Conservation Of Protected Areas Research Articles

Collaboration or Contravention? Ramifications For Effective Participatory Decision-Making in Collaborative Forest Management at Echuya Central Forest Reserve, South Western Uganda

Participatory decision-making has been extensively adopted worldwide as an essential mechanism and a good governance principle to reach a consensus in natural resource management. However, in most communities, local people who depend on forests are not involved in the decision-making process regarding conserving protected areas. This research assesses the ramifications of collaboration or contravention on effective participatory decision-making in collaborative forest management in Echuya Central Forest Reserve. It provides insights into how community consultations and participation of forest-adjacent communities in planning meetings influence the conservation of protected areas. We collected data from a total of 639 respondents, including Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) group members and non-CFM community members, government institutions, conservation organizations, and local community leaders, using semi-structured questionnaires, interview guides, and Focus Group Discussion guides. Results indicate that community consultations allow CFM stakeholders, particularly community members, to give ideas on how such projects can be implemented without destroying forest resources, promoting the goal of conserving the forest reserve. Community members’ participation in planning meetings allows them to contribute ideas about relevant and appropriate forest conservation approaches. However, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and other non-community actor groups dominate the decision-making process mainly because the NFA has the legal mandate to manage the forest reserve on behalf of the Government. We concluded that the connivance of government forestry officials with unauthorized forest resource users undermines the spirit of participatory decision-making. Dishonesty and lack of accountability hampered effective participatory decision-making, and low attendance at meetings undermines effective participation in decision-making. Thus, community members’ consistent attendance of meetings is paramount for positive outcomes of participatory decision-making for the conservation of forests

Can Cooperatives Enhance the Income-Generating Effect of Eco-Industries for Farmers?—Empirical Evidence from the Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve, China

Promoting the development of eco-industries plays a significant role in achieving the harmonious symbiosis between economic growth and environmental protection as well as enhancing the comprehensive effectiveness of ecological and economic benefits. Due to their unique nature, cooperatives may play a crucial role in facilitating the integration between farmers and the development of eco-industries. To investigate whether cooperatives possess the capacity to enhance the income-generating effects for farmers involved in eco-industries, this study selected the Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve (CINNR), a representative area for eco-industry development, as the research site. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews, and this research empirically analyzed the impact of cooperatives on the income-generating effect of farmers using endogenous switching regression (ESR). The findings are threefold. First, cooperatives indeed enhance the income-generating effects for farmers engaged in eco-industries. Second, variables such as the distribution of agroforestry materials, premium capacity, soil quality, and status of village cadres have a positive impact on farmers joining cooperatives, whereas punishment initiatives discourage their participation. Third, for farmers who have joined cooperatives, factors such as the distribution of agroforestry materials, premium capacity, low-cost conservation initiatives, land area, status of village cadres, the proportion of labor force, technical training, soil quality, and land area positively affect their income from eco-industries. Conversely, punishment initiatives, age, and land location negatively impact their income. The results of this study provide new ideas for farmers to participate in the development of eco-industries, new evidence showing co-operatives can improve farmers’ income, and new directions for coordinating conflicts between conservation and development in protected areas.

Where It Really Matters: Few-Shot Environmental Conservation Media Monitoring for Low-Resource Languages

Environmental conservation organizations routinely monitor news content on conservation in protected areas to maintain situational awareness of developments that can have an environmental impact. Existing automated media monitoring systems require large amounts of data labeled by domain experts, which is only feasible at scale for high-resource languages like English. However, such tools are most needed in the global south where the news of interest is mainly in local low-resource languages, and far fewer experts are available to annotate datasets on a sustainable basis. In this paper, we propose NewsSerow, a method to automatically recognize environmental conservation content in low-resource languages. NewsSerow is a pipeline of summarization, in-context few-shot classification, and self-reflection using large language models (LLMs). Using at most 10 demonstration example news articles in Nepali, NewsSerow significantly outperforms other few-shot methods and can achieve comparable performance with models fully fine-tuned using thousands of examples. With NewsSerow, Organization X has been able to deploy the media monitoring tool in Nepal, significantly reducing their operational burden, and ensuring that AI tools for conservation actually reach the communities that need them the most. NewsSerow has also been deployed for countries with other languages like Colombia.

