Activities In Protected Areas Research Articles

Accessible nature: Balancing contradiction in protected areas

Physical and social barriers have long hindered people with disabilities from full participation in outdoor recreation and nature experiences. As spending time in nature, where protected areas constitute an important arena for nature engagement, is increasingly connected to improved health and well-being, there is a need for nature activities and experiences in protected areas to become more accessible and inclusive. However, the provision of accessible protected areas for outdoor recreation and nature activities poses challenges for planners and managers of such areas, as there are elements of contradiction between interests of accessibility and nature conservation. This qualitative study examines how providers of nature experiences and outdoor activities, such as governmental authorities, outdoor recreation associations and nature-based tourism entrepreneurs in Sweden view and practice the balancing of these interests, through perspectives of the social construction of nature, inclusion, and collaboration. Findings indicate that interests in nature conservation generally take precedence over measures of accessibility and that such initiatives are directed to a few, designated areas. There is also an apparent lack of knowledge about how people with disabilities wish to engage with nature, which hinders full access to nature. It is therefore important to include people with disabilities in the process of developing accessibility in protected areas and promote collaboration between stakeholders, to avoid excluding decisions. The study concludes by stating the necessity to challenge the viewpoint of accessible infrastructure for outdoor activities in protected areas as ‘ruining’ the nature experience, in order for access to nature to become a truly democratic right.

Insights from a 31-year study demonstrate an inverse correlation between recreational activities and red deer fecundity, with bodyweight as a mediator.

Human activity is omnipresent in our landscapes. Animals can perceive risk from humans similar to predation risk, which could affect their fitness. We assessed the influence of the relative intensity of recreational activities on the bodyweight and pregnancy rates of red deer (Cervus elaphus) between 1985 and 2015. We hypothesized that stress, as a result of recreational activities, affects the pregnancy rates of red deer directly and indirectly via a reduction in bodyweight. Furthermore, we expected non-motorized recreational activities to have a larger negative effect on both bodyweight and fecundity, compared to motorized recreational activities. The intensity of recreational activities was recorded through visual observations. We obtained pregnancy data from female red deer that were shot during the regular hunting season. Additionally, age and bodyweight were determined through a post-mortem examination. We used two Generalized-Linear-Mixed Models (GLMM) to test the effect of different types of recreation on (1) pregnancy rates and (2) bodyweight of red deer. Recreation had a direct negative correlation with the fecundity of red deer, with bodyweight, as a mediator as expected. Besides, we found a negative effect of non-motorized recreation on fecundity and bodyweight and no significant effect of motorized recreation. Our results support the concept of humans as an important stressor affecting wild animal populations at a population level and plead to regulate recreational activities in protected areas that are sensitive. The fear humans induce in large-bodied herbivores and its consequences for fitness may have strong implications for animal populations.

Assessment of the Potential to Promote Nature-based Tourism Industry in the Protected Area Network of Sri Lanka


 
 
 
 Promoting the tourism industry is one of the proven strategies for Sri Lanka to address current economic crises. Sri Lanka has a high potential to develop nature-based tourism with its high biodiversity. The Forest Department and the Department of Wildlife Conservation manage 30% of the country's land as Protected Areas. In comparison to the tourism income generated through archeological sites of the country, the biodiversity sector has earned 83%-90% from 2012 to 2016, without any significant promotions and it shows the potential to develop nature-based tourism. This study aimed to examine the potentiality of using the Protected Area network to promote nature- based tourism. The PESTEL approach was utilized to assess the potentiality, and primary data was gathered through ten structured Key Informant Interviews of senior officials of both the destination management agencies, tourism authorities, and experts. The secondary data were obtained by reviewing official reports and records. The Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, Forest Ordinance, and their amendments provide legal provisions relating to tourism in Protected Areas with certain limitations. The Wildlife Preservation Fund can be utilized for conservation and development activities in protected areas, including tourism promotion. Even if a higher degree of ̳tourism friendly‘ provisions is available with the Forest Department, there is no mechanism for utilizing the income generated through tourism activities for conservation as revenue credits to the Treasury. Insufficient financial allocation through the treasury, lack of innovative financial solutions for resource mobilization, and ineffective governance mechanisms for promoting public- private partnerships are identified as challenging factors in forest and biodiversity conservation in protected areas. This leads to environmental degradation and biodiversity loss in the country. The study found the potentiality of developing projects worth one billion LKR per annum with more than 20% internal rate of return, if the government develops a mechanism that increases the
 
