Conservation Planning for Promoting Ecosystem Service Provisioning Outside Protected Area Networks

Area of Science:

• Ecology and conservation biology
• Environmental economics
• Land use science

Background:

• Habitat loss due to unsustainable land use is a major driver of biodiversity loss, intensified by human population growth.
• Protected Area Networks (PANs) are a key conservation strategy, but can neglect biodiversity and ecosystem services (ESs) in areas outside protected areas (OPANs).
• Understanding human-biodiversity interactions in OPANs is vital for effective conservation and sustainable ecosystem service provision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the monetary value of selected ESs in Tanzania's OPANs using an ecosystem-based conservation (EBC) framework.
• To evaluate how biodiversity and land use/land cover (LULC) types influence ES values in OPANs.
• To model the potential ES benefits of restoring priority wildlife corridors by 2030.

Main Methods:

• Application of a novel ecosystem-based conservation (EBC) framework in Tanzania.
• Assessment of biodiversity and LULC types to determine monetary values of selected ESs in OPANs.
• Scenario modeling for future ES generation from wildlife corridor restoration.

Main Results:

• Waterbodies provided the highest ES value (US$12.8 billion) through water provision and flood control.
• OPANs in miombo woodlands showed high ES value (US$12.4 billion), driven by flood control, water provision, and carbon storage.
• Restoring degraded land in wildlife corridors could generate US$62.8 million annually, with carbon storage as the primary contributor.

Conclusions:

• The monetary value of ESs in OPANs is significant and influenced by LULC types, biodiversity, and degradation levels.
• Integrating OPANs into EBC frameworks is essential for holistic conservation, linking local restoration efforts with national and global biodiversity goals.
• Restoration of degraded lands within wildlife corridors presents a substantial opportunity for enhancing ESs and biodiversity conservation.