The extent to which systematic conservation plans have effectively influenced management remains elusive, particularly regarding our understanding of the factors contributing to successful implementation. Several scholars have argued there is an important gap between planning and doing, sometimes even referring to it as the implementation crisis in conservation planning. Irrespective of the nature and size … Continue reading Implementation strategies for systematic conservation planning
Demonstrating multiple benefits from periodically harvested fisheries closures
For the last few years, I have been involved with a collaborative research project investigating the effectiveness of periodically harvested fisheries closures (PHCs). Widely implemented by local communities across Melanesia, periodically harvested closures restrict fishing activities for specified periods of time. PHCs evolved primarily to serve social and cultural objectives. For example, in Fiji and … Continue reading Demonstrating multiple benefits from periodically harvested fisheries closures
New paper: frequent iterative adjustment of regional priorities can benefit implementation
A new paper by Cheok and colleagues has been published in Diversity and Distributions, on the potential benefits that can arise when regional conservation priorities are updated more frequently. Regional conservation assessments are frequently undertaken to guide strategic application of conservation actions. These actions are applied locally by individuals and communities and inevitably deviate, for a … Continue reading New paper: frequent iterative adjustment of regional priorities can benefit implementation
Improved fisheries training curriculum to assist communities to manage their fisheries sustainably
Originally posted by By Kelera Serelini–Varawa on the Vatu-i-Ra Seascape blog. For many Fijians, coastal fisheries provide an important source of food and income. Unfortunately, pressure on these precious resources is increasing. Many finfish and invertebrate fisheries are over-exploited, and coastal habitats are becoming degraded by poor land-use practices or destructive fishing methods. Adding to … Continue reading Improved fisheries training curriculum to assist communities to manage their fisheries sustainably
New Paper: Sympathy for the devil: Detailing the effects of planning-unit size, thematic resolution of reef classes, and socioeconomic costs on spatial priorities for marine conservation
Jessica and colleagues from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, and the French Research Institute for Development recently published a paper in PLoS ONE. The study looked at different factors related to data resolution and spatial heterogeneity involved in the process of prioritising areas for marine conservation, and how … Continue reading New Paper: Sympathy for the devil: Detailing the effects of planning-unit size, thematic resolution of reef classes, and socioeconomic costs on spatial priorities for marine conservation
New Paper: Systematic conservation planning within a Fijian customary governance context
The groundwork for the paper was undertaken by lead author Hans Wendt, whilst he was undertaking his Masters degree at the University of the South Pacific. At the time, I was working for WCS Fiji, and provided Hans with guidance on systematic conservation planning. He took this and did some amazing work with communities in his home province … Continue reading New Paper: Systematic conservation planning within a Fijian customary governance context
Are spatially variable costs more of a hindrance to conservation prioritisations at regional, coarse-resolution scales?
Regional-scale conservation planning considering ecosystems as a whole is important in allowing us to capture emergent system properties, such as complementarity, connectivity, and large-scale ecological processes and threats. Consequently, there has been an increase in the number of regional-scale prioritisation assessments in the conservation planning literature. However, conservation planning cannot stop at regional scales. Planning … Continue reading Are spatially variable costs more of a hindrance to conservation prioritisations at regional, coarse-resolution scales?
Big Sur workshop on periodically harvested closures
For the last few years now I have been working with a fantastic group of colleagues on research into the effectiveness of periodically harvested fisheries closures. Widely implemented by local communities across Melanesia, periodically harvested closures (PHCs) are fisheries closures that have opening regimes that can range from mostly closed to mostly open. PHCs evolved … Continue reading Big Sur workshop on periodically harvested closures
Help identify research priorities for Oceania
As conservation scientists, most of us hope to conduct research that will be useful to practitioners, and will ultimately "make a difference". However, it remains unclear whether the areas towards which we are investing our research efforts will actually produce the information that conservation practitioners and natural resource managers need. Understanding the information that decision-makers … Continue reading Help identify research priorities for Oceania