 
 
 
 benefits/incentives available for the Forest Department from tourism, ensures cooperation and
 
 
 
 
 comprehensive planning among both the departments, introduce innovative sustainable financing solutions, amend the policy and institutional framework in favour of public, private community partnerships, and develop a tourism promotion roadmap for both the Departments. Such initiatives would increase the socioeconomic and environmental benefits to the communities living in the Functional Resource Unit of the Protected Areas. It could be strengthened with an innovative Protected Area management model such as the community forestry approach. The study recommends that tourism should be considered an effective entry point for sustainable use, biodiversity conservation, and economic growth at local and national levels.
 
 
 
 
 Keywords: Protected areas, Nature-based tourism, Innovative financing, Public-private partnerships, Tourism for conservation
 
 
 

Use of an unmanned aerial‐aquatic vehicle for acoustic sensing in freshwater ecosystems

AbstractFreshwater ecosystems are endangered, underfunded and understudied, making new methods such as passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) essential for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of data collection. However, many challenges are still to be addressed with PAM: difficulty in accessing research sites, the logistics of implementing large‐scale studies and the invasiveness of data collection. When combined with PAM and other sensing strategies, mobile robotics are a promising solution to directly address these challenges. In this paper, we integrate water surface and underwater acoustic monitoring equipment onto a prototype unmanned aerial‐aquatic vehicle (UAAV) capable of sailing and flight (SailMAV). Twelve autonomous sailing missions were run on Lake Vrana, Croatia, during which acoustic data were collected, and the ability of the UAAV to facilitate the collection of acoustic data demonstrated. Data were simultaneously collected using standard recording methods on buoys and banksides to provide a comparative approach. Acoustic indices were used to analyse the soundscape of underwater acoustic data and BirdNET (a deep artificial neural network) was used on water surface datasets to determine bird species composition. Results show higher species richness and call abundance from UAAV surveys and high site dissimilarity owing to turnover between stationary and UAAV methods. This highlights the success of the UAAV in detecting biodiversity and the complementarity of these methods in providing a broad picture of the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Increased bird diversity and underwater acoustic activity in protected areas demonstrate the benefits of protecting freshwater ecosystems; however, site dissimilarity driven by turnover highlights the importance of protecting the entire ecosystem. We show how, by integrating PAM and a UAAV, we can overcome some of the current challenges in freshwater biodiversity monitoring, improving accessibility, increasing spatial scale and coverage, and reducing invasiveness.

Non-systematic surveys reveal increases in areas occupied by endangered and data-deficient Nubian bustard

A large proportion of endangered species lack good-quality data for assessing population trends. Obtaining these data is especially challenging in remote arid ecosystems, in part because these desert environments have historically attracted less scientific attention and funding than more mesic areas. The Sahara-Sahel biome in northern Africa is home to over 1000 species of terrestrial vertebrates, of which 79 have been classified as threatened or near-threatened by the IUCN Red List. This includes the Nubian bustard (Neotis nuba), a species with deficient ecological information and unknown population trends. In this study we used non-systematic data collected over a 10-year period (2008–2017) across the Termit and Tin-Toumma National Nature Reserve in Niger to i) study the temporal trend in the proportion of areas occupied, ii) map occurrence, and iii) assess how vegetation productivity, elevation, and surface roughness affect species occupancy. We implemented a single-species, multi-year site-occupancy model with an intrinsic conditional autoregressive structure to account for detection probability and the spatial autocorrelation nature of the non-systematic patrolling dataset. Our results showed that birds were imperfectly detected, and detection probability increased for longer transects. Occupancy probability was higher in higher elevated areas and in smoother terrain. Contrary to expected, occupancy probability decreased with increasing vegetation productivity. However, all parameters presented high uncertainty. We found a small positive trend in the proportion of areas occupied by Nubian bustards across the study area and mapped the spatial distribution after accounting for the spatial autocorrelation. Our study provides a better understanding of the population status of Nubian bustards across the ecosystem and will serve as a guide to target and improve surveys for future conservation efforts. Systematic data collection is always advisable for monitoring biodiversity. However, our analysis demonstrates that combining advanced modeling with observations from non-systematic patrolling activities in protected areas can be used for assessing population trends of other endangered and data-deficient species across remote areas.

