Target 1
Plan and Manage all Areas To Reduce Biodiversity Loss
Ensure that all areas are under participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
Ensure that all areas are under participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
Rationale
GSAP
Spatial planning and legislative approaches at landscape, freshwater-scape and seascape scales are needed to maintain the integrity, functionality and connectivity of natural ecosystems and thus conserve the species that compose them. Such actions are particularly urgent in critical ecosystems under the highest pressure, such as coral reefs, tropical forests, peatlands, grasslands and savannas, freshwater, and coastal wetlands, and to ensure any further loss or degradation of remaining areas of high ecological integrity with their full species compositions.
GSAP SKILLS
Integrated spatial planning is a complex task involving the identification of priority ecosystems and setting representative targets, compilation of priority species lists, and a review of protected and conserved area networks. The process requires multi-sectoral coordination, and mainstreaming species conservation into government policy agendas including agriculture, mining, and infrastructure developments, including (i) the application of the mitigation hierarchy, with a primary focus on avoidance and (ii) Strategic Environmental Assessments and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, both conducted according to international standards.
Compiling and integrating accurate spatial data are fundamental to this process, highlighting that Targets 1-4 are closely interlinked. In addition to ecosystem data, core datasets required include those on restoration (Target 2), site identification and protection (Target 3), and species recovery (Target 4).
GIS mapping skills and capacity are needed to produce the mapping. Detailed advice on undertaking systematic planning, including situations with low resources and capacity, is provided in SANBI’s Mapping Biodiversity Priorities.
Primary tools and resources
International Whaling Commission (IWC) Bycatch Mitigation initiative
As the leading global body addressing cetacean science, conservation and management, the IWC has the capacity to play a significant role in global efforts to address bycatch and in 2016, endorsed a new Bycatch Mitigation Initiative (BMI). In collaboration with other organisations, national governments and fishing communities, this aims to develop, assess and promote effective bycatch prevention and mitigation measures world-wide.
The initiative is currently focused on addressing gillnet bycatch in small-scale fisheries, although some work continues on bycatch in other gears and fisheries.
The concepts of collaboration and co-ordination underpin the BMI. Bycatch is an issue that needs to be tackled on several different scales, from fishing communities to national governments and intergovernmental fishery bodies.
The BMI works closely with the Global Whale Entanglement Response Network (GWERN), a pioneering initiative which actively addresses welfare, conservation and human safety impacts of large whale entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
An ESIA is a statement about the likely impacts of a proposal and how the identified negative impacts can be mitigated and managed and how the positive impacts can be enhanced. The purpose of this review procedure is to ensure that the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports provide adequate assessment and protection measures to manage environmental and social impacts. A systematic approach to review is needed to ensure that the environmental and social impact assessment reports comply with requirements, are consistent with standards of good practice, and provide good quality information to support decision making.
SANBI Mapping Biodiversity Priorities
This guide to practical, science-based approach to national biodiversity assessment and prioritisation has been produced by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. The approach is based on the principles of Systematic Conservation Planning and is augmented by 10 operating principles. It sets out a practical, science-based approach to spatial biodiversity assessment and prioritisation and forms an excellent starting point to inform national spatial planning exercises, including detailed advice for low resource situations.
IUCN WCPA Diagnostic tool for transboundary conservation planners
This tool (i) supports the decision-making process when establishing and implementing transboundary conservation initiatives; (ii) minimizes the risks of the process; (iii) enables planners to assess the feasibility of design and implementation of transboundary conservation measures. Version 2.0 was released by IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group in June 2020.
How to use
For further details and to access the tool:
IUCN Important Marine Mammals Areas (IMMAs)
Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) are defined as discrete portions of habitat important to marine mammal species that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. IMMAs consist of areas that may merit place-based protection and/or monitoring. IMMAs are identified through an independent, expert process.