Water Reserves for the Environment: A Strategic and Temporal Analysis (2012–2022) for the Implementation of Environmental Flows in Mexico

In Mexico, the evaluations of environmental flows are regulated by the Mexican Norm NMX-AA-159-SCFI-2012, and they warrant the establishment of water reserves for the environment. However, the pressure or demand for water use limits the establishment of said reserves because their implementation is generally conditioned to water availability. This research aimed to evaluate the changes through time of the variables that serve as a basis for the implementation strategy by the Mexican government. A geographical information system was built with updated information on water availability, conservation values, and pressures for all basins nationwide. Their desired conservation status was analyzed, and the potential reserves were estimated based on the reference values. The results were examined according to the ranking changes in environmental water reserves enactment feasibility and desired conservation status of Mexican basins, the progress achieved to date, and the potential contribution to the conservation of protected areas and their connectivity if the gaps of reserves were implemented. The outcomes point towards an administrative implementation strategy with positive results despite the growing demand for water use, with a change rate higher than the one for the creation of new protected areas. Currently, basins with low demand and high conservation value have the potential to meet people’s and the environment’s water needs, and contribute to 86% of the goal set by the present administration without affecting water availability. Finally, reserving water in the priority basins would guarantee the legal protection of the flow regime in 48–50% of the hydrographic network (63,760–66,900 km) in a desired conservation status, 43–49% of wetlands of international importance (48,650–49,600 km2) and other protected areas (128,700–136,500 km2) in 85–89% of the global ecoregions represented in Mexico (780,500–852,200 km2).

Community engagement and human perception in crocodile conservation: preliminary steps in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve

IntroductionWildlife tourism is important for the conservation of protected areas, endangered species, and to empower local communities. Nevertheless, when guidelines and practices are not clear and correctly executed, tourism may have a negative impact.MethodsWe carried out semi-open interviews (n = 34) and several workshops (n = 50) with locals and tour guides in the village of Punta Allen in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Data were organized in tables in Excel®, and statistical analysis was conducted with IBM® SPSS® Statistics software. A priori, exploratory data analysis was carried out to identify the general pattern of the data, and a priori data normality test (Shapiro–Wilks) and χ2 test were carried out to find out if there were differences in the frequency of a response depending on socioeconomic variables.ResultsMost respondents (69%) dedicated 2–10 min to crocodile observation, one quarter (25%) spent 11–20 min, and the remainder (6%) 21–30 min. The majority (97%) of respondents mentioned that when they see a crocodile, they approach at a 5–10 m distance and wait for the occupants of the boat to take pictures, and then leave; only one respondent (3%) said that they feed crocodiles to attract them to the boat. Most respondents (89%) said that crocodile observation does not need to be improved, and it is fine the way it is currently carried out; the remaining 11% said that it could be improved. Workshops were received positively and allowed us to share information on crocodile species, their conservation, and good tourism practices.DiscussionIt is necessary to enlighten tourism service providers about the biology and importance of crocodilian species, to promote conservation and provide services with an educational impact/focus for visitors to the reserve. There is a need to develop a communication program that provides accurate information for new service providers and renews and reinforces concepts for established providers. Additionally, we need to continuously monitor and evaluate wildlife observation activities to enhance current practices in our study area, and to determine if they are having a negative impact on crocodile behavior and biology.