Changes in illegal fishing dynamics in a large-scale MPA during COVID-19

Global socio-ecological shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can threaten progress in protecting vulnerable marine environments by altering behaviour of resource users1. When government priorities shift from environmental protection towards safeguarding human populations, control of illegal activity in protected areas can alter. Resulting increases in illegal fishing in large-scale marine protected areas (MPAs) are of particular concern as they contain a large proportion of marine protected area globally2. Here, we report on average 19 times as many suspected illegal fishing vessels per month in 2022 (n = 19) compared with 2010 to 2020 (n = 1) in an Indian Ocean MPA. Although illegal fishing has been a pervasive problem, the current spike in Indian vessels targeting a broad trophic diversity of reef-associated species is of particular concern and we suggest such changes in illegal activity in MPAs globally may persist over long timescales unless management is broad and adaptive to individual context. When considering potential solutions, widespread adoption of technology, such as remote surveillance of vessels, can mitigate illegal activities but remains unfeasible for many MPAs globally due to financial and political barriers. Instead, we suggest broader approaches, including a renewed focus on regional approaches to combating illegal fishing, formal bilateral agreements between competent authorities in relevant countries and an increase in community-based work.

Комплексное развитие экотуризма на особо охраняемых природных территориях России (На примере Забайкальского национального парка)

Introduction. In Russia, the integrated development of eco-tourism in protected areas is part of the strategic agenda. This paper attempts to examine whether the strategic agenda is expressed in the actual creation of conditions for ecotourism development in a particular national park (using Zabaikalsky National Park as an example). Materials and methods. Institutional, comparative-geographical, comparative-historical, statistical, cartographic methods were used in the study. Documents and materials of the Zabaikalsky National Park, expeditionary research data, GPS track data, information based on photo sharing services posted in the social network VK were used as an information database. Results. It was determined that the integrated development of ecotourism in protected areas in Russia entails a range of key measures encompassing legislative, regulatory, investment, organizational, economic, and informational aspects. The analytical framework for the study was developed, allowing to identify the current state, directions and prospects of the activities of the Zabaikalsky National Park in creating conditions for the development of ecotourism. Discussion. The identified changes in the functioning of the Zabaikalsky National Park demonstrate that ecotourism, as an environmentally acceptable form of economic activity in protected areas, is being successfully developed here on the basis of an integrated approach and using the relevant experience of the park. However, the park faces challenges in attracting private investment, ensuring infrastructure development and staffing, as well as monitoring recreational impacts. Conclusion. The research findings indicate that, in general, the Zabaikalsky National Park can serve as a specific example of successful implementation of contemporary ecotourism policies in protected areas. Resume. Our study shows that the process of involving Russian PAs in the development of ecotourism is a long-term process that requires additional research to summarize best practices and improve the quality of management of ecotourism projects in PAs. The results of this study can be useful in designing a set of measures for the development of ecotourism in protected areas of various categories. Summary. In this paper we present the results of studies of the integrated development of ecological tourism in protected areas in Russia as part of the implementation of state policy for promoting ecotourism development, using the Zabaikalsky National Park (ZNT) as an example. It has been established that the ecotourism development brings significant changes to the functioning of PAs. The key directions of the Russian approach to the integrated development of ecotourism in PAs are identified, including measures of legislative, regulatory, investment, organizational, economic, and informational nature. It’s shown that the dynamics of transformational changes in the Zabaikalsky National Park related to the creation of conditions for the ecotourism development, in terms of improving management, functional zoning, developing conceptual and design solutions, infrastructure development, financing, involving the local population, promoting the ecotourism product, confirms the modern vector of ecotourism development in PAs in Russia. The research findings indicate that, in general, the Zabaikalsky National Park can serve as a specific example of successful implementation of contemporary ecotourism policies in protected areas. However, the park has a weak position in terms of attracting private investment, providing infrastructure and personnel, and monitoring recreational impact. The results of this study can be useful in designing a set of measures for the development of ecotourism in protected areas of various categories.

