Cost and feasibility of a barrier to halt the spread of invasive cane toads in arid Australia: incorporating expert knowledge into model-based decision-making

Abstract

Summary 1. Active engagement with practitioners is a crucial component of model‐based decision‐making in conservation management; it can assist with data acquisition, improve models and help narrow the ‘knowing–doing’ gap. 2. We worked with practitioners of one of the worst invasive species in Australia, the cane toad Rhinella marina, to revise a model that estimates the effectiveness of landscape barriers to contain spread. The original model predicted that the invasion could be contained by managing artificial watering points on pastoral properties, but was initially met with scepticism by practitioners, in part due to a lack of engagement during model development. 3. We held a workshop wi..