GEOBON Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBV)
The Group on Earth Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) developed the concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) to advance the collection, sharing, and use of biodiversity information to aggregate, harmonise and interpret biodiversity observations collected by different methods such as in situ monitoring or remote sensing. EBVs can be visualised as biodiversity observations at one location over time, or in many locations, aggregated in a time series of maps. Essential variables to understand climate, biodiversity, and other environmental changes have already been developed (e.g. Essential Climate Variables, Essential Ocean Variables).
How to use
Details of the method, the EBVS already developed, and results are available at: https://geobon.org/ebvs/what-are-ebvs/
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)
The WDPA is a comprehensive global database on terrestrial and marine protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). It is a joint project between the UN Environment Programme and IUCN, and is managed by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). The WDPA is updated on a monthly basis and site data and maps are available through the Protected Planet platform. About 261,766 officially recognised protected areas are listed, covering over 15% of the of the earth’s land surface and 7.4% of the world’s oceans. Protected Planet contains interactive maps and has eight thematic areas. Every two years, UNEP-WCMC releases the Protected Planet Report on the status of the world’s protected areas and makes recommendations on how to meet international goals and targets.
How to use
- To access the Protected Planet website and explore the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), World Database on OECMs, Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME), and associated information: https://www.protectedplanet.net
- To contribute information on a site to the WDPA: https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/wdpa?tab=WDPA
Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA)
ISRAs have been developed by the IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group to ensure that discrete portions of habitats critical to shark species are delineated and used in site-based conservation and management initiatives in global waters. ISRAs are identified through the application of four criteria, incorporating seven sub-criteria. The Criteria provide an objective framework for identifying areas crucial for the persistence of sharks and rays and, where required, their recovery.
Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric
The STAR metric assesses the potential of particular actions at a specific location to contribute to reduce species extinction risk / global targets for species. It measures the potential contribution of two kinds of action: threat abatement / reduction and habitat restoration using data on the distribution, threats, and extinction risk of threatened species contained in the IUCN Red List. It helps governments, the finance industry, investors, and companies to target their investments and activities to achieve conservation outcomes for threatened species. The STAR metric can be applied to any location. It is maintained under the authority of the IUCN Red List Committee.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (the Red List) is the globally recognised standard on assessing extinction risk. Red List assessments are used by the Convention on Biological Diversity, CITES, other inter-governmental agreements, national governments, and conservation planners. The Red List assigns species into one of 8 categories based on 5 criteria, all with quantitative thresholds. The three highest categories of threat – Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable – are collectively considered ‘Threatened’. The Red List process has been formalized to support objectivity and scientific rigour. Red List assessments are carried out by SSC Red List Authorities, Red List Partners, IUCN staff, and regional and national agencies. In addition, Red List assessments provide a compendium of information on species, (taxonomy, geographic range, population, habitat and ecology, threats, conservation actions). The Red List operates at global, regional, and national levels. Guidelines for application at national or regional levels have been developed and the National Red List Working Group provides additional support.
Red List Authorities have been established for all major taxonomic groups included on the IUCN Red List. In most cases, the RLA is a sub-group within an IUCN SSC Specialist Group responsible for the species, groups of species or species within a specific geographic area. There are some exceptions; for example, BirdLife International is the designated RLA for all birds.
The process is guided by Rules of Procedure, supported by guidelines on application of the Red List Categories and Criteria, the Species Information Service (SIS) data entry and management system, and certification for assessors and RL trainers. All these materials can be downloaded, free, from the Red List website. A free, online training course for Red List assessors, is available.
Species can be assessed for the Red List at global, regional, and national levels. Guidelines for the Regional (and national) Application of the Categories and Criteria have been developed and support for development of national Red Lists is available from the National Red List Working Group.
How to use
- To check the global Red List status of a species and access the supporting information, visit the species assessment page on the Red List website
- To download the Red List Categories and Criteria, Guidelines, Rules of Procedure, and Guidelines for Application at Regional Level go the Red List resources
- To initiate or to contribute to a global assessment, contact the Chair of the relevant IUCN SSC Specialist Group or Red List Authority, for birds, see BirdLife International
- For taxonomic groups not listed, contact the relevant IUCN SSC Conservation Committee: Marine, Invertebrate, Plant, Fungi, Freshwater, Red List, Standards and Petitions.