Real‐time alerts from AI‐enabled camera traps using the Iridium satellite network: A case‐study in Gabon, Central Africa

Abstract Efforts to preserve, protect and restore ecosystems are hindered by long delays between data collection and analysis. Threats to ecosystems can go undetected for years or decades as a result. Real‐time data can help solve this issue but significant technical barriers exist. For example, automated camera traps are widely used for ecosystem monitoring but it is challenging to transmit images for real‐time analysis where there is no reliable cellular or WiFi connectivity. We modified an off‐the‐shelf camera trap (Bushnell™) and customised existing open‐source hardware to create a ‘smart’ camera trap system. Images captured by the camera trap are instantly labelled by an artificial intelligence model and an ‘alert’ containing the image label and other metadata is then delivered to the end‐user within minutes over the Iridium satellite network. We present results from testing in the Netherlands, Europe, and from a pilot test in a closed‐canopy forest in Gabon, Central Africa. All reference materials required to build the system are provided in open‐source repositories. Results show the system can operate for a minimum of 3 months without intervention when capturing a median of 17.23 images per day. The median time‐difference between image capture and receiving an alert was 7.35 min, though some outliers showed delays of 5‐days or more when the system was incorrectly positioned and unable to connect to the Iridium network. We anticipate significant developments in this field and hope that the solutions presented here, and the lessons learned, can be used to inform future advances. New artificial intelligence models and the addition of other sensors such as microphones will expand the system's potential for other, real‐time use cases including real‐time biodiversity monitoring, wild resource management and detecting illegal human activities in protected areas.

NATURE RESERVE FUND OF UKRAINE AS MULTITASK AREA FOR THE POST-WAR REHABILITATION THERAPY

The economic and environmental development in the field of nature management in Ukraine requires the formation of new regulatory mechanisms that will take into account their economic and material nature. This is particularly true in the aftermath of disasters such as war. The areas protected through the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine are not only regional nature protection centers, which ensure the ecological well-being and health of the population, but such territories should also be developed in symbiosis with the economic and ecological needs of local communities and regions in the postwar period. They could help overcome the traumas and losses of the war. At the same time, protected natural areas that have been adversely affected by the war must be restored. The aim of the article is represented vouching, as public private partnership, which can attribute economic privileges to the results of innovation activities. Our research is devoted to the problems of the formation and use the vouching tool in the field of conservation work, advantages and disadvantages of implementing the mechanism of vouching contracts are considered both for the Nature Reserve Fund’s institutions, and for representatives of the private sector of the economics. The military the Russian invasion in Ukraine have led to numerous transformations in the social, economic, political, ecological and regulatory field. The deviant behavior as a social phenomenon can negatively affect not only the individual, but also others, and even the economic well-being of the region.
 For Ukraine Russian invasion means destruction of existing markets, business collaborations and the formation of new vectors of military and civilian activities.
 The research purpose is to determine and institutionalize the main cost-effective forms of economic activity in protected areas, and the formation of cooperation's vectors of nature reserve fund with territorial communities and regional business groups. For example, franchising agreements are determined, not only as forms of contractual cooperation, but also as innovative start-up concept in the field of reserve fund, the possibility of carrying out economic activity under a state brand (logo, trademark), obtaining additional guaranties for the development of businesses and the formation of constant investment flows to protected areas. Thanks to franchising agreements, I propose the formation of double investment flow to protected areas: passive – for the use of the brand (logo) of the protected area itself, active - dividends for the actual production or services provided by the subject of business activity.

Evaluating Ecotourism Sustainability Indicators for Protected Areas in Tehran, Iran

Ecotourism in protected areas facilitates responsible travel to natural places that conserve the environment, deliver economic benefits to local communities, and offer interpretation and education to visitors. Proper planning and sufficient monitoring of ecotourism sustainability indicators is needed to manage visitor activities in protected areas. Therefore, identifying the major impacts and mitigating them in the early stages of ecotourism development could contribute significantly to the achievement of sustainable development. There is a current gap between the situation in the field and academic contributions to this problem in protected areas of Iran. In the present study, we evaluated ecotourism sustainability levels in four different types of protected areas in Iran, including Lar National Park, Jajrud Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resource Areas, Tangeh Vashi National Natural Monument, and Kavdeh Wildlife Refuge. We developed a comprehensive list of ecotourism sustainability indicators, including 38 indicators in the environmental–physical dimension, 42 indicators in the demographic–social dimension, and 30 indicators in the economic–institutional dimension. Harnessing local community expertise, we adopted a Delphi approach to determine sustainability levels and factors impacting sustainability. Ecotourism in Lar National Park was most sustainable because of the high levels of restrictions protecting the area and the difficulty in access. Conversely, ecotourism sustainability was lowest at Tangeh Vashi National Natural Monument, which allowed for an uncontrolled influx of visitors. We discuss further factors that impact sustainability, such as population growth, expanding urbanization, an increase in physical and economic activities, and extended annual periods of ecotourism activities. Although the presented ecotourism sustainability indicators are specific to Iran, this study can also be seen to provide a template to plan for sustainable ecotourism in other countries. Altogether, our results suggest conducting a type-by-type analysis of the particular circumstances of various protected areas.

