PLoS ONE http://doi.org/tn2 (2014)

Global climate change is altering the distribution of many species and this will have implications for the mix of species that thrive in a given country. Conservation efforts rely heavily on public funding and therefore require public support. Public acceptance of the coming and going of species could, therefore, be an important stumbling block for conservation in a changing climate.

Using the case of Denmark, Thomas Lundhede, from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and co-workers investigate whether the Danish public are as willing to pay for the preservation of immigrating bird species as they are for native species currently breeding in Denmark. They find that Danish citizens are willing to pay much more for the conservation of birds native to Denmark, than for bird species moving into the country. These preferences held even when individuals were informed about the potential shifts in species range associated with climate change and were independent of individuals' levels of expertise. However, there was greater willingness to pay for the preservation of immigrant species that were under pressure across Europe. These findings reveal some challenges for international coordination of conservation efforts under climate change.