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
 
 
 

Wildlife conservation society’s activities and biodiversity conservation in protected areas in cross river state, Nigeria

Despite the activities of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in protected areas in Cross River State, a high level of forest resource exploitation is still occasioned by indiscriminate logging, wildlife poaching, bush burning, and dangerous fishing. Previous studies in the study area and Africa have identified some reasons for this continuous biodiversity exploitation. However, the effect of the activities of the WCS has yet to be analyzed. This study used a correlational research design to examine the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) activities and biodiversity conservation in Protected Areas in Cross River State. A sample of 1360 respondents from a population of 76,704 inhabitants in the 25 support Zone Communities in Afi, Mbe, and Okwangwo Divisions of Cross River National Park (CRNP) was drawn. After receiving face and content validity from experts, a 30-item structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument's Cronbach alpha reliability indices varied between 0.83 and 0.89. The data analysis method employed was Simple Linear Regression analysis. The analysis revealed that conservation education activities, alternative livelihood support, and anti-poaching patrols significantly contributed to biodiversity conservation in Protected Areas in Cross River State. Based on this result, it was concluded that the activities of WCS to ensure adequate conservation of biodiversity-ecosystem in Protected Areas in Cross River State yield intermediate results. It was recommended that WCS intensify efforts in educating community people around protected areas in Cross River State, increase and monitor alternative livelihood support, and intensify anti-poaching patrols in all the protected areas.

Environmental Awareness and Participation among College Students of Mindoro State University – Calapan City Campus

This study aimed to assess the level of environmental awareness and engagement among students at Mindoro State University regarding waste management, resource conservation, and environmental initiatives at the Calapan City Campus. Furthermore, it aimed to identify challenges in policy development addressing environmental pollution and actions contributing to degradation. The study also sought to analyze the application of environmental awareness through activities like tree planting and waste management. Employing stratified random sampling, the study involved 270 respondents enrolled during the 1st Semester of the Academic Year 2022-2023. Utilizing a structured questionnaire, the researcher measured awareness and participation levels. Results indicated that Mindoro State University students exhibited high levels of awareness and active participation, indicating a positive reception. This active involvement is crucial in establishing a mandate and framework for community-based environmental management, with widespread positive effects on the environment, nature, and society. The study’s impact on the community includes heightened awareness, increased community participation, and adopting sustainable practices. Environmental education emerged as a catalyst for individuals, communities, and organizations to comprehend environmental impacts, fostering a deeper sense of community and heightened environmental consciousness. Community participation emerged as a potent tool for environmental conservation in protected areas, facilitating collaborative efforts to drive positive change and environmental protection. Moreover, the study advocates for promoting sustainable practices, such as waste reduction and resource conservation, to minimize individuals’ environmental footprint and contribute to a healthier planet.

Community Engagement in Protected Area Conservation and Livelihood Outcomes in the Dja Forest Reserve, Cameroon

For several decades, perspectives on community engagement in protected area conservation has gained traction in scientific and policy circles especially in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Yet, qualitative analysis of the livelihood outcomes of community engagement around pristine protected areas account for only a very negligible part of the literature. To bridge this qualitative knowledge gap, this paper using the Dja Landscape to (i) explore the dimensions of community engagement, mirrored through the interventions of community based organisations , and 2)analyses the pattern of change in livelihood capitals for 4 communities in the Dja landscape. Data was generated through focus group discussion FGD (n=5) and interviews (n=32). The directed content analysis revealed the following:

Plant conservation in protected areas in Vietnam: an analysis from the Threatened Species Lists

In order to guide national conservation policies, lists of nationally threatened plant species are a useful tool. To facilitate the national biodiversity commitments, Vietnam published a conservation management guide. We evaluated the application of these guidelines, focusing on the conservation programs within protected areas across the country. We sent a survey to management offices of 32 protected areas to assess the extent to which the threatened plant species lists have been used in official conservation efforts. We found that the IUCN Red List, the Vietnam Red Data Book and the national decrees are the principal guidelines for conservation prioritization. Besides describing characteristics of conservation programs for threatened plant species, we discovered that the species selected for the programs did not always adhere to the guidelines but showed more or less a rule of thumb in selecting species from lists. We highlight that this is not necessarily a bad implementation if taking into account the shortage of finance and maximizing the number of protected species. Thus, to enhance the utility of the lists for the conservation of threatened plant species, we advise users to recognize that the lists are not always updated, and to employ them as a reasonable reference rather than as the sole guideline.