Revue de l'anthropologie de l'environnement japonaise sur les chasseurs-cueilleurs d'Afrique centrale

Contemporary hunter-gatherers in central Africa face similar problems concerning their culture and environment: destruction of the forests that have been accommodating their unique forest-based culture, influences of market economy and consumerism, and nature conservation initiatives that restrict their extractive activities in protected areas. In order to cope with these problems, it is important to understand their life and culture in local ecological settings, as well as in historical and wider economic and political contexts. I will describe here three approaches that have been taken and developed by Japanese ecological anthropologists to the study of central African hunter-gatherers. The three approaches are (1) cultural ecology, which describes the way the hunter-gatherers perceive, understand and utilize the forest environment, (2) historical ecology, which shows how they modify the forest through interacting with it, and (3) political ecology, which analyzes how the economic and political situation influences their relationship with the forest. I will then examine the implications of the results from these approaches for addressing the current problems faced by the central African forest hunter-gatherers and their environment.

Importance of equitable cost sharing in the Convention on Biological Diversity's protected area agenda

Establishing systems of protected areas (PAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) is a key strategy to reversing biodiversity loss (CBD SBSTA, 2021; Maxwell et al., 2020). As part of its mandate to safeguard biodiversity, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) provided clear international targets on establishing PAs and OECMs in 2010. Aichi Target 11 called for the protection of 10% of marine and 17% of terrestrial areas globally (CBD, 2010). These percentages were interim targets to encourage ambition while ensuring tractability and not necessarily based on conservation needs (Woodley et al. 2019). There is general consensus that the percentages behind Target 11 were insufficient to protect all important aspects of Earth's biodiversity. Proposed replacement percentages range from 28% to 80%, depending on the desired outcome (Butchart et al., 2015, Dinerstein et al. 2019, Woodley et al. 2019, Jones et al., 2020). As the CBD finalizes its post-2020 strategic plan - the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) - there is consensus that it must include more ambitious area-based targets paired with stronger implementation mechanisms (Visconti et al., 2019; Maxwell et al., 2020). Most lessons learned from the outcomes of Aichi Target 11 relate to the suitability of its environmental targets, potentially obscuring how it affected social equity (the absence of avoidable and unfair cost and benefit distributions) (McDermott et al., 2013). The power to implement CBD targets lies with countries through their national biodiversity strategic and action plans (NBSAPs). Whether targets are achieved equitably depends on decision-makers within national borders. However, global conservation is inherently a transboundary pursuit; costs of environmental degradation and benefits of conservation spill over borders (Mason et al., 2020; Roberson et al., 2020). Geopolitical states have high variability in the numbers of threatened species and habitats within their borders and varied abilities to conserve based on financial capacities, conflict, and collective attitudes toward conservation. These realities require consideration of equity beyond the local scale to equity among geopolitical states in global conservation efforts (Sarkki & Garcia, 2019). To date, the CBD has emphasized equitable benefit sharing, or the fair distribution of benefits from the harvest or study of biological resources (Nagoya Protocol). There has been less emphasis on equitable cost-sharing, which includes direct costs of establishing and managing PAs and opportunity costs of not undertaking certain economic activities (e.g., agriculture) in PAs (Naidoo & Iwamura, 2007). Costs pose significant short-term barriers to halting biodiversity loss (Waldron et al., 2013; Maxwell et al., 2020). Once adequate financing and equitable cost-sharing are achieved, long-term revenues and ecosystem services of most PAs are projected to exceed implementation and opportunity costs (Waldron et al., 2020). However, interventions are still needed to alleviate the short-term costs certain groups may bear. Although the CBD does not legally require that countries implement equitable cost-sharing, finalization of the GBF presents an opportunity to apply social equity concepts to its revised area-based conservation strategy for just and effective implementation. We highlighted this opportunity by identifying lessons learned from Aichi Target 11 through the lens of social equity theory. We then devised recommendations on how to approach equitable cost-sharing among countries for PAs in the post-2020 GBF.

