Approaches to effectively integrate conservation planning across different levels (e.g. local, national, global) remain elusive, despite the increasing awareness of its importance. To plan across multiple levels most effectively, the relative strengths and weaknesses of planning at different levels must be understood. In a new paper led by Jess Cheok, published in Ecology and Society, … Continue reading New paper: Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of conservation planning at different scales – the Coral Triangle as a case study
New paper: Marine zoning revisited: how zoning the Great Barrier Reef has evolved as an effective spatial planning approach for marine ecosystem‐based management
For nearly 40 years, marine zoning has played an important role in managing the Great Barrier Reef. Zoning today, however, has changed considerably since the first zoning plans were finalized in 1988. A recent study, led by Jon Day and published in the journal Aquatic Conservation, summarises numerous lessons learned from decades of applying zoning … Continue reading New paper: Marine zoning revisited: how zoning the Great Barrier Reef has evolved as an effective spatial planning approach for marine ecosystem‐based management
Helping conservation initiatives turn contagious
New research shows that conservation initiatives often spread like disease, helping scientists and policymakers to better design successful programs that are more likely to be adopted. In a study published today, researchers modelled how conservation initiatives are implemented across regions and countries until they reach ‘scale’—a level where they can have real impact on conserving or improving … Continue reading Helping conservation initiatives turn contagious
New paper: Shortfalls in conservation evidence – moving from ecological effects of interventions to policy evaluation
Large sums of money are invested annually in conservation interventions, but evidence of the conservation impact of these investments is often lacking or conflicting. Just as important, there is much confusion among scientists and practitioners about how the effectiveness of policy interventions should be evaluated. In a new paper led by Vanessa Adams, we show … Continue reading New paper: Shortfalls in conservation evidence – moving from ecological effects of interventions to policy evaluation
New paper: Traditional ecological knowledge supports ecosystem-based management in coastal Brazil
Fernanda Terra Stori visited the Centre in 2018 to work with the Conservation Planning Group. We recently had a paper published from that visit. Fernanda described the social-ecological system of Araçá Bay in Brazil, a small-scale fishery community that has experienced successive disturbances due to development projects since the 1930s. As part of a major … Continue reading New paper: Traditional ecological knowledge supports ecosystem-based management in coastal Brazil
Putting a dollar value on impact: is effective conservation expensive?
It is an unfortunate reality that conservation efforts are restricted by funding, which is typically provided by national or state governments, or by private donors. As such, a growing literature has focused on how to maximise return-on-investment (ROI) in conservation. The vast majority of this literature has hitherto been concerned primarily with identifying locations with … Continue reading Putting a dollar value on impact: is effective conservation expensive?
New paper: How much do we know about the conservation impact of the Great Barrier Reef rezoning?
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was rezoned in 2004, greatly increasing the extent of no-take or green zones to about one third of the Park's area. But what do we know about the biological benefits of this major change in allowed activities, particularly fishing? Our new study, led by Kerrie Fraser and published in … Continue reading New paper: How much do we know about the conservation impact of the Great Barrier Reef rezoning?
Coral reef conservation in the Anthropocene: Confronting spatial mismatches and prioritizing functions
In a new paper, online now in Biological Conservation, Conservation Planning Group researchers and colleagues address the critical challenge of coral reef conservation in the Anthropocene. The world's coral reefs are rapidly transforming, with decreasing coral cover and new species configurations. These new Anthropocene reefs pose new challenges for conservation: we can no longer rely … Continue reading Coral reef conservation in the Anthropocene: Confronting spatial mismatches and prioritizing functions
Fisheries outcomes maximized through traditional practice
Our new study, published today in Journal of Applied Ecology, demonstrates that the challenge of keeping fish in the sea while putting fish on the plate might be best achieved through periodically harvested fisheries closures. Periodically harvested closures (PHCs) are a widespread, centuries‐old form of fisheries management that protects fish between pulse harvests and can … Continue reading Fisheries outcomes maximized through traditional practice