Species diversity and distribution pattern of venerable trees in tropical Jianfengling National Forest Park (Hainan, China)

Venerable trees are precious natural-cum-cultural heritage and an important component of regional biodiversity, with significant social, cultural and ecological values. A thorough understanding of their spatial patterns in relation to environmental factors can foster co-management for conservation and sustainable resource use. The Jianfengling National Forest Park in tropical China is a unique and rare primary tropical forest protected area with exceptionally high biodiversity and a rich endowment of venerable trees. This study evaluated the venerable tree stock regarding botanical makeup and factors shaping spatial patterns. We collected detailed tree data (species, age, dimensions, location, etc.) and environmental variables (elevation, slope and soil). The environmental variations were analyzed concerning tree abundance, species richness and tree age. The results identified 2134 venerable trees from 72 species, 55 genera and 30 families. Lithocarpus fenzelianus dominated with maximum importance value, followed by Cyclobalanopsis patelliformis, Madhuca hainanensis, Altingia obovata and Castanopsis tonkinensis. The top-ranking species were predominantly Fagaceae members. The age pattern demonstrated an inverted J-shape, with mainly 100-299 years trees and a few >500 years. DBH, tree height, and crown width displayed an approximately normal distribution. Spatial distributions by age tiers were uneven, with more in the northeast part. The altitudinal gradient significantly influenced the spatial patterns of tree abundance and species richness. The unimodal distribution marked tree and species concentration at circa 600 m mid-elevation. The findings have implications for venerable-tree conservation and management in tropical protected areas with similar threatened and remnant-tree status.

Identification and analysis of conservation gap of national nature reserves in China

The global system of nature reserves is facing adjustment and restructuring towards the goal of harmonizing ecological conservation with regional development. We use multiple ecoregion data at both global and national scales as ecological indicators to explore the gap areas of China's nature reserves, which can help to build a global network of nature reserve systems and lay a spatial foundation for global biodiversity conservation. This paper comprehensively resorts to the ideas and modeling approaches involved in gap analysis, conservation prioritization analysis and eco-region planning. After identifying in both global and national scales the potential areas with gaps in national nature reserves in China, it proposes conservation priority areas and optimization strategies. The study finds that in a global extent, the areas with the gaps in China cover a large area and are distributed widely, mostly on the both sides of the Tengchong-Heihe Line. The conservation priority areas are concentrated in mid-subtropical humid areas, plateau subtropical sub-humid areas and semi-arid areas, and plateau temperate humid/sub-humid areas. These areas are usually not sufficiently protected due to their diversified landforms, complex ecosystems and lack of protection measures. The results have verified and identified the areas with gaps in the building of Chinese national nature reserve system. They may make a unique and important contribution to global ecological conservation efforts in terms of protected area system optimization and conservation network building. SynopsisThis paper analyses the conservation gaps in China's national nature reserves and proposes conservation priority areas for optimising the layout of the nature reserve network.

Relational values shape people’s connectedness to nature in a former military protected area of Ecuador

SummaryRelational values are a way of recognizing and valuing the complex and interconnected relationships between people and nature, such as caregiving, place attachment and spiritual meaning, as well as the social and cultural impacts of degradation and environmental and conservation efforts. However, the implications of these values for the management and conservation of protected areas are little known. We explored the role of relational values in shaping local communities’ connectedness to a protected area of Ecuador that had been used by the military in the past and the implications of the values for well-being. Four hundred individual face-to-face surveys in the surroundings of Arenillas Ecological Reserve (south-west Ecuador) indicated high levels of connectedness towards this natural reserve amongst local communities through multiple values of nature. However, relational values were identified as the most prominent value explaining the strength of connectedness to nature, followed by intrinsic and instrumental values. We also showed that combinations of different natural values (instrumental, intrinsic and relational) might explain the support for specific well-being components. Our findings offer understanding of human behaviour towards protected areas with a military past and represent a first step in Ecuador towards comprehending how relational values shape the connectedness of local communities to nature.

