Abstract
At present, 10.5% of Canada’s land base is under some form of formal protection. Recent developments indicate Canada aims to work towards a target of protecting 17% of its terrestrial and inland water area by 2020. Canada is uniquely positioned globally as one of the few nations that has the capacity to expand the area under its protection. In addition to its formally protected areas, Canada’s remote regions form de facto protected areas that are relatively free from development pressure. Opportunities for expansion of formally protected areas in Canada include official delineation and designation of de facto protected areas and the identification and protection of land to improve connectivity between protected areas (PAs). Furthermore, there are collaborative opportunities for expanding PA through commitments from industry and provincial and territorial land stewards. Other collaborative opportunities include the contributions of First Nations aligning with international examples of Indigenous Protected Areas, or the incorporation and cultivation of private protection programs with documented inclusion in official PA networks. A series of incremental additions from multiple actors may increase the likelihood for achieving area-based targets, and expands stakeholder engagement and representation in Canada’s PA system. Given a generational opportunity and high-level interest in expansion of protected areas in Canada and elsewhere, it is evident that as a diverse number of stakeholders and rights holders collaboratively map current and future land uses onto forest landscapes, science-based conservation targets and spatial prioritizations can inform this process.
Highlights
Given population growth and increasing pressures on land for human use [1], there is an increasing global reliance on protected areas (PAs) as cornerstones of conservation strategies.This global emphasis on PAs is evidenced by the widespread support for the Convention on BiologicalDiversity (CBD: an international treaty with 193 member countries) which, among other decisions, adopted the Aichi Biodiversity Target to protect 17% of the most biodiverse landscapes by 2020 [2].The establishment of national PA systems has been the globally preferred approach to biodiversity conservation in the 20th and 21st centuries
PA systems in Canada are dominated by relatively large PAs with strict protection in ecosystems where Categories Ib and II make up 80% of all PAs and 34 PAs are larger than 3000 km2 [9]
Only a small fraction of PAs in Canada meet the size requirements to maintain minimum ecosystems where Categories Ib and II make up 80% of all PAs and 34 PAs are larger than 3000 km2 viable populations of large, wide-ranging mammals or to protect landscape dynamics and natural
Summary
Given population growth and increasing pressures on land for human use [1], there is an increasing global reliance on protected areas (PAs) as cornerstones of conservation strategies. “A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated, and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values” [6] This definition encompasses a variety of types of PAs, classified by management objectives [7] and most recently by governance type [8]. A key factor in the ability of Canadian PA systems to protect their biological resources is the sustained ecological integrity of the individual PAs. Given the existing level and location of protection, combined with the fact that many additional areas are currently in de facto protection [12], Canada has an opportunity unique among developed nations for a fundamental expansion of high-value, nondegraded protected areas. We present two hypothetical scenarios for doubling protection that build on the current mix of IUCN PA categories at national and ecozone scales
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
