Wolf Hunting Policy: Gaming with a Purpose*
Awardee: Adrian Treves
Department: Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
*This game is changing through the design and development processes, and the title and description of game play may be changed here soon. Watch for updates.
July 1, 2009
Each semester, 12 Environmental Studies certificate students will debate hunting wolves in Wisconsin. But simply supporting or opposing such a hunt is inadequate; one must understand the challenges of conserving wolves in human-dominated agro-ecosystems of our state and then recommend a wise design to balance people's values and needs with wolf conservation goals. My students will debate the human values underlying this contemporary issue and then test and refine their preferred designs for wolf hunting with a game that simulates the hunt they designed. After several iterations with refinement, the teams will reconvene to compare their outcomes and vote on the best design by three criteria. The winning design must be the most sustainable for wolves and people alike, and that which reduces domestic animal losses the most. I will bring in wolf policy-makers from the Wisconsin DNR to listen to an oral presentation and graphical depiction of the best student design.