Trail degradation caused by mountain biking and hiking: A multi-dimensional analysis

Growing demands for on-trail activities have aroused challenges of how to balance outdoor recreation and protected area conservation. Unfortunately, most previous studies have focused on only one or two degradation features, so inconsistent views (i.e., no consensus on impacts induced by hiking and mountain biking) were obtained. This study investigated a mountain biking trail, a hiking trail, and an unmanaged trail in a Hong Kong country park for 1.5 years. Five dimensions of trail degradation, namely Trail Morphometry, Soil Texture, Soil Compaction, Erosion Feature, and Recovery Feature, were identified by Explanatory Factor Analysis. Significant correlations were found between hiking and all five dimensions, while mountain biking was significantly associated only with Trail Morphometry, Erosion Feature, and Recovery Feature. Trail grade and landform grade significantly affected Trail Morphometry, Soil Texture, and Erosion Feature, but trail slope alignment was a null predictor. Hiking caused more severe trail degradation than mountain biking, even after controlling for topography. These findings supplement the existing literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of the multitude of adverse impacts caused by hiking and mountain biking. This study provides a valuable reference for sustainable trail management in protected areas that receive both hikers and mountain bikers.

Climate Change Impacts on Wildlife Protected Areas in Southern Africa: a Bibliometric Analysis

The article examines how climate change has impacted wildlife-protected areas in Southern Africa in the context of tourism development. Protected areas are known as preferred destinations for nature-loving tourists. Using a systematic review and bibliometric analysis the authors identify symptoms of climate change in Southern Africa’s wildlife-protected areas and adaptation strategies for resilient destinations. Some of the key effects of climate change identified in the analysis include species reduction, human-wildlife conflicts, habitat quality and infrastructure modification and social impacts. The authors establish at what levels changing climatic conditions in protected areas affect conservation and tourism processes in protected areas thus contributing to the body of knowledge on wildlife-human interactions, survival strategies of community members and interactions between community members and conservation organizations. The synthesized data can be used in future studies to focus on climate-proofing protected areas and surrounding communities, can help social enterprises and conservation groups to improve community resilience against climate change and inform conservation ecosystem-based adaptation strategies.

Enhancing biodiversity conservation and monitoring in protected areas through efficient data management

A scientifically informed approach to decision-making is key to ensuring the sustainable management of ecosystems, especially in the light of increasing human pressure on habitats and species. Protected areas, with their long-term institutional mandate for biodiversity conservation, play an important role as data providers, for example, through the long-term monitoring of natural resources. However, poor data management often limits the use and reuse of this wealth of information. In this paper, we share lessons learned in managing long-term data from the Italian Alpine national parks. Our analysis and examples focus on specific issues faced by managers of protected areas, which partially differ from those faced by academic researchers, predominantly owing to different mission, governance, and temporal perspectives. Rigorous data quality control, the use of appropriate data management tools, and acquisition of the necessary skills remain the main obstacles. Common protocols for data collection offer great opportunities for the future, and complete recovery and documentation of time series is an urgent priority. Notably, before data can be shared, protected areas should improve their data management systems, a task that can be achieved only with adequate resources and a long-term vision. We suggest strategies that protected areas, funding agencies, and the scientific community can embrace to address these problems. The added value of our work lies in promoting engagement with managers of protected areas and in reporting and analysing their concrete requirements and problems, thereby contributing to the ongoing discussion on data management and sharing through a bottom-up approach.