Actual problems of biodiversity conservation in the central Russian Plain forest-steppe

The relevance of the study is determined by the critical state and negative trends in the development of remained fragments of meadow steppe and upland oak forest ecosystems in the Nizhny Novgorod region, located in the center of the Russian Plain. The paper’s aim is to substantiate the activities required to conserve biological diversity on the northern border of the meadow steppes. It targets to assess the current state of endangered ecosystems of the forest-steppe zone of the region, to analyze their role in maintaining species diversity in the Nizhny Novgorod region, to substantiate approaches to the organization of nature management and territorial protection of the forest-steppe nature, ensuring the conservation of biodiversity. We provide the results of perennial surveys of meadow steppes and upland oak forests in 1982 – 2019, and analysis of these ecosystems as habitats for wildlife species listed in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Meadow steppes on the northern border of distribution are shown to encompass currently only 0.36% of the former area. Furthermore the modern area of old-growth upland oak forests of the region comprises 0.3% of the former one of broad-leaved forests. We have discovered 33.3% of wildlife species listed in the Red Data Book to associate with the zonal ecosystems remaining in the Nizhny Novgorod forest-steppe; and argued the necessity of a comprehensive solution to the problem of biodiversity conservation in the forest-steppe zone as well. Territorial protection of rare wildlife species and remained fragments of zonal ecosystems should be combined with elements of restorative economic impact. A complete prohibition of economic activities in protected areas is not advisable. The need for special programs for the restoration of certain lost elements of the biological diversity of the forest-steppe is discussed.

Reducing anthropogenic subsidies can curb density of overabundant predators in protected areas

Protected areas safeguard biodiversity and provide opportunities for human recreation. However, abundant anthropogenic food subsidies associated with human activities in protected areas can lead to high densities of generalist predators, posing a threat to rare species at broad spatial scales. Reducing anthropogenic subsidies could curb populations of overabundant predators, yet the effectiveness of this strategy is unclear. We characterized changes in the foraging ecology, body condition, and demography of a generalist predator, the Steller's jay, three years after implementation of a multi-faceted management program to reduce anthropogenic subsidies in a protected area in California. Stable isotope analysis revealed that the proportional contribution of anthropogenic foods to jay diets declined from 88% to 47% in response to management. Overlap between jay home ranges decreased after management began, while home range size, body condition, and individual fecundity remained stable. Adult density in subsidized areas decreased markedly from 4.33 (SE: ±0.91) to 0.65 (±0.20) jays/ha after the initiation of management, whereas density in unsubsidized areas that were not expected to be affected by management remained stable (0.70 ± 0.22 pre-management, 0.58 ± 0.38 post-management). Thus, the response of jays to management was density-dependent such that reduced densities facilitated the maintenance of individual body condition and fecundity. Importantly, though, jay population size and collective reproductive output declined substantially. Our study provides evidence that limiting anthropogenic subsidies can successfully reduce generalist predator populations and be part of a strategy to increase compatibility of species protection and human recreation within protected areas.

Conservation status of native plant hybrids in the British Virgin Islands.

