What the study found
Practitioners used multiple communication channels to listen for and respond to landowners' capability, opportunity, and motivation. They tailored messages to improve knowledge and skills, address site-specific and social context, and align beaver impacts with landowner goals.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the COM-B model, which stands for capability, opportunity, and motivation, can do more than guide audience analysis and intervention design. They suggest it can also help practitioners make sense of existing communication efforts, find gaps, and adjust communication in real time.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted 23 semistructured interviews with practitioners in Oregon, USA, about communication with private landowners on beaver coexistence. They used the COM-B model to synthesize the main dimensions of those communication approaches.
What worked and what didn't
The interviews showed that practitioners were already using communication strategies that mapped onto capability, opportunity, and motivation. The abstract does not describe any specific approach that failed, beyond noting that conservation messaging seldom links to behavior change theories.
What to keep in mind
The study is based on interviews with practitioners in one U.S. state, so the scope is limited to that context. The abstract does not describe additional limitations.
Key points
- 23 semistructured interviews were conducted with practitioners in Oregon, USA.
- The study used the COM-B model to analyze communication about beaver coexistence.
- Practitioners used multiple channels to respond to landowners' capability, opportunity, and motivation.
- Messages were tailored to knowledge, skills, site-specific context, social context, and landowner goals.
- The authors suggest COM-B may help practitioners identify gaps and adapt communication in real time.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Beaver coexistence messaging aligned with landowner behavior factors
- Authors:
- Brian Erickson, Megan S. Jones
- Institutions:
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-07
- DOI:
- 10.1111/cobi.70210
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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