Environmental NGOs and Protected Area Conservation in Australia: The Political Consequences of Aligning with Private Interests

This article examines the political consequences of environmental nongovernment organization (ENGO) involvement in protected area conservation in Australia. Rapid growth of a nongovernment protected area (NGPA) estate this century has involved a range of individuals, communities, First Nations, and ENGOs, and has been closely tied to government policy and private finance. Although NGPA conservation achievements have been profound, there has been limited examination of what expanded nongovernment involvement, responsibility, and leadership mean for the practice and governance of nature conservation. Thematic analysis of twenty-four key informant interviews and selective gray literature identifies how financing, accountability, and partisan politics are emerging as key domains in shaping an NGPA estate that reflects a closer alignment with capital and market forces. ENGOs are playing a key role in crafting new political conditions for protected area conservation, where their role in neoliberal governance is not just service delivery, but statecraft and agenda setting. ENGOs are increasingly casting protected area conservation as apolitical, and thereby a bipartisan activity, driven by a “pragmatic” agenda that seeks to secure private financing for land ownership and management obligations. Frameworks of accountability to donors shape ENGO practices and conceptions of conservation through exposure to novel market mechanisms. As a result, ENGO operation permits limited space for plural, ideological, and structural debate about protected area conservation, the public interest, and the root causes of ecological crises to which it responds. The embrace of conservation led by nongovernment actors marks a substantive shift from the formative politics of ENGOs in Australia.

Navigating tensions in inclusive conservation: Learning from the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park in the Netherlands

Inclusive conservation is promoted as a means to integrate stakeholders in nature, conservation. Despite several studies recognizing that inclusive conservation of protected areas may be challenging and requires explicitly addressing potential tensions between stakeholders, little research has unpacked how these tensions manifest in specific contexts. This paper aims to explore possible approaches for navigating tensions to improve the facilitation of an inclusive conservation approach in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park in the Netherlands. We conducted 18 semistructured interviews with stakeholders such as public and private landowners and, municipal and provincial governments in the national park. Results reveal a longer history of collaboration which still fails to address the root of the tensions. The experiences show that compromising or consensus building amongst stakeholders alone is not sufficient for achieving inclusive conservation. Guidance and clear goals set by policy, as well as sufficient investments in capacity and trust building are recommended to avoid inaction. Furthermore, we found that tensions are inextricably linked to different dimensions of power, such as discursive and structural power. While considering power in inclusive conservation can provide a realistic perspective we also, acknowledge that equalizing power is not the silver bullet underpinning this conservation approach.

Biodiversity conservation and ecological value of protected areas: a review of current situation and future prospects

The establishment of protected areas (PAs) is an effective way to biodiversity conservation while maintaining the multiple functions of ecosystem services. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive analysis on the relationship between PAs, biodiversity conservation, and ecological value in the field of research on prospects. Therefore, based on the research progress of literature content, this paper systematically reviews and evaluates domestic and international studies in terms of the biodiversity conservation and the ecological value of PAs. The results showed that relevant studies in recent years have mainly analyzed the spatial layout, area changes and conservation effectiveness of PAs in relation to biodiversity; By constructing the connotation system of ecological value concept of PAs, the research progress of ecological value accounting, ecological value realization and transformation, and ecological value types of PAs is further discussed, and the prospects of biodiversity conservation and ecological value research of PAs is proposed. This study provides a reference for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the construction and optimization of PAs system.

Implications of forest management on the conservation of protected areas: A new proposal in Central Spain

Multifunctional forest management is a strategy increasingly shared by forest managers. In the drive towards multifunctionality, different policies are widely being developed to integrate timber production and biodiversity conservation into forest management. To achieve this aim, both segregated and integrated approaches have been used. Segregated approaches aim to provide different ecosystem services (ES) separately in stratified forest areas based on land-use zoning, whereas integrated or integrative approaches promote land-use sharing management. This type of approach has also led to the design of close-to-nature silvicultural alternatives, where different ES can be satisfied simultaneously. In the context of this new paradigm, we carried out a study to compare segregated versus integrated management strategies in Valsaín forest in Central Spain. Part of Valsaín forest was declared a protected area in 2013 and the whole forest could be declared a National Park in 50 years’ time. For the purposes of the study, we analyzed new biodiversity indicators and compared them to the traditional forest management indicators. The scenario modelling was resolved using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making techniques. Our results showed greater trade-offs between the two types of indicators when considering the forest as a whole rather than a zoning approach. Therefore, a shift from segregated to integrated management will be proposed once the whole area of Valsaín forest is declared as National Park.