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Explora: Environment
and Resource COVID-19 impact on forest biodiversity attitudes

bodied herbivores, always have the most significant are more inclined toward plant-biodiversity conservation
proportions of threatened species. This high extinction behavior than social science students are.
risk for herbivores is ecologically substantial, with the vital Nevertheless, there still needs more efforts in the
functions that herbivores are acknowledged to perform provision of training to promote biodiversity conservation
in restraining ecosystem role Ma and Pimid et al. by targeting the stakeholders. The results from Gatiso
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reported declining animal numbers, highlighting the et al. revealed that protected areas should capitalize
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ongoing danger of conflict between humans and wildlife. on the empowerment and involvement of communities
The fragility of herbivores, especially large-bodied to encourage competitiveness between biodiversity
ones, is highlighted by the extinction-risk paradigm,
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as investigated by Atwood et al., due to their major conservation and socio-economic development. These
activities will elevate knowledge about biodiversity
ecological functions. Ma and Kobayashi pointed out conservation practices and their positive outcomes. The
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that the reduction of animals is mostly a result of human results from Baranovskis et al. suggested that financial
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activities and governmental policies. The research adds
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a public health component by underlining worries about reliance on revenue from forest harvest is imposing a negative
zoonotic infections linked to close contact between people attitude toward biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless,
and mammals. education and conservation values inspire landowners’
willingness to consent to conservation practices. Farmers
2.3. Attitude toward preserving biodiversity who know about biodiversity conservation favor preserving
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Past studies suggest the relationship of knowledge, biodiversity. Therefore, a previous work concluded that
awareness, and beliefs to attitude and subsequent there was a necessity to increase farmers’ understanding
attitude to behavior. Alfonsius and Gilbert indicate that of pro-biodiversity practices and outcomes for benefits
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unselfishness and environmental knowledge positively and the elimination of blocking pro-biodiversity behavior.
affect environmental attitude, and in turn, environmental Thus, the above arguments state that bird extinctions,
attitude positively affects green purchasing behavior. mammal extinctions, and plant extinctions are related to
Charlie et al. Reveals a positive correlation between the biodiversity conservation attitude, as hypothesized in
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society’s awareness, responsibility, and attitude towards the following:
pro-conservative behavior. Among the environmental/ H4: Bird extinction is positively and significantly associated
recreational interest group members, awareness and beliefs with attitude toward biodiversity conservation.
influenced attitudes toward biodiversity conservation. 40 H5: Mammal extinction is positively and significantly
associated with attitude toward biodiversity
It is interesting to find that the levels of pro-biodiversity conservation.
and related attitudes and behavior differ among people of H6: Plant extinction is positively and significantly associated
various genders, education, incomes, and stakeholders’ with attitude toward biodiversity conservation.
backgrounds. Ferguson et al. found that age, training
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obtained, membership in environmental organizations, 2.4. Preserving biodiversity attitude and COVID-19
courses instructed, waste management, and social media pandemic
use significantly influence peoples’ environmental Previous studies have shown that knowledge, awareness,
attitudes. Specifically, females had a favorable attitude and beliefs shape attitudes and behaviors toward
toward the environment when measured up against the biodiversity conservation. Alfonsius and Gilbert
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males. The prospective biology teacher’s attitudes and found that environmental knowledge positively affects
behavior toward biodiversity conservation in Indonesia environmental attitudes, which in turn leads to pro-
were evidenced by attitudes and behaviors supporting environmental behaviors. Charlie et al. showed that
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Indonesian biodiversity conservation through various community awareness and responsibility are associated
campus activities. 41,42 Yang and Arhonditsis suggest that with pro-environmental behavior. Differences in pro-
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individuals with university-level education and higher biodiversity attitudes have been observed among different
income or families show pro-environmental behaviors population groups, highlighting the need for targeted
and a capacity for more sustainable living. Chen et al.
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indicate a high level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors education and training programs to promote biodiversity
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regarding sustainable development among students, conservation.
while this sustainability literacy is mainly embodied The surge of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the
in the environmental dimension. Sigit et al. indicate attitude and behavior, including engagement of the people
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that students have good responses to plant biodiversity based on recent literature, in terms of pro-environment, 44-46
conservation behavior, of whom natural science students green spaces, and urban parks. The principal inquiry of
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Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 5 doi: 10.36922/eer.3615