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Stachowiak C, Crain BJ, Kroetz K, Sanchirico JN, Armsworth PR. Protected Areas Established by Local Communities through Direct Democracy Encompass Habitat for Species as Effectively as Protected Areas Planned over Large Spatial Scales. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 67:242-250. [PMID: 33449139 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-020-01403-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Local communities contribute to broader biodiversity protection goals when managing their immediate environment when they establish protected areas. However, their efforts are geographically constrained and often uncoordinated. We compare protected areas established by local communities through the direct democracy process in California, US, to protected areas created and managed by two conservation actors working over larger spatial scales, one private and one public. Despite being geographically constrained to smaller spatial scales, protected areas established by local communities were as effective as those established by larger scale conservation actors at representing different habitat types. However, local ballot protected areas tended to protect more common species. All three protected area networks often performed no better than random in terms of siting protected areas to support narrow range species and rare habitats. Improved accounting of local communities' protection efforts would allow organizations with greater funding flexibility to focus their efforts to increase representation of rarer species and habitats in protected area systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Stachowiak
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 20250, USA.
| | - Benjamin J Crain
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD, 21037-0028, USA
| | - Kailin Kroetz
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, PO Box 875502, Tempe, AZ, 85287-5502, USA
- Resources for the Future, 1616 P St. NW, Washington, DC, 20036, USA
| | - James N Sanchirico
- Resources for the Future, 1616 P St. NW, Washington, DC, 20036, USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Paul R Armsworth
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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2
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Armsworth PR, Benefield AE, Dilkina B, Fovargue R, Jackson HB, Le Bouille D, Nolte C. Allocating resources for land protection using continuous optimization: biodiversity conservation in the United States. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02118. [PMID: 32173929 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Spatial optimization approaches that were originally developed to help conservation organizations determine protection decisions over small spatial scales are now used to inform global or continental scale priority setting. However, the different decision contexts involved in large-scale resource allocation need to be considered. We present a continuous optimization approach in which a decision-maker allocates funding to regional offices. Local decision-makers then use these funds to implement habitat protection efforts with varying effectiveness when evaluated in terms of the funder's goals. We illustrate this continuous formulation by examining the relative priority that should be given to different counties in the coterminous United States when acquiring land to establish new protected areas. If weighting all species equally, counties in the southwest United States, where large areas can be bought cheaply, are priorities for protection. If focusing only on species of conservation concern, priorities shift to locations rich in such species, particularly near expanding exurban areas facing high rates of future habitat conversion (e.g., south-central Texas). Priorities for protection are sensitive to what is assumed about local ecological and decision-making processes. For example, decision-makers who doubt the efficacy of local land protection efforts should focus on a few key areas, while optimistic decision-makers should disperse funding more widely. Efforts to inform large-scale conservation priorities should reflect better the types of choice that decision-makers actually face when working over these scales. They also need to report the sensitivity of recommended priorities to what are often unstated assumptions about local processes affecting conservation outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Armsworth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Amy E Benefield
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Bistra Dilkina
- Department of Computer Science, University of Southern California, 941 Bloom Walk, Los Angeles, California, 90089, USA
| | - Rachel Fovargue
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Heather B Jackson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Diane Le Bouille
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Christoph Nolte
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
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3
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Bennett DE, Knapp CN, Knight RL, Glenn E. The evolution of the rangeland trusts network as a catalyst for community‐based conservation in the American West. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Drew E. Bennett
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Corrine N. Knapp
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - Richard L. Knight
- Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust Arvada Colorado USA
- Partnership of Rangeland Trusts Arvada Colorado USA
- Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Erik Glenn
- Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust Arvada Colorado USA
- Partnership of Rangeland Trusts Arvada Colorado USA
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4
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Fuentes‐Castillo T, Scherson RA, Marquet PA, Fajardo J, Corcoran D, Román MJ, Pliscoff P. Modelling the current and future biodiversity distribution in the Chilean Mediterranean hotspot. The role of protected areas network in a warmer future. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Taryn Fuentes‐Castillo
- Facultad de Historia Geografía y Ciencia Política Instituto de GeografíaPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Rosa A. Scherson
- Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Pablo A. Marquet
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB) Santiago Chile
