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Estimating the benefit of well-managed protected areas for threatened species conservation
Citation
Kearney, SG and Adams, VM and Fuller, RA and Possingham, HP and Watson, JEM, Estimating the benefit of well-managed protected areas for threatened species conservation, Oryx, 54, (2) pp. 276-284. ISSN 0030-6053 (2018) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Fauna & Flora International
DOI: doi:10.1017/S0030605317001739
Abstract
Protected areas are central to global efforts to prevent species extinctions, with many countries investing heavily in their establishment. Yet the designation of protected
areas alone can only abate certain threats to biodiversity. Targeted management within protected areas is often required to achieve fully effective conservation within their boundaries. It remains unclear what combination of protected area designation and management is needed to remove the suite of processes that imperil species. Here, using
Australia as a case study, we use a dataset on the pressures facing threatened species to determine the role of protected areas and management in conserving imperilled species. We found that protected areas that are not resourced for threat management could remove one or more threats to 1,185 (76%) species and all threats to very few (n = 51, 3%) species.
In contrast, a protected area network that is adequately resourced to manage threatening processes within their boundary could remove one or more threats to almost all
species (n = 1,551; c. 100%) and all threats to almost half (n = 740, 48%). However, 815 (52%) species face one or more threats that require coordinated conservation actions that protected areas alone could not remove. This research shows that investing in the continued expansion of Australia’s protected area network without providing adequate
funding for threat management within and beyond the existing protected area network will benefit few threatened species. These findings highlight that as the international community expands the global protected area network in accordance with the 2020 Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity, a greater emphasis on the effectiveness of threat management is needed.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | aichi targets, Australia, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, EPBC Act, protected area effectiveness, protected area management, threats, threat management |
Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
Research Group: | Environmental management |
Research Field: | Environmental management |
Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences |
UTAS Author: | Adams, VM (Dr Vanessa Adams) |
ID Code: | 126572 |
Year Published: | 2018 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 2 |
Deposited By: | Geography and Spatial Science |
Deposited On: | 2018-06-18 |
Last Modified: | 2020-12-03 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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