BackgroundHybridization is an evolutionary event present in the natural world. Several studies suggest that natural hybridization is an important process in plant evolution, creating new genetic combinations which can play a vital role in speciation (Soltis and Soltis 2009, Soltis 2013, Neri et al. 2017, Taylor and Larson 2019). Therefore, it is important to understand and protect naturally occurring hybrids, conserving their ecological novelties and new traits, such as the ability to explore new niches, different from those of the parental species (Soltis 2013, Supple and Shapiro 2018).The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a UK Overseas Territory situated in the Caribbean biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al. 2000). To date, three natural hybrids are known to occur within this territory: Tillandsia × lineatispica Mez, Anthurium × selloanum K.Koch and Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera R.A.Howard (Howard 1957, Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong 2005, Acevedo-Rodriguez and Strong 2012).Tillandsia × lineatispica is endemic to the Puerto Rican Bank, occurring in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands with an extent of occurrence estimated to be 3,390 km2 and a limited number of locations. The suitable habitat for this hybrid is declining mainly due to the negative impacts of feral ungulates, development for tourism and residential infrastructure and the impact of human-induced wildfires. In addition, it is suspected that the global population does not exceed 10,000 individuals with the largest subpopulation on Beef Island in the BVI thought to have no more than 1,000 mature individuals. This hybrid is therefore evaluated as Vulnerable, based on IUCN Red List Criteria, B1a(iii)+2b(iii) + C2a(i).Anthurium × selloanum is an endemic hybrid to BVI and USVI with a very restricted extent of occurrence which was estimated to range between 103 km2 and 207 km2 and an area of occupancy which was estimated to range between 56 km2 and 188 km2 and a limited number of locations. The suitable habitat of this species is declining mainly due to the negative impacts of feral ungulates, development for tourism and residential infrastructure and the negative impact of recreation activities in protected areas. This species is therefore evaluated as Endangered, based on IUCN Red List Criteria B1a+ b(iii) + B2a+b(iii).Coccoloba krugii × C. uvifera is native to the BVI, USVI, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Anguilla. It is estimated to have an extent of occurrence of 89,412 km2. This value exceeds the threshold for any threatened category. Despite an observed continuing decline of suitable habitat for this species, which is being degraded mainly through ongoing development pressures, this species occurs in more than 10 locations. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern (LC).New informationIn this paper, we discuss the conservation status of all the known, naturally occurring, native hybrids in the the British Virgin Islands and we provide distribution data, including new records, from across these hybrid species ranges. Although conservation assessments of hybrids are out of the scope of the published IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019), we use the IUCN Red List Criteria and Categories (version 3.1) to establish an equivalent conservation status of these hybrids and discuss conservation action due to the potential evolutionary importance of these naturally occurring hybrids. These assessments provide the necessary baseline information for prioritising species conservation and making informed management decisions, such as establishing the BVI's Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAS) network (Sanchez et al. 2019).

Social Assessment of the Value of Forests and Protected Areas on the Example of the Silesian Voivodeship

This article investigates the social attitudes towards forests and protected areas among the inhabitants of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. The survey was used as a research tool. The respondents were asked about following issues: Willingness to pay (WTP) to preserve forest functions in the case of logging reduction, willingness to pay (WTP) to preserve protected areas, and the possibility of running business activities in protected areas. The study involved 1204 respondents. The collected answers were used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used at this stage. The obtained results allowed to assess a relatively low willingness to pay among the surveyed respondents (WTP > 0 in the case of 24.8% of respondents to preserve forest functions in managed forests and 21.1% to preserve protected areas). The diverse factors, such as age, as well as professional and economic status, could be considered as related to this phenomenon.

Exploring biodiversity and users of campsites in desert nature reserves to balance between social values and ecological impacts

Protected areas (PAs) are key conservation areas designed to limit the impacts of human activities on biodiversity. PAs also provide great opportunities for individuals to experience nature complexity, through recreational activities, and can contribute to restore the non-material and intangible services nature provides to people (i.e., cultural ecosystem services). However, recreational activities may negatively affect biodiversity. Identifying the right balance between promoting nature interactions and safeguarding biodiversity in PAs is challenging. Current knowledge gaps on the social value and ecological impacts of recreational activities, such as camping in PAs, hinder our ability to address this challenge. This is particularly true for PAs located in desert ecosystems. In this interdisciplinary study, we surveyed biodiversity and people to assess ecological impacts and social values of campsites in desert PAs in Israel. Ecological surveys included birds, plants, rodents and scorpions in campsites and control plots. We conducted two social surveys: (1) in situ survey of campsite users (N = 280) on satisfaction, motivations and perceptions of campsites and (2) online nation-wide survey (N = 322) on perceptions of campsites and investigation of the attributes individuals prioritize in campsites. Our results demonstrate that when desert campsites are located outside nature-rich areas (i.e. the wadis), they have relatively moderate negative impact on biodiversity for three out of the four taxa studied (birds, scorpions and rodents). Bird communities were dominated by synanthropic species in high intensity campsites. Surprisingly, even when campsites were located in nature-poor areas, users' satisfaction was relatively high. Among the broader population, ecological quality (i.e. vegetation complexity) did not have strong influence on people's preferences of/for campsites, and comfort-related aspects were prioritized over vegetation in campsites. Overall, our results demonstrate that placing desert campsites outside ecologically rich areas can serve as optimal solution to balance impacts on biodiversity and social value of recreation activities in PAs.

