Over the last three decades, hundreds of systematic conservation planning (SCP) studies were produced, yet we have no reliable way of finding information on SCP methods, trends, and progress. In particular, the number of studies added to the marine SCP literature has increased exponentially over the past 10 years (Figure 1). This accelerating output of … Continue reading Research advances and gaps in marine planning: towards a global database in systematic conservation planning
Implementation strategies for systematic conservation planning
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
Diseño y conectividad de reservas marinas ante el calentamiento global
International collaborations are central to our research. Here we summarize the results of an ongoing collaboration with Mexican colleagues to design a network of marine reserves in the Gulf of California, reported earlier in our blog. We do so in Spanish to ensure we reach a wider readership, particularly in Mexico! El calentamiento de los … Continue reading Diseño y conectividad de reservas marinas ante el calentamiento global
Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming
Global warming can disrupt ecological connectivity among marine reserves by shortening potential dispersal pathways through changes in larval physiology. These changes can compromise the effectiveness of marine reserve networks, thus requiring adjusting their design to account for warmer oceans. To address this challenge, researchers from the Conservation Planning Group are collaborating with scientists, agencies, NGOs, … Continue reading Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming
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
The importance of fishing grounds as perceived by local communities can be undervalued by measures of socioeconomic cost used in conservation planning
Marine reserve placement must account for the importance of places for resource use to minimize negative socioeconomic impacts and improve compliance. It is often assumed that placing marine reserves in locations that minimize lost fishing opportunities will reduce impacts on coastal communities, but the influence of the fishing data used on this outcome remains poorly … Continue reading The importance of fishing grounds as perceived by local communities can be undervalued by measures of socioeconomic cost used in conservation planning
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
Forthcoming global database on studies in systematic conservation planning
From 18-21 February 2016, six members of the Conservation Planning Group organized a writing workshop on Magnetic Island. The main aim of the workshop was to produce a journal paper describing the first stage of a global database on planning studies. The explosive growth of systematic conservation planning in the last decade has made it … Continue reading Forthcoming global database on studies in systematic conservation planning
Integrated cross-realm planning: a decision-makers’ perspective
A new paper on integrated cross-realm planning, led by Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero and other members of the Conservation Planning Group, is now online in Biological Conservation. We followed a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to examine the foundations, current approaches, and key requirements of cross-realm planning. Over three workshops, our team of authors included people with … Continue reading Integrated cross-realm planning: a decision-makers’ perspective