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# CWD experts put audience understanding ahead of another technical prescription
- URL: https://intelligence.wildlandseco.com/2026-09-19-cwd-engagement-management-framework/
- Published: 2026-09-19T15:57:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-19T16:12:09.000Z
- Description: A structured elicitation of 24 chronic-wasting-disease practitioners ranked public understanding, outreach and engagement as the highest-priority intervention theme.
- Author: Benjamin Worlund
- Tags: chronic wasting disease, deer management, Human dimensions, One Health, Wildlife, Governance, #ecological-intelligence, #brief-2026-09-19, #global-radar, #peer-reviewed, #geo-north-america

Evidence

Peer-reviewed

Geography

United States

System

Cervid disease management

## WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS

Twenty-four representatives from 18 state, tribal, federal and nongovernmental organizations generated 50 possible interventions and grouped them into 12 themes. Audience understanding, outreach and engagement received the most priority votes, ahead of active deer-population management and interagency coordination, and the authors used the results to build a theory of change.

## WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ

Wildlife disease management can fail at the implementation layer even when the biological problem is well characterized. The exercise puts trust, audience segmentation and behavior alongside surveillance and population tools rather than treating communication as an afterthought.

## CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY

This is expert elicitation and a decision framework, not a field trial showing that engagement reduces CWD prevalence. Workshops occurred in 2022, priorities reflect the participating organizations, and causal links in the theory of change remain to be tested.

## SOURCE

Journal of Wildlife Management  
[View original evidence ↗](https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.70262?ref=intelligence.wildlandseco.com)

From the Morning Brief · 2026-09-19

[Read the full Morning Brief →](https://intelligence.wildlandseco.com/morning-brief-2026-09-19/)