Forestry control in the Brazilian Amazon: charcoal anatomy of tree species from protected areas

Protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon suffer from conflicting activities, such as the production of charcoal from illegal logging. Charcoal anatomy is an important tool that can be useful for forensic charcoal identification and to help the conservation of these areas. To assist in combating deforestation in protected areas, this study describes the charcoal anatomy of 14 tree species that occur in the Tapirapé–Aquiri National Forest, Pará, Brazil, and provides macrographs of transverse surfaces and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to aid government agencies during surveillance. We adopted a carbonisation method that simulated real conditions. Anatomical features were well preserved in the charcoal. The axial parenchyma and vessel frequency are easily observed in both macrographs and SEM images, so they are important diagnostic features for initial screening of families and for checking the load according to the ‘document of forestry origin’ (DOF) by the surveillance agents. Uncommon and highly diagnostic features for distinguishing genera or even species, such as rays exclusively uniseriate, sheath cells, tile cells and storied structure, were observed only in SEM images. Our findings are suitable to provide a database on charcoal anatomy of native tree species of the Amazon, with practical application in government inspection activities in protected areas in Brazil and other countries with similar issues.

Important issues in select European Union countries’ criminal environmental law in compliance with Directive 2008/99/EC

This article analyzes issues in criminal environmental law in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, which implemented the provisions of the European Commission Directive 2008/99/EC. The provisions of this directive changed the scope of protection of environmental resources in these countries’ penal codes to varying extents. These three countries have been relatively successful in comprehensively implementing criminal directive provisions. This included changes in the special protection of Natura 2000 sites and ozone depleting substances. Legal systems are generally based on prevention and risk assessment, and the basic conditions of criminal responsibility for environmental crimes include “significant damage, causing damage to the health of another or animals and plants, damage to other property and also water, air, soil and environmental components which have significant value”. Additional aspects include environmental damage over larger areas and restoration costs. However, the greatest current problem is the vague definition of conditions of criminal responsibility, which makes it difficult to enforce legislation. The following postulates de lege ferenda were formulated: clarify the premises for offenses against the environment, specify the costs of remedying environmental damage, define critical emission standards for environmental crime, as well as specify activities in protected areas that threaten objects. This article emphasizes that an increased and better definition of the conditions of criminal responsibility for environmental crimes enacted by EU countries may contribute to more effective enforcement of infringements of environmental protection law.

Recreational fisheries activities and management in national parks: A global perspective

National parks occur in most nations around the globe and tend to have a dual role of protecting natural heritage features while also providing opportunities for the public to interact with natural areas through recreation and leisure. National parks are afforded varying degrees of protection with recreational fishing allowed in some form within the boundaries of some parks. However, little is known about the extent to which recreational fishing occurs in national parks or the types of regulations that govern the activity. Vast differences in data availability exist throughout the world (partly related to language barriers and institutional capacity), limiting our understanding of the various uses of national parks. Acknowledging these limitations, we sought to consider the extent of recreational fisheries activities and their management within national parks around the globe. Using the World Database on Protected Areas, we selected the countries that had International Union for the Conservation of Nature type II areas. Within those countries, we investigated national parks that permitted recreational fishing in freshwater and/or marine systems and cataloged information on fisheries regulations, such as size limits and catch quotas. Overall, an equal number of 195 countries allowed some form of recreational fishing within their national parks as the number of countries which did not report any data on recreational fishing at all. Meanwhile, recreational fishing was forbidden in only a few countries with IUCN II national parks. For countries with information available, we found high adoption of recreational fisheries regulations, with the majority of countries requiring specialized park fishing licenses and that all fish be released (i.e., exclusively catch-and-release), though for many countries this information was not reported. The lack of information retrieved on recreational fishing in national parks may reflect search bias or lack of such regulations. Our study highlights the need for better sharing of approaches for the management of recreational fishing in national parks to improve the collective understanding of management practices associated with this activity in protected areas and to learn from successes and failures in different jurisdictions.