- Laboratorio Internacional en cambio Global (LINCGlobal) Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Centro de Cambio Global Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- The Santa Fe Institute Santa Fe NM USA
| | - Javier Fajardo
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Real Jardín Botánico Madrid Spain
| | - Derek Corcoran
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB) Santiago Chile
| | - María José Román
- Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Patricio Pliscoff
- Facultad de Historia Geografía y Ciencia Política Instituto de GeografíaPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Departamento de Ecología Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Centro de Cambio Global Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
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5
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Fois M, Fenu G, Bacchetta G. Estimating land market values from real estate offers: A replicable method in support of biodiversity conservation strategies. AMBIO 2019; 48:313-323. [PMID: 29992505 PMCID: PMC6374228 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1074-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
While cost estimation is a very positive tool for spatial conservation prioritisation, there are few examples where costs (in monetary terms) are applied. We present a repeatable method to estimate and map field values in monetary terms using common correlative models. We modelled, with a resolution of 1 km2, the information obtained by several real estate's agencies with a set of eleven environmental, climatic, and anthropogenic variables. Land cover was the main influencing factor, but further variables were affecting bids on field sales according to the socio-economic specificity of each administrative province. The estimated values were related to endemic plant species richness, their conservation status and altitudinal ranges. Richest areas in endemics have lower values given current market conditions and, within these endemic rich areas, values near the coast were generally higher than the rest of endemic-rich territories. Despite their limits, our method offers an alternative perspective on the challenges of simplifying the extrapolation of useful information for planning and disseminating the conservation of many ecosystem services providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Fois
- Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fenu
- Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Bacchetta
- Centro Conservazione Biodiversità (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi 13, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
- Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK), Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale Sant’Ignazio da Laconi, 11, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
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Robillard CM, Kerr JT. Assessing the shelf life of cost-efficient conservation plans for species at risk across gradients of agricultural land use. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:837-847. [PMID: 27991681 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
High costs of land in agricultural regions warrant spatial prioritization approaches to conservation that explicitly consider land prices to produce protected-area networks that accomplish targets efficiently. However, land-use changes in such regions and delays between plan design and implementation may render optimized plans obsolete before implementation occurs. To measure the shelf life of cost-efficient conservation plans, we simulated a land-acquisition and restoration initiative aimed at conserving species at risk in Canada's farmlands. We accounted for observed changes in land-acquisition costs and in agricultural intensity based on censuses of agriculture taken from 1986 to 2011. For each year of data, we mapped costs and areas of conservation priority designated using Marxan. We compared plans to test for changes through time in the arrangement of high-priority sites and in the total cost of each plan. For acquisition costs, we measured the savings from accounting for prices during site selection. Land-acquisition costs and land-use intensity generally rose over time independent of inflation (24-78%), although rates of change were heterogeneous through space and decreased in some areas. Accounting for spatial variation in land price lowered the cost of conservation plans by 1.73-13.9%, decreased the range of costs by 19-82%, and created unique solutions from which to choose. Despite the rise in plan costs over time, the high conservation priority of particular areas remained consistent. Delaying conservation in these critical areas may compromise what optimized conservation plans can achieve. In the case of Canadian farmland, rapid conservation action is cost-effective, even with moderate levels of uncertainty in how to implement restoration goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M Robillard
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie Pvt., Ottawa, K1N6N5, Canada
| | - Jeremy T Kerr
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie Pvt., Ottawa, K1N6N5, Canada
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7
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Larson ER, Howell S, Kareiva P, Armsworth PR. Constraints of philanthropy on determining the distribution of biodiversity conservation funding. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:206-215. [PMID: 26460820 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Caught between ongoing habitat destruction and funding shortfalls, conservation organizations are using systematic planning approaches to identify places that offer the highest biodiversity return per dollar invested. However, available tools do not account for the landscape of funding for conservation or quantify the constraints this landscape imposes on conservation outcomes. Using state-level data on philanthropic giving to and investments in land conservation by a large nonprofit organization, we applied linear regression to evaluate whether the spatial distribution of conservation philanthropy better explained expenditures on conservation than maps of biodiversity priorities, which were derived from a planning process internal to the organization and return on investment (ROI) analyses based on data on species richness, land costs, and existing protected areas. Philanthropic fund raising accounted for considerably more spatial variation in conservation spending (r(2) = 0.64) than either of the 2 systematic conservation