Site icon Conservation news

Protected areas do work, concludes study

Protected areas are working. That’s the conclusion of a new analysis of over 80 different studies on the efficacy of parks and nature reserves in safeguarding wildlife. Published in the open access journal, PLOS ONE, the new study finds that in general protected areas house higher abundances of wildlife as well as greater biodiversity than adjacent areas.



“This positive conservation outcome provides some hard data to show that investing in protected areas for biodiversity conservation is worthwhile,” lead author Bernard Coetzee with Monash University in Australia told mongabay.com.



The research found that on average both the abundance and number of species were higher for mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and arthropods inside protected areas rather than beyond their borders. Findings for plants proved more variable with the researchers reporting a “non-significant” difference between plants inside protected areas and out.



“‘Non-significant’ means that we do not have enough data, or the data is too variable, to say with certainty if there is more, or less, biodiversity conserved inside to outside reserves,” said Coetzee. “It does not mean protected areas are ineffective at conservation—it more likely means that some work better than others.”



Regionally, Coetzee and his team also found that protected areas were largely effective across the board. The only exception was South America, where the team also found a ‘non-significant’ difference.




Bizarre insect in Manu National Park. A new study finds that both wildlife abundance and biodiversity are higher in protected areas, including for arthropods. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler.

Bizarre insect in Manu National Park. A new study finds that both wildlife abundance and biodiversity are higher in protected areas, including for arthropods. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler.


“This pattern is not straightforward to interpret,” said Coetzee. “One explanation may be hunting pressure. Some studies included in our analysis found higher rates of poaching inside protected areas, which diminishes large mammal populations inside reserves. While primary forest is irreplaceable for conservation, other studies, particularly those done in South America, have shown that land use areas under low extraction, or regenerating forests, can contribute to some degree to conservation—which means that overall the effect of protected areas designation will not be as statistically marked in South America as in other regions.”



However, Coetzee stresses that the findings in South America may also be due to a lower sample size on that continent.



“Other studies with higher sample sizes, across primary forest and not just protected areas like our study, found a much more positive signal for South America. Combined, our results suggest that not transforming primary habitat is the best strategy to conserve biodiversity, and much of that is achieved by designating protected areas.”



Interestingly, the study further found that the protected area location and size appeared to have little to do with its ability to safeguard biodiversity. In addition, socio-economic conditions by country also revealed little impact in the study.



“There is no doubt that in general, larger protected areas benefit biodiversity more than small ones, and also that socio-economic and political factors will ultimately help shape the fate of biodiversity,” said Coetzee, but he added that their results also prove “that biodiversity benefits by protected area establishment itself, as protected areas offset at least some of the pressures to biodiversity.”



Currently protected areas cover nearly 12 percent of the world’s land surface (but less than 3 percent of the oceans). In fact terrestrial protected areas are often viewed as one of the biggest conservation successes on the planet over the last century. Yet many protected areas remain threatened by underfunding and poor management, as well as illegal logging, poaching, mining, the fossil fuel industry, climate change and other impacts.



Worse still, conservationists have recently noted that a number of governments have taken steps to shrink, downgrade, or even abolish entirely some protected areas at the behest of powerful industries.



“We now have hard data that in general protected areas work at biodiversity conservation, but the next step is more action to ensure increased coverage and better safeguards for their long-term maintenance,” said Coetzee.




Citation: Coetzee BWT, Gaston KJ, Chown SL (2014) Local Scale Comparisons of Biodiversity as a Test for Global Protected Area Ecological Performance: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE 9(8): e105824. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105824











Related articles


The Gran Canal: will Nicaragua’s big bet create prosperity or environmental ruin?

(08/27/2014) A hundred years ago, the Panama Canal reshaped global geography. Now a new project, spearheaded by a media-shy Chinese millionaire, wants to build a 278-kilometer canal through Nicaragua. While the government argues the mega-project will change the country’s dire economic outlook overnight, critics contend it will cause undue environmental damage, upend numerous communities, and do little to help local people.

Bali uprising: Plan to convert protected area into golf courses, mall spurs outrage

(08/16/2014) In a reversal sparking outrage from locals, and concern from environmentalists, the Governor of Bali, Indonesia has given the green light to a controversial development project in Benoa Bay. The plan would convert 700 acres of theoretically protected mangrove and ocean front into a tourist haven of golf courses, hotels, luxury shopping and attractions rumored to include a race track and theme park. The move has sparked a series of protests and demonstrations by local citizens and environmental groups concerned that the development will kill livelihoods and destroy the fragile marine ecosystem.

Unreal Thailand: stunning wildlife photographed in flooded Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary

(08/13/2014) If someone told you there was a place where 200 million year old coral reefs had erupted from beneath the sea and were now draped in the oldest rain forest in the world, a place where marbled cats and clouded leopards prowl the sharp crags and their dark caves in search of dead bats and small prey, would you believe them?

Conservation controversy: are bonobos protected in the right ways and in the right places?

(07/30/2014) Bonobos, endangered great apes, continue to survive in forests south of the Congo River in the DRC, albeit under constant threat of hunting, loss of habitat and the growing demands of an increasing human population. Conservationists have, over the years, tried and tested different conservation strategies to protect the last of the bonobos. And some of these strategies have invited considerable debate.

Stunning high-resolution map reveals secrets of Peru’s forests

(07/30/2014) Peru’s landmass has just been mapped like never before, revealing important insights about the country’s forests that could help it unlock the value healthy and productive ecosystems afford humanity.

Next big idea in forest conservation: Reconnecting faith and forests

(07/24/2014) ‘In Africa, you can come across Kaya forests of coastal Kenya, customary forests in Uganda, sacred forest groves in Benin, dragon forests in The Gambia or church forests in Ethiopia…You can also come across similar forest patches in South and Southeast Asia including numerous sacred groves in India well-known for their role in conservation of biological diversity,’ Dr. Shonil Bhagwat told mongabay.com.

Rare bird paradise protected in war-torn Colombian mountain range (photos)

(07/22/2014) A coalition of conservation groups have established a new protected area in one of Latin America’s most neglected ecosystems: the Colombian-side of the Serranía de Perijá mountain range. Following decades of bloody conflict and rampant deforestation, experts say only five percent of rainforest is left on the Colombian side of this embattled mountain range.

Exit mobile version