New paper: conservation is about making a difference, but typical planning based on representation can make little difference compared to actively planning to avoid loss

A new paper, led by Lara Monteiro, a member of Rafael Loyola’s research group at Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), has made advances in planning for landscape and climate dynamics. The paper,  co-authored with colleagues at UFG and the Conservation Planning Group’s Bob Pressey, is now published online in Biodiversity and Conservation. The paper contrasted alternative planning strategies for Brazil’s Cerrado biome, accounting for both progressive vegetation loss and climate change. The main findings were that actively planning for impact (avoided loss) not only achieved impact but also representation. In contrast, the representation strategy was poor at achieving conservation impact. The paper is part of a series of studies involving collaboration between UFG and JCU.