- To develop a National Red List for a species or group of species visit the National Red List Working Group
- To obtain details or register for an online Red List training course: https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/online
Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT)
IBAT is a biodiversity impact assessment tool that enables companies and other users to screen the potential risks to biodiversity and key sites from proposed development. IBAT is
based on three global datasets, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, World Database on Protected Areas, and World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas]. IBAT provides data, tools, and guidance to assist organisations in acting on biodiversity-related risks and opportunities, and provide sustainable funding to support biodiversity datasets. IBAT has a GIS download service which is available through five plans, ranging from free to USD 35,000 /year, according to the level of access required. Data can be downloaded at global level or at more local levels. Biodiversity data reports can be generated as a pdf document, or as raw data in CSV format, and/or map files. IBAT report templates include a simple proximity report, a World Bank Group risk report, and a freshwater report.
International Finance Corporation (IFC) Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability
The IFC Performance Standards (PS) provide standardised guidance on identifying risks and impacts of major infrastructure and development projects. The standards are designed to help avoid, mitigate, and manage the risks and impacts of such projects in a sustainable way, including stakeholder engagement and disclosure obligations. Application of the IFC Performance Standards is required by many multilateral donors, such as the World Bank, for projects they are financing.
PS 6 covers Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, PS 1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, and PS 7 Indigenous Peoples.
The IFC Performance Standards are available in several languages.
Other tools and resources
World Database on Key Biodiversity Areas
KBAs are sites ‘contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems’. The KBA Partnership is composed of 13 leading international organizations including IUCN. It maintains a KBA Committee, KBA secretariat, a KBA Technical Working Group, a KBA Community, a KBA Consultative Forum, and the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. An independent KBA Standards and Appeals Committee is established under the authority of the elected SSC and WCPA Chairs. The KBA Global Standard lists the criteria for identification of KBAs. There are five criteria and 11 subcriteria all with quantitative thresholds. KBAs are identified on the basis of ecosystems or species.
KBAs can be identified by a KBA National Coordination Group (KBA NCG). If an individual or small group has an interest in proposing a KBA in a country with an existing KBA NCG they are encouraged to work with that KBA NCG to make the proposal. Where a KBA NCG has not yet been established, proposers are encouraged to consider helping form such a group but if that is not possible they can put together a proposal for a site and submit it directly. KBAs should be reviewed and updated nationally every 8-12 years to also confirm they still meet KBA status for the species or ecosystems that trigger KBA status for the site. The KBA identification process is inclusive, consultative and nationally driven. Anyone with appropriate data may propose a site as a KBA, although consultation with relevant stakeholders at the local and national level is required when identifying the site and needs to be documented in the proposal. A proposer must apply the KBA criteria to data on biodiversity elements (species and ecosystems) at the site and delineate the site clearly. The formal proposal is then made through a process that ensures independent review before a site is incorporated in the World Database of KBAs.
How to use
- To download the KBA Standard, criteria, and guidelines, and for further information: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/home
- To explore maps and site details on the World Database of KBAS: https://wdkba.keybiodiversityareas.org
- For guidance on the role of KBA National Coordination Groups and how to establish them: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/working-with-kbas/programme/national-coordination-groups
Transboundary Conservation Landscapes: Enhancing understanding, operation and efficacy
WWF’s global site-based conservation programs cover vast areas of countries and continents and, via its landscape approach, invariably has large programs that transcend national boundaries be it for species conservation, forest and habitat protection, or to maintain environmental f lows and sustainable use. Past global studies have looked at guidelines and criteria for successful transboundary conservation programs, but a review of practical lessons from the field is lacking. This report reflects on the strengths and challenges of transboundary conservation programs, illustrated by a compilation of lessons from over two decades of work on the ground, and builds on previous knowledge, fills some knowledge gaps, and draws on firsthand practitioners’ experiences from 16 of WWF’s transboundary landscapes across Europe, Africa, Central America and Asia.