planning approaches (r(2) = 0.08-0.21). We used results of one of the ROI analyses to evaluate whether increases in flexibility to reallocate funding across space provides conservation gains. Small but plausible "tax" increments of 1-10% on states redistributed to the optimal funding allocation from the ROI analysis could result in gains in endemic species protected of 8.5-80.2%. When such increases in spatial flexibility are not possible, conservation organizations should seek to cultivate increased support for conservation in priority locations. We used lagged correlations of giving to and spending by the organization to evaluate whether investments in habitat protection stimulate future giving to conservation. The most common outcome at the state level was that conservation spending quarters correlated significantly and positively with lagged fund raising quarters. In effect, periods of high fund raising for biodiversity followed (rather than preceded) periods of high expenditure on land conservation projects, identifying one mechanism conservation organizations could explore to seed greater activity in priority locations. Our results demonstrate how limitations on the ability of conservation organizations to reallocate their funding across space can impede organizational effectiveness and elucidate ways conservation planning tools could be more useful if they quantified and incorporated these constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, U.S.A
| | - Stephen Howell
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Peter Kareiva
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Paul R Armsworth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, U.S.A
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8
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Kreitler J, Stoms DM, Davis FW. Optimization in the utility maximization framework for conservation planning: a comparison of solution procedures in a study of multifunctional agriculture. PeerJ 2014; 2:e690. [PMID: 25538868 PMCID: PMC4266854 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative methods of spatial conservation prioritization have traditionally been applied to issues in conservation biology and reserve design, though their use in other types of natural resource management is growing. The utility maximization problem is one form of a covering problem where multiple criteria can represent the expected social benefits of conservation action. This approach allows flexibility with a problem formulation that is more general than typical reserve design problems, though the solution methods are very similar. However, few studies have addressed optimization in utility maximization problems for conservation planning, and the effect of solution procedure is largely unquantified. Therefore, this study mapped five criteria describing elements of multifunctional agriculture to determine a hypothetical conservation resource allocation plan for agricultural land conservation in the Central Valley of CA, USA. We compared solution procedures within the utility maximization framework to determine the difference between an open source integer programming approach and a greedy heuristic, and find gains from optimization of up to 12%. We also model land availability for conservation action as a stochastic process and determine the decline in total utility compared to the globally optimal set using both solution algorithms. Our results are comparable to other studies illustrating the benefits of optimization for different conservation planning problems, and highlight the importance of maximizing the effectiveness of limited funding for conservation and natural resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Kreitler
- Western Geographic Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey , USA
| | - David M Stoms
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara , USA
| | - Frank W Davis
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara , USA
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9
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Ng CF, Possingham HP, McAlpine CA, de Villiers DL, Preece HJ, Rhodes JR. Impediments to the success of management actions for species recovery. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92430. [PMID: 24699170 PMCID: PMC3974711 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding cost-effective management strategies to recover species declining due to multiple threats is challenging, especially when there are limited resources. Recent studies offer insights into how costs and threats can influence the best choice of management actions. However, when implementing management actions in the real-world, a range of impediments to management success often exist that can be driven by social, technological and land-use factors. These impediments may limit the extent to which we can achieve recovery objectives and influence the optimal choice of management actions. Nonetheless, the implications of these impediments are not well understood, especially for recovery planning involving multiple actions. We used decision theory to assess the impact of these types of impediments for allocating resources among recovery actions to mitigate multiple threats. We applied this to a declining koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population threatened by habitat loss, vehicle collisions, dog attacks and disease. We found that the unwillingness of dog owners to restrain their dogs at night (a social impediment), the effectiveness of wildlife crossings to reduce vehicle collisions (a technological impediment) and the unavailability of areas for restoration (a land-use impediment) significantly reduced the effectiveness of our actions. In the presence of these impediments, achieving successful recovery may be unlikely. Further, these impediments influenced the optimal choice of recovery actions, but the extent to which this was true depended on the target koala population growth rate. Given that species recovery is an important strategy for preserving biodiversity, it is critical that we consider how impediments to the success of recovery actions modify our choice of actions. In some cases, it may also be worth considering whether investing in reducing or removing impediments may be a cost-effective course of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chooi Fei Ng
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Hugh P. Possingham
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Imperial College London, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
| | - Clive A. McAlpine
