to effectively prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species. To support this approach requires that key cross-sectoral research innovations be identified and prioritized. Following an interdisciplinary horizon scan for emerging research that underpins One Biosecurity, four major interlinked advances were identified: implementation of new surveillance technologies adopting state-of-the-art sensors connected to the Internet of Things, deployable handheld molecular and genomic tracing tools, the incorporation of wellbeing and diverse human values into biosecurity decision-making, and sophisticated socio-environmental models and data capture. The relevance and applicability of these innovations to address threats from pathogens, pests, and weeds in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems emphasize the opportunity to build critical mass around interdisciplinary teams at a global scale that can rapidly advance science solutions targeting biosecurity threats.