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals Instruments and Initiatives
As an environmental treaty of the United Nations, CMS provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
As the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes, CMS complements and co-operates with a number of other international organizations, NGOs and partners in the media as well as in the corporate sector.
Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention. CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. Besides establishing obligations for each State joining the Convention, CMS promotes concerted action among the Range States of many of these species.
Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention. For this reason, the Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional agreements.
In this respect, CMS acts as a framework Convention. The agreements may range from legally binding treaties (called Agreements) to less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding, and can be adapted to the requirements of particular regions. The development of models tailored according to the conservation needs throughout the migratory range is a unique capacity to CMS.
International Whaling Commission The Southern Ocean Research Partnership (IWC-SORP)
The IWC Southern Ocean Research Partnership (IWC-SORP) was established in 2009 as an integrated, collaborative consortium for cetacean research, which aims to maximise conservation-orientated outcomes for Southern Ocean cetaceans through an understanding of the post-exploitation status, health, dynamics and environmental linkages of their populations, and the threats they face.
CMS legally-binding agreements; memoranda of understanding; special initiatives; action plans
As an environmental treaty of the United Nations, CMS provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
As the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory species, their habitats and migration routes, CMS complements and co-operates with a number of other international organizations, NGOs and partners in the media as well as in the corporate sector.
Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention. CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. Besides establishing obligations for each State joining the Convention, CMS promotes concerted action among the Range States of many of these species.
Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention. For this reason, the Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional agreements.
In this respect, CMS acts as a framework Convention. The agreements may range from legally binding treaties (called Agreements) to less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding, and can be adapted to the requirements of particular regions. The development of models tailored according to the conservation needs throughout the migratory range is a unique capacity to CMS.
AEWA Guidelines on how to avoid, minimize or mitigate impact of infrastructural developments and related disturbance affecting waterbirds
Bonn, 23 March 2021 – The AEWA Action Plan requires the Secretariat and the Technical Committee (TC) to develop a series of Conservation Guidelines to help the Parties implement the Agreement. As part of this series, guidelines on how to avoid, minimise or mitigate the impact of infrastructure developments and related disturbance affecting waterbirds have been produced. They were endorsed by the 5th Meeting of the AEWA Standing Committee in June 2008 and approved by the 4th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (September 2008, Antananarivo, Madagascar).
Infrastructure developments can have a range of potentially significant impacts on waterbirds and their habitats. It is therefore recommended that each Party should take steps to avoid, minimize or mitigate such potential impacts by applying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and project Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) as part of a robust and transparent system for planning and implementing sustainable development.
These guidelines are setting out two sets of steps that may need to be followed. Each country should apply the appropriate steps according to the planning stage that has been reached in the development process. However, the steps should be seen as components of a partly iterative process, such that if necessary steps are returned to and revised in response to new information and decisions. Consultations with stakeholders should also take place throughout the SEA and EIA processes as necessary.
The Guidelines, published as AEWA Technical Series No. 26, were produced by Ecological Solutions and Treweek Environmental Consultants and funded by The Agency for Nature and Forests, Ministry of the Flemish Community (ANF), Belgium.
WWF Protecting Blue Corridors on identifying, mapping and protecting migratory routes of whales
A new collaborative report from WWF and partners provides the first truly comprehensive look at whale migrations and the threats they face across all oceans, highlighting how the cumulative impacts from industrial fishing, ship strikes, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change are creating a hazardous and sometimes fatal obstacle course for the marine species.
Protecting Blue Corridors visualises the satellite tracks of over 1000 migratory whales worldwide. The report outlines how whales are encountering multiple and growing threats in their critical ocean habitats – areas where they feed, mate, give birth, and nurse their young – and along their migration superhighways, or ‘blue corridors’.