- National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Harriet J. Preece
- Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jonathan R. Rhodes
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Schwartz MW, Smith LM, Steel ZL. Conservation investment for rare plants in urban environments. PLoS One 2013; 8:e83809. [PMID: 24391830 PMCID: PMC3877106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Budgets for species conservation limit actions. Expending resources in areas of high human density is costly and generally considered less likely to succeed. Yet, coastal California contains both a large fraction of narrowly endemic at-risk plant species as well as the state's three largest metropolitan regions. Hence understanding the capacity to protect species along the highly urbanized coast is a conservation priority. We examine at-risk plant populations along California's coastline from San Diego to north of San Francisco to better understand whether there is a relationship between human population density and: i) performance of at-risk plant populations; and ii) conservation spending. Answering these questions can help focus appropriate strategic conservation investment. Rare plant performance was measured using the annualized growth rate estimate between census periods using the California Natural Diversity Database. Human density was estimated using Census Bureau statistics from the year 2000. We found strong evidence for a lack of a relationship between human population density and plant population performance in California's coastal counties. Analyzing US Endangered Species expenditure reports, we found large differences in expenditures among counties, with plants in San Diego County receiving much higher expenditures than other locations. We found a slight positive relationship between expenditures on behalf of endangered species and human density. Together these data support the argument that conservation efforts by protecting habitats within urban environments are not less likely to be successful than in rural areas. Expenditures on behalf of federally listed endangered and threatened plants do not appear to be related to proximity to human populations. Given the evidence of sufficient performance in urban environments, along with a high potential to leverage public support for nature in urban environments, expenditures in these areas appear to be an appropriate use of conservation funds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W. Schwartz
- John Muir Institute of the Environment, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lacy M. Smith
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Zachary L. Steel
- Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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11
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Kroetz K, Sanchirico JN, Armsworth PR, Spencer Banzhaf H. Benefits of the ballot box for species conservation. Ecol Lett 2013; 17:294-302. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Kroetz
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics; University of California, Davis; One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - James N. Sanchirico
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of California, Davis; One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
- Resources for the Future; Washington DC 20036 USA
| | - Paul R. Armsworth
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; Knoxville TN 37996 USA
| | - H. Spencer Banzhaf
- Department of Economics; Andrew Young School of Policy Studies; Georgia State University; 14 Marietta Street, NW Atlanta GA 30303 USA
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12
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Tsiafouli MA, Apostolopoulou E, Mazaris AD, Kallimanis AS, Drakou EG, Pantis JD. Human activities in Natura 2000 sites: a highly diversified conservation network. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2013; 51:1025-1033. [PMID: 23571828 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0036-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 02/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The Natura 2000 network was established across the European Union's (EU) Member States with the aim to conserve biodiversity, while ensuring the sustainability of human activities. However, to what kind and to what extent Natura 2000 sites are subject to human activities and how this varies across Member States remains unspecified. Here, we analyzed 111,269 human activity records from 14,727 protected sites in 20 Member States. The frequency of occurrence of activities differs among countries, with more than 86 % of all sites being subjected to agriculture or forestry. Activities like hunting, fishing, urbanization, transportation, and tourism are more frequently recorded in south European sites than in northern or eastern ones. The observed variations indicate that Natura 2000 networks are highly heterogeneous among EU Member States. Our analysis highlights the importance of agriculture in European landscapes and indicates possible targets for policy interventions at national, European, or "sub-European" level. The strong human presence in the Natura 2000 network throughout Member States, shows that conservation initiatives could succeed only by combining social and ecological sustainability and by ensuring the integration of policies affecting biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Tsiafouli
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, UPB 119, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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13
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Withey JC, Lawler JJ, Polasky S, Plantinga AJ, Nelson EJ, Kareiva P, Wilsey CB, Schloss CA, Nogeire TM, Ruesch A, Ramos J, Reid W. Maximising return on conservation investment in the conterminous USA. Ecol Lett 2012; 15:1249-1256. [PMID: 22913646 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01847.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 07/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Efficient conservation planning requires knowledge about conservation targets, threats to those targets, costs of conservation and the marginal return to additional conservation efforts. Systematic conservation planning typically only takes a small piece of this complex puzzle into account. Here, we use a return-on-investment (ROI) approach to prioritise lands for conservation at the county level in the conterminous USA. Our approach accounts for species richness, county area, the proportion of species' ranges already protected, the threat of land conversion and land costs. Areas selected by a complementarity-based greedy heuristic using our full ROI approach provided greater averted species losses per dollar spent compared with areas selected by heuristics accounting for richness alone or richness and cost, and avoided acquiring lands not threatened with conversion. In contrast to traditional prioritisation approaches, our results highlight conservation bargains, opportunities to avert the threat of development and places where conservation efforts are currently lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Withey
