What happens when the last known habitat for an endangered species stands in the way of vital human development? Last Haven, a study led by researchers at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry, funded by NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC), is examining this dilemma to better understand where people draw the line between nature conservation and human priorities.
The Last Haven project presents participants with different scenarios – imagine the only remaining habitat for tigers is under threat from a lucrative agricultural initiative, or conversely, a hospital being dismantled to create a sanctuary for endangered plants. These hypothetical, thought-provoking cases challenge people to consider their values and beliefs when faced with competing priorities.
“The trade-offs between conserving endangered species and developing land for human use have real and serious consequences for both nature and for human health and wellbeing. Last Haven explores how people reason through difficult choices using simplified, hypothetical scenarios. By doing this, we aim to understand the underlying values and priorities that shape and drive how people balance human wellbeing and the wellbeing of the natural world.” – Dr Edmond Awad, Lead Researcher of Last Haven.
By exploring these tensions, Last Haven seeks to uncover how individuals and communities weigh ecological preservation against tangible human benefits. The project also raises timely questions about how we, as a society, perceive the value of non-human life in an era marked by climate change and biodiversity loss.
“We have a broad hypothesis that human flourishing and the flourishing of the non-human world are connected, such that the preservation of natural resources is not just good in itself, but good for human mental health and wellbeing. But we don’t think most people have thought through what this means in practice. The Last Haven platform tests how people view the interconnection of human and planetary wellbeing – what are they willing to sacrifice; what are they willing to save? In the future, we’ll build on this to identify and understand these underlying drivers and how they manifest in different groups.” – Prof. Ilina Singh, a Principal Investigator of Last Haven and OH BRC Theme Lead Flourishing and Wellbeing.
To find out more about Last Haven, visit the new website.