CMS CAMI Infrastructure Atlas
CMS has strengthened its engagement in Central Asia to conserve migratory mammals, their habitats and the vital role they play in preserving intact ecosystems. The Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) (Resolution 11.24 (Rev.COP13)) and its associated Programme of Work were adopted by CMS Parties at the Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) and revised at COP13 in Ghandinagar, India (February 2020). With an initiative to strengthen the conservation of Central Asian migratory mammals, CMS aims to provide a common framework to coordinate conservation activities in the region and to coherently address major threats to migratory species. It is based on activities focused on single species (including existing MOUs/Action Plans and those in development) and activities to address urgent and major threats faced by all or most of the species.
CMS provides an international policy framework to facilitate close collaboration amongst stakeholders. Priority areas for action under CMS include the removal of barriers to migration, the maintenance and restoration of transboundary ecological networks and the preservation of animal migrations in the Central Asian region as one of the last global “migration hotspots”. By developing an initiative for Central Asian mammals, the treaty is acting as a catalyst to foster collaboration between all stakeholders, with the aim of harmonizing and strengthening the implementation of CMS and its instruments targeting large mammals.
Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration
The Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration was created in 2020. The main aim of the initiative is to work collaboratively to: 1) create a Global Atlas of Ungulate Migration (an inventory) using tracking data and expert knowledge; and 2) stimulate research on drivers, mechanisms, threats and conservation solutions common to ungulate migration worldwide. Initiative participants include global experts representing the world’s major terrestrial regions and most if not all of its longest migrations (e.g., Serengeti wildebeest, arctic caribou, Mongolian saiga, white-eared kob, African elephants, among many others). We seek to spark conservation efforts worldwide by sharing and discussing new, ongoing, and proven approaches to maintain migration corridors across large landscapes.
International Whaling Commission Sanctuaries Conservation Management Plans (CMPs)
Conservation Management Plans (CMPs) are an important conservation initiative of the IWC. They provide a framework for countries within the range of vulnerable cetacean populations (known as range states) to work together, and in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, to protect and rebuild those populations.
Solutions and case studies
Strengthening Capacities in Coastal Spatial Planning
The solution aims at sustainable development in coastal areas of the East Asian Seas region by reducing and preventing impacts of natural disasters, climate change and sea level rise. It provides references and capacity building for national and local authorities in coastal and marine spatial planning. National adaptation activities and best practices for capacity building and field application tailored to needs and priorities of each country are provided.
Identification of visions for protected area management and quantification of their consequences in Utrechtse Heuvelrug and Kromme Rijn (Netherlands)
The Kromme Rijn area is a dynamic cultural landscape, shaped by multiple uses and different elements of typical Dutch landscapes. Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park within this landscape includes important forest areas and biodiversity values, but is also of historical and recreational significance. The region needs to be multifunctional given the dense population and many expectations towards the landscape, but different use interests are not always compatible.
In order to develop new solutions, identify new directions for policy and help society move towards synergetic options, an „inclusive conservation“ approach is being applied. As a first step, different visions for the use and development of the landscape have been identified through stakeholder interviews. These will provide the basis for modelling the consequences of these different stakeholder vision. Finally, stakeholders will discuss the visions and their consequences, deciding on a joint vision and pathways towards it.
GIS and Remote Sensing Technology for improved pasture management
The Monitoring Manual for Summer and Winter Pastures (Etzold & Neudert 2013; Etzold et al. 2015) in the Greater Caucasus introduces a simple practical pasture assessment and monitoring tool for resource managers. Combined with basic socio-economic information (number of livestock, herding organization, grazing management) comprehensive recommendations for sustainable pasture management can be derived to maintain and enhance the condition of pastures in the future. The approach can be adapted to various ecological and socio-economic settings and was applied in all three South Caucasian countries, e.g. AM (Sisian, Gorayk), AZ (Ismayilli, Saatli, Gakh), GE (PA of Borjomi-Kharagauli, Lagodekhi, Tusheti and Vashlovani). Initially developed as a simple physical assessment approach a combination with remote sensing and GIS technology improves the overall assessment, in particular through more accurate data and assessment opportunities.
