Monitoring Protected Area Coverage and Impact on Key Biodiversity Areas, Important Bird Areas and Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites

Abstract

• Governments have committed to conserve effectively 17% of terrestrial (and inland water) areas by 2020, ‘especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity…’ • The 11,000 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and 588 Alliance for Zero Extinction sites (AZEs) are the only networks of systematically sites of biodiversity importance that have been identified worldwide, but only 28% and 22% respectively have been completely covered by protected areas, and half remain entirely unprotected • Expansion of protected area networks and other site safeguard mechanisms to cover all partially protected or unprotected AZEs and IBAs would add a further 4.6 million km2, increasing terrestrial coverage from 12.9% to 17.5%, and hence meeting the 17% coverage target. • Data from Kenya derived from monitoring of the state (condition), pressures (threats) and conservation responses at IBAs highlight the association between protection and improved condition, reduced pressures and greater responses. • This is consistent with global analyses of the IUCN Red List Index showing that protection of IBAs and AZEs is associated with a reduction in the rate of decline in status (i.e. increase in extinction risk) of species for which these sites are identified • IBAs and AZEs are among the most urgent targets for protected area network expansion, while tracking state, pressure, and response indicators as demonstrated through IBA monitoring can contribute to monitoring of the management effectiveness of such protected areas