Protecting biodiversity in multiple-use lands: Lessons from the US forest service

Abstract

Parks and other strictly protected nature preserves are too few and too small to sustain the full gamut of biological diversity. Unless biodiversity is also protected in lands open to development, countless populations and species will be extirpated. The challenge is to develop effective yet practical policies to protect biodiversity on multiple-use lands. Some of the policies of the US Forest Service serve as useful models for addressing this global challenge — but they too have their weaknesses.