PROTECTED PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPE (PPP*) bringing production closer to nature
In many developing countries, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and its effects on natural ecosystems have led societies to discuss the need for curbing the growth of production activities. This creates a paradox given that these countries, in turn, require more production to rebuild their national economy. In this respect, ProYungas Foundation has developed the concept of “Protected Productive Landscape”, which derives from the Category V of the IUCN (“Protected Landscape”). But the novel part of this idea is that it puts production activities as the central point in the generation of economic, technical and political resources necessary for the preservation of the natural environment where these production activities take place. This concept places the production sector as the focal point of action, shifting it from the “problem side” to the “solution side”. Currently, more than 300,000 hectares are being managed under this concept in critical ecosystems (Yungas and Chaco) in northern Argentina and Paraguay.
Strengthening Forested Area Planning and Management in Non-State Forest areas in Kalimantan
The Strengthening Forest Area Planning and Management in Kalimantan (KalFor) project – a joint initiative implemented by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Management and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, supported by UNDP Indonesia and funded by GEF – aims to preserve Kalimantan’s forests in Non-State Forest Areas.
KalFor addresses the challenge of aligning estate crop development with forest conservation, focusing on land management and biodiversity in the Heart of Borneo area while providing communities in these areas with alternative sustainable livelihood opportunities. It aims to reconcile development goals with commitments to reduce deforestation, biodiversity loss, and GHG emissions.
The strategy involves identifying key areas and testing forest management approaches to harmonize environmental and economic objectives in Kalimantan, with implications for similar challenges across Indonesia.
Co-creating an Ocean Governance Strategy for the Western Indian Ocean
Regional ocean governance in the Western Indian Ocean requires active collaboration among institutions, countries, and stakeholders for a healthy and sustainable ocean. Regional leaders acknowledge the need for improved cross-sectoral cooperation to tackle the triple planetary crisis. Nairobi Convention and Partners support the co-development of a regional ocean governance strategy (ROGS), in response to the Africa Ministerial Conference on Environment and the Nairobi Convention Conference of Parties. Through Nairobi Convention Focal Points, a ROGS Task Force with representatives from Convention Parties, the African Union and other Regional Economic Communities, the Indian Ocean Commission, private sector, civil society, and regional experts leads the co-design of technical dialogues that shape the ROGS by fostering consensus on priority actions and proposing institutional and resourcing arrangements. A Support Team hosted by the Convention made up of experts from WIOMSA, GIZ, and CLI supports the Task Force.
SMART: A digital monitoring system for effective management of protected areas
Nech Sar National Park is one of Ethiopia’s oldest protected areas, conserved for its diverse flora, fauna, and unique landscapes. However, unsustainable use of resources poses a significant threat to the park. The absence of standardised protocols and systems for recording illegal human activities and threats hinders the effective use and management of the park. The poor enforcement of planning, decision-making and resource allocation processes further fuels the issue.
To address these challenges, the BMZ-funded and GIZ-implemented Biodiversity and Forestry Programme introduced the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). SMART is a tool that simplifies and enhances data collection, analysis, and reporting in protected area management. It supports various conservation activities such as protection of biodiversity, law enforcement, natural resources utilisation, and tourism management. With its easy-to-use features, SMART offers powerful options for effective management and protection of natural resources.
Using camera traps to restore connectivity for wild cats in Central Asia
Located in the central part of the Kopetdag Range in the Ahal Province of Turkmenistan and spanning an area of 497 km2, Central Kopet Dag Reserve incorporates two sanctuaries and two natural monuments.
