Conservation planning strategies at the landscape scale

Conservation planning strategies at the landscape scale

• The sum total of all life on earth

• The wealth of genes, species, ecosystems and ecological processes that make our living planet what it is

• Our living legacy to future generations

Biodiversity is

Avoid Species Extinctions

Protect Key Biodiversity Areas

Consolidate Biodiversity Conservation Corridors

Biosphere

Genes

Species

Sites

Seascapes/ Landscapes

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Levels where C

I works

Levels where C

I works

Biodiversity Conservation CorridorsDefinition, targets

and delineation

Defining Biodiversity Conservation Corridors

A biologically and strategically defined sub-regional space selected as a unit for large-scale conservation

planning and implementation purposes

• Scale• Connectivity• Resilience• Broad-scale

threats• Human

welfare

Some principles for corridor delineation

• Areas necessary to conserve globally threatened species  

• Areas necessary to conserve area-demanding species and/or the persistence of key ecological processes on threatened species or key biodiversity areas depend

• As a strategic space for conservation action, to proactively address existing and emerging threats to biodiversity from different scales, and incorporate conservation into development planning

Ecological processWide-ranging globally threatened sp.

Protected area A

Key biodiversity area B

Boundaries are to capture system of KBAs, connectivity, areas required for viable populations and ecological processes, and strategic areas for responding to threats and/ or tackling development priorities …

Strategic area for responding to threats

Strategic area for integrating development needs

Species that require urgent conservation actions at the sea/ landscape scale

Species isolated by fragmentation

Area-demanding species

Species threatened by climate change

Species dependent on broad-scale ecological processes

Ecological processes

The corridor planning framework

Objectives of a corridor strategy

• Persistence of wide-ranging species and ecological processes

• Balancing with local social, economic, development and cultural priorities and dynamics

• Forward thinking to anticipate future changes

• Maintain resiliency of socio-economic strategies – coping mechanisms, natural buffers

Biodiversity Analysis

Context Analysis• Who are key stakeholders (those with significant

impact/influence/relationship)?

• How are they interacting with biodiversity?

• Why are they interacting with resources the way they are?

Threats to Biodiversity Status

Opportunities to Influence Biodiversity

Status

Integrate Analyses and Select Responses

Biodiversity targets and requirements.

State, trends and future predictions on

biodiversity status and environmental

processes

Monitor, E

valuate, Adapt

Monitor, E

valuate, Adapt

Context analysis is …

an iterative process of reviewing, consolidating, and analyzing factors that influence the state of biodiversity: socio-cultural, economic, institutional, political, and geographical information and trends.

 (from the Refining Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Workshop, Santarem, Dec 2004)

Context analysis integrates layers of policy, socio-economic and land use analyses to understand better where there is flexibility in options to achieve conservation outcomes,

determine where to act in terms of benefits, costs and opportunities …

… and when to act in terms of threats …

… and relative to the existing development priorities in the region

First layer of spatial and economic analyses at landscape-scale to identify and prioritize areas for action based on vulnerability and threat…

Multiple layers and scales of socio-economic analyses

Second layer of analyses to examine the enabling conditions for implementing activities…

Types of analyses might include: land tenure, livelihood strategies/needs, community dynamics, policy an institutions, markets,...

Third layer to support policy interventions and to mainstream biodiversity into development at national/ regional scale (land use planning, poverty reduction strategies, infrastructure development, greening key sectors …)

Economy Society

Environment

Case study of an adaptive corridor planning process: North Sumatra, Indonesia

Northern Sumatra Corridor, Indonesia

Background:

• 4.5 mil ha landscape

• High levels of endangered spp:

• 210 mammals• 580 birds• 194 reptiles• 62 amphibians

• Population of ~13mil

• Reconstruction and development

Example of Forest Cover and Change Mapping

Forest change detection, 1990-2000

Biodiversity outcomes

• Led a participatory process to map and prioritize important biodiversity areas in 2001 – led to development of the 10 year Conservation Vision Map.

• Built a common conservation vision and mission among all stakeholders

Seulawah Heritage Forests(1.4 Million Ha)Improved PA ManagementCreate Corridor Connectivity

Seulawah Heritage Forests(~1.4 Million Ha)•Improved PA Management•Create Connectivity Among PAs

Western Toba Watershed(~0.26 Million Ha)•Improved PA Management•Create Connectivity Among PAs

Angkola Lowland Wilderness(~0.4 Million Ha)•New PA

Leuser Ecosystem(~2.6 Million Ha)•Improved PA Management

10 Y

EA

RS

OU

TC

OM

ESThe process of defining Key Biodiversity Areas are

currently being finalized for the whole island of Sumatra. Information will be used to refine the Vision Maps.

Research ongoing to identify wide ranging species’ needs in the land use matrix.

Meeting the target species’ needs in the land use matrix

Integrating biodiversity and hydrological processes

Ongoing research:Pantanal, Brazil

Hydrological Processes Initiative

• First phase of project focused on defining targets for maintaining hydrological processes for biodiversity persistence

• Second phase (FY07) focused on analyzing

socio-economic, cultural and political pressures on the hydrological system; and integration of these concerns with the biodiversity targets in development of a strategy for conservation action.

Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)

• species intimately linked with water; • strong social behavior – living in group; • needs of the edge/river bank to build dens, to give birth and offspring care; • during the dry season, groups are restricted for the river channel (lots of records); • in the wet season, groups are dispersed (less records) • the occurrence is related to large-sized fishes (its main food resources) • in the past, giant otter was very hunted (skin) • currently, fisherman don’t like it, because it feeds on large fishes (there is a high fisherman demand – tourists)

Biodiversity targets in the PantanalBiodiversity targets in the Pantanal

Corridors Economics and Planning Program

Corridors Economics and Planning Program