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joshua J Lawler
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Stephen Polasky
- Department of Applied Economics and Department of Ecology Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Andrew J Plantinga
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Erik J Nelson
- Department of Economics, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, USA
| | | | - Chad B Wilsey
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Carrie A Schloss
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Theresa M Nogeire
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aaron Ruesch
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jorge Ramos
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Walter Reid
- The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CA, USA
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Shaw MR, Klausmeyer K, Cameron DR, Mackenzie J, Roehrdanz P. Economic costs of achieving current conservation goals in the future as climate changes. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2012; 26:385-396. [PMID: 22497365 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01824.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Conservation of biologically diverse regions has thus far been accomplished largely through the establishment and maintenance of protected areas. Climate change is expected to shift climate space of many species outside existing reserve boundaries. We used climate-envelope models to examine shifts in climate space of 11 species that are representative of the Mount Hamilton Project area (MHPA) (California, U.S.A.), which includes areas within Alameda, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, and San Benito counties and is in the state's Central Coast ecoregion. We used Marxan site-selection software to determine the minimum area required as climate changes to achieve a baseline conservation goal equal to 80% of existing climate space for all species in the MHPA through 2050 and 2100. Additionally, we assessed the costs associated with use of existing conservation strategies (land acquisition and management actions such as species translocation, monitoring, and captive breeding) necessary to meet current species-conservation goals as climate changes. Meeting conservation goals as climate changes through 2050 required an additional 256,000 ha (332%) of protected area, primarily to the south and west of the MHPA. Through 2050 the total cost of land acquisition and management was estimated at US$1.67-1.79 billion, or 139-149% of the cost of achieving the same conservation goals with no climate change. To maintain 80% of climate space through 2100 required nearly 380,000 additional hectares that would cost $2.46-2.62 billion, or 209-219% of the cost of achieving the same conservation goals with no climate change. Furthermore, maintaining 80% of existing climate space within California for 27% of the focal species was not possible by 2100 because climate space for these species did not exist in the state. The high costs of conserving species as the climate changes-that we found in an assessment of one conservation project-highlights the need for tools that will aid in iterative goal setting given the uncertainty of the effects of climate change and adaptive management that includes new conservation strategies and consideration of the long-term economic costs of conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rebecca Shaw
- The Environmental Defense Fund, 123 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. email
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Evaluating the effectiveness of a public awareness campaign as a conservation intervention: the saiga antelope Saiga tatarica in Kalmykia, Russia. ORYX 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605311001025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractWe carried out an in-depth analysis of a media campaign designed to raise awareness of the ecology and conservation of the Critically Endangered saiga antelope Saiga tatarica in the Pre-Caspian region of Russia. We carried out 250 semi-structured interviews in eight villages. The effectiveness of the campaign was assessed using change in opinion over the previous 3 years as an attitudinal indicator and amount pledged for saiga conservation as a measure of behavioural intention. The campaign induced positive changes in attitudes and behavioural intention. Reinforcement was important, with people's retention of information about saiga conservation from the campaign being positively correlated with their level of ecological knowledge about the species. Similarly, behavioural intention towards the saiga was more likely to be positive in individuals who had a high level of exposure to the species and/or had been subject to two or more different conservation interventions. Level of attitudinal change was dependent on an interaction between the date when the media campaign was carried out and the age of the respondent. We conclude that public awareness campaigns, if designed to take into account the socio-demographics and cultural background of the target audience, can be an effective method of improving attitudes towards conservation.
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Carwardine J, O’Connor T, Legge S, Mackey B, Possingham HP, Martin TG. Prioritizing threat management for biodiversity conservation. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2012.00228.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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17
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Merenlender AM, Newburn D, Reed SE, Rissman AR. The importance of incorporating threat for efficient targeting and evaluation of conservation investments. Conserv Lett 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2009.00073.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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