This Reserve is the most important stronghold in Turkmenistan for the conservation of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) and recently the presence of the Pallas cat (Otocolubus manul), a relatively rare small wild cat, rediscovered. The Reserve is the gateway between Iran and areas to the north and west into Kazakhstan for the Persian leopard. Since 2018, thanks to the collaboration between protected area staff and international partners, an effort is underway to establish baseline information on all cat species, the status of their important prey (the Urial and Bezoar goat), and to identify threats, including the impacts of the border fence with Iran. Twenty camera traps have been deployed that to date have enabled to identify several Persian leopards as well as record the Pallas cat.
Évaluation de la distribution spatiale d’une espèce d’holothurie (Holothuria fuscogilva) dans le lagon de Vairao (Tahiti).
Surexploitées pour le marché asiatique, les holothuries blanches à mamelles (Holothuria fuscogilva) sont désormais reconnues vulnérables (liste rouge de l’UICN) et sont inscrites à la CITES (Annexe II). Pour participer à la conservation de cette espèce, il est primordial de comprendre le comportement de l’animal dans son milieu sauvage, sa distribution et son stock. L’étude se déroule à Vairao (côte sud-ouest de Tahiti), où est basée l’écloserie d’holothurie. Les évaluations sous-marines ont permis de localiser 10 sites propices à l’agrégation de l’espèce. Ces sites représentent 15% de la surface totale du lagon et sont catégorisés en 3 types de zones géomorphologiques : les abords de passe, les chenaux profonds et la pente interne du lagon. Les résultats démontrent une densité de 53 ind./Ha aux abords de passe, 41 ind./Ha dans les chenaux et 125 ind./Ha aux pentes internes, soit une densité moyenne comprise entre de 65 ind./ Ha (estimation basse) et 73 ind./Ha (estimation haute).
Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y): Connecting and protecting one the of the most intact mountain ecosystems
Since 1993, a joint Canada–US not-for-profit organisation, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, has brought partners together to achieve a vision of connecting and protecting the region so that people and nature can thrive. More than 400 different entities have been or currently are engaged in collaborative conservation that advances the vision across this ecological network. These include conservation groups, local landowners, Indigenous entities, businesses, government agencies, funders and donors, and scientists. Conservation progress across the Y2Y region is due to the collective work of these different groups. Conservation priorities range from protecting areas important for biodiversity and restoring and maintaining areas between protected areas for ecological connectivity, to directing development away from areas of biological importance and promoting policies and practices for people and wildlife to live in harmony across the region.
The Jaguar Corridor Initiative: A range-wide species conservation strategy
There are roughly 173,000 jaguar (Panthera onca) individuals left in the world today, with almost 90 per cent confined to Amazonia, especially in Brazil. Based on connectivity models, the species’ corridor range measures 2.6 million km2 for a total conservation network of 4.5 million km2. In order to focus research and conservation efforts across this vast network, jaguar populations and ecological corridors are prioritized using three criteria: ecological importance, network importance and corridor vulnerability. Through coarse-scaled GIS data and expert-derived resistance values, corridors were validated before conducting site-based conservation activities and strategies conducted by the federal to the individual landowner level. Activities include:
- Developing a local corridor council
- Working with hydroelectric companies to direct environmental mitigation and restoration projects toward areas of importance
- Providing science-based recommendations to development projects for maintaining connectivity across the corridor
Pacific salmon watersheds: Restoring lost connections
Over the last several decades, increased dam removal and mitigation to benefit salmon and other species of fish has become more widespread. Across the USA, more than 2,000 dams have been removed since 1912, with the vast majority having occurred in the past couple of decades. The dam removal process occurs through a decentralized decision-making process that involves numerous stakeholder groups, including federal agencies, state agencies and private dam owners. Although some dam removals have been voluntary, many have been the result of legal proceedings set in place by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Initial removal efforts focused on older dam structures, which cost too much to maintain and no longer complied with modern safety standards. In recent years the focus for dam removal leans towards environmental protection and habitat restoration. In the USA, the Wild and Scenic River Act (1968) is a legal mandate to preserve rivers having natural, cultural and recreational values in a free-flowing state.
