Beyond Control: Making Invasive Alien Species Governable Through Qualitative Inquiry and Collaborative Strategy Development—The Case of Raccoon Management in Wallonia

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), introduced into Germany in the 1930s, has progressively colonized Europe. In Belgium, its expansion has accelerated since the 2010s, reaching particularly high densities in southern Wallonia and creating new ecological and management challenges. Until recently, raccoon management relied on uncoordinated interventions, without an overarching strategy or genuine stakeholder consultation. In this context, the Walloon administration commissioned an interdisciplinary team from the University of Liège to develop a regional management plan. The plan combined ecological data analysis, an interdisciplinary approach integrating stakeholder perspectives, territorial characteristics and governance issues. A socio-anthropological survey involving semi-structured interviews and field immersion was conducted to identify management constraints and opportunities, as well as areas of convergence and divergence among stakeholders. The findings highlighted diverse territorial contexts, management practices and perceptions of raccoon management. Based on these insights, the research team developed three potential management strategies for Wallonia, involving different stakeholders, governance frameworks, levels of ambition and objectives. Their development considered ecological uncertainties, technical feasibility, institutional constraints, costs and management objectives. This article presents the participatory and interdisciplinary approach underpinning this process and examines the three resulting strategies as analytical outcomes. It also reflects on invasive alien species governance beyond control-based approaches, considering the uncertainties of managing living systems and the ethical and welfare issues involved.