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Protected areas in Europe: principle and practice
Kevin J Gaston1, Sarah F Jackson, Arnold Nagy
1Biodiversity & Macroecology Group, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. k.j.gaston@sheffield.ac.uk
Systematic conservation planning in Europe faces challenges with data resolution and clear biodiversity goals. Despite progress in protected area expansion, concerns remain about long-term biodiversity maintenance.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental Planning
Background:
- Systematic conservation planning (SCP) offers a structured approach to biodiversity maintenance.
- Reviews assessing SCP implementation across regions are limited.
- This study evaluates SCP application in Europe.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the implementation of the six steps of systematic conservation planning in Europe.
- To identify constraints and successes in European conservation planning.
- To assess the adequacy of current conservation strategies for long-term biodiversity persistence.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of the six recognized steps of SCP was conducted for Europe.
- Analysis focused on data availability, goal setting, protected area effectiveness, and expansion.
- Consideration of legal frameworks and climate change impacts on biodiversity.
Main Results:
- Biodiversity data resolution mismatches and lack of explicit quantitative goals hinder planning.
- Protected area assessment is underdeveloped, despite significant expansion via Natura 2000.
- Concerns exist regarding the long-term viability of protected areas due to size and climate change.
Conclusions:
- Europe has made strides in expanding protected areas but faces significant hurdles in data and goal-setting for effective conservation.
- Existing protected areas may struggle to maintain biodiversity values under future climate change scenarios.
- Further development in data integration and clear, quantitative conservation objectives is crucial for Europe's biodiversity.
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