Protected Areas

Question 1

Approaches to Conserva1on

What are our op1ons?

Answer 1

1) Proteconism
2) Parcipatory Conservaon
3) Regulatory/Legislave Approaches

Question 2

1) Protec*onism

Answer 2

Species?
Biological Surrogates/Indicators?
Biodiversity hotspots
Communi1es? Ecoregions?

Question 3

2) Parcipatory Conservaon

Answer 3

Community-based Conserva1on

Sustainable Development

Question 4

Conven*on on Biological Diversity

Answer 4

UN Earth
Summit 1992. Noted that “the fundamental
requirement for the conserva1on of biological
diversity is the in situ conserva1on of ecosystems
and natural habitats and the maintenance and
recovery of viable popula1ons of species in their
natural surroundings.”

Question 5

IUCN System of Classifica*on

Answer 5

system of classifying
protected areas based on the degree of human
ac1vity.

Question 6

Biosphere Reserves

Answer 6

Core area focus

Question 7

Biosphere Reserve Effec1veness

Answer 7

•  Medium.
•  Biosphere reserves cri1cized.
•  Challenging interna1onal
situa1on.

Question 8

Idenfy Priories for Protec*ng Biodiversity

Answer 8

-Dis1nc1veness.
–  Endangerment.
–  U1lity.

Question 9

-Dis1nc1veness.

Answer 9

Biological communi1es with rare
endemics; taxonomically dis1nct species; popula1ons with
unusual gene1c characteris1cs.

Question 10

–  Endangerment.

Answer 10

. Species in danger of ex1nc1on;

communi1es threatened with destruc1on.

Question 11

–  U1lity

Answer 11

Species with present or poten1al value to humans;
communi1es with high economic value/use to humans
(coastal wetlands).

Question 12

Indicator species –

Answer 12

provide impetus to
protect an area or community; species
associated with endangered community
or ecosystem.

Question 13

Flagship species

Answer 13

Megafauna protected by
na1onal parks – pandas, elephants; crucial
to tourism.

Question 14

Umbrella species –

Answer 14

Flagship or indicator
species whose protec1on automa1cally
extends protec1on to other species and
the community - Tigers.

Question 15

Biodiversity Indicator Approach

Answer 15

Presence of certain organisms are used to
predict occurrence of high biodiversity. Eg.
Important Plant Areas and Important Bird
Areas.

Question 16

Hotspots Approach

Answer 16

– Coined	by	Myers	1988	–	defined	as	areas	
featuring	great	biodiversity,	high	
concentra1ons	of	endemics	and	high	loss	
of	habitat.	
• Adopted	by	Conserva1on	Interna1onal	
1989

Question 17

Benefits of Hotspots Approach

Answer 17

•   Focuses efforts
•   Umbrella approach
•   Cost-effec1ve measures
•   Poli1cal tool ?
•   “Silver-bullet” strategy?

Question 18

Cri1cisms of Hotspots Approach

Answer 18

-Lack of overlap in hotspots using the 3 indices:
species richness, high endemism, # threatened
species.
Iden1fying hotspots based on 3 indices not
perfect
•  Focus is on tropics. Are we missing anything
else?
– What about unique
•  Habitats?
•  Ecosystems?

Question 19

Ecoregion and Community Approach

Answer 19

Ecoregions selected based on species
richness, endemism, taxonomic uniqueness,
unusual ecological or evolu1onary
phenomenon, and global rarity.
•  Protec1ng ecosystems probably more cri1cal to local
human popula1ons.

Question 20

Ecoregion and Community Approach

•  Enables scien1sts to

Answer 20

set targets for representa1ve
sites – ones that include species and environmental
condi1ons characteris1c of unique biological
communi1es.

Question 21

Alliance for Zero Ex1nc1on

Answer 21

global
ini1a1ve of biodiversity conserva1on organiza1ons,
aims to prevent ex1nc1ons by iden1fying and
safeguarding key sites where species are in
imminent danger of disappearing. The goal of the
Alliance is to create a front line of defense against
ex1nc1on by elimina1ng threats and restoring
habitat to allow species popula1ons to rebound

Question 22

AZE uses the following criteria to iden1fy priority sites:

Answer 22

1. Endangerment:
   •2. Irreplaceability:
   •  3. Discreteness:

Question 23

1. Endangerment

Answer 23

: Must contain at least one Endangered (EN)
or Cri1cally Endangered (CR) species, as listed by the IUCN
Red List.

Question 24

•  2. Irreplaceability:

Answer 24

Should only be designated if it is the sole
area where an EN or CR species occurs, or contains the
overwhelmingly significant known resident popula1on of the
EN or CR species, or contains the overwhelmingly significant
known popula1on for one life history segment (e.g., breeding
or wintering) of the EN or CR species.

Question 25

3. Discreteness:

Answer 25

Must have a definable boundary within
which the character of habitats, biological communi1es, and/
or management issues have more in common with each other
than they do with those in adjacent areas.

Question 26

Shortcomings of Protected Areas

Answer 26

1. Parks are rarely large enough to protect en1re ecosystems
2. Parks, especially in developing countries, are not always “protected.” Paper parks – no enforcement in terms of
   boundary patrols to keep seDlers and poachers out; lack of
   funding (na1onal and local levels).
3. Parks do not always target sites of high biodiversity.
4. Lack of poli1cal and social will to protect parks can cause backlash – when local popula1ons are excluded from using
   resources they have tradi1onally used, local popula1ons see no
   economic benefit – experience opportunity costs – giving up
   u1lity.

5.	Parks	raise	ethical	issues	about	human	reloca1on	or	evic1on,	
forcible	removal	(Gir	Lion	Sanctuary	Project).

Question 27

Need for Reserve Systems

Answer 27

formed by linking newly
protected areas to exis1ng protected areas to create
a network.

Question 28

Gap Analysis

Answer 28

• Approach used to iden1fy gaps of
  under-representa1on in an exis1ng reserve system
  by comparing distribu1on of protected areas with
  distribu1on of species, vegeta1on types, physical
  features, human pop. density.

Question 29

Gap Analysis

Answer 29

•  Analy1cal tool
•  Iden1fies species/communi1es that are not
adequately protected
•  Uses GIS/spa1al data layers
•  Gap informa1on used in part by MDC to
develop COA’s
•  We will talk about COA’s in more detail next
week

Question 30

Principles of Systema1c Conserva1on Planning

Answer 30

•  Comprehensiveness
•  Representa1veness
•  Adequacy
•  Efficiency
•  Flexibility
•  Irreplaceability
•  Connec1vity
•  Protected area shape
•  Minimize fragmenta1on