Transfrontier Conservation Area Research Articles

“Can we reverse the machinery which has ground down so much of this country?” The value of protected areas for fauna conservation: Editors' Prologue

ABSTRACT The Royal Zoological Society of NSW forum on the value of protected areas for fauna conservation, held in Sydney in November 2014, comprised a series of papers interlaced with a series of plenary discussions, which can be read in full in this theme edition of Australian Zoologist. The forum was a parallel event to the IUCN World Parks Congress on protected areas, also held in Sydney in the week following the forum. One outcome of the IUCN Congress was the inspirational statement entitled ‘Promise of Sydney’, which included a call to invest “in nature's solutions, supported by public policy, incentives, tools and safeguards that help to halt biodiversity loss, mitigate and respond to climate change, reduce the risk and impact of disasters, improve food and water security, and promote human health and dignity”. The papers and plenary discussions in this RZS NSW forum all foreshadowed this vision as it applies to protected areas. Our focus in this theme edition of Australian Zoologist is on conservi...

A history of a contested ideal: national parks for fauna conservation

This paper a) gives an historical view of national parks and other protected areas since the 19th century, b) gives a history of national parks and nature reserves in NSW, c) shows how recent has been the recognition that fauna conservation depends upon protected areas, d) reflects how much has been achieved in the last 50 years, and e) considers what must be done to stop an ever-increasing list of our fauna becoming extinct, including identifying the crucial role of scientific study in this endeavour. The evolving debate of what burden protected areas should carry in conserving the nation's fauna is a central theme of this paper. The First World Congress on National Parks in 1962 produced ideals that are inspiring, connected and ecological. What was not apparent in 1962 was the scale of the problem of conserving the flora and fauna of the world. I present the case that the principles of protecting areas, fauna conservation and scientific research for nature conservation have been slow to take hold and uneasy in their political relationships as a land use option, but are now beginning to be seen as a key element in conserving a nation's wildlife. Protected areas, whether for wildlife, game, plants, ecosystems or scenery for public enjoyment, are a late competitor for large tracts of land. The historical account shows how distinct African, American, British and Australian protected area development has been, with common threads being how the ideal of protected areas is contested territory, and the linking over time of the concepts of fauna conservation and protected areas. The British story differs markedly from that in the USA and Africa. In 1943, a Nature Reserves Committee was appointed to draw up a rationale and list of National Habitat Reserves and Scientific Areas. Its report led directly to the appointment of the Nature Conservancy in 1949 charged with the establishment of National Nature Reserves, disseminating advice on nature conservation generally, and carrying out the research relevant to those responsibilities. These are crucial dates for the origin of nature reserves in Britain, the important role of research, and the central position of an ecological outlook on nature conservation, rather than the more limited label of preservation. Protected areas in Australia are often under-estimated, both for wildlife research and as havens for fauna populations, and for the research value of protected areas to conserve biodiversity in NSW. The published articulation of these values, and specifically the value of National Parks and Nature Reserves for research, is hard to find except in the recent literature. A review of the last four decades of published papers shows how much has changed in this short time. Given the long history of resistance to establishing protected areas, Australia's fauna is at an ever-increasing risk of extinction as natural habitats are relentlessly lost to economic growth and a rising human population. The problem, as I read the historical record, is that although we are learning fast, the loss of species, landscapes and ecosystems is happening even faster. From the First World Parks Congress in 1962 to today, the interpretation of the value of the national parks for fauna conservation remains contested, but the weight of historical and scientific opinion is ever stronger on the need for protected areas for conserving fauna.

DMZ 세계평화공원 조성을 위한 국제공조 방안: NGO의 국제연대 활동과 지원을 중심으로

DMZ 세계평화공원 조성을 위한 국제공조 방안: NGO의 국제연대 활동과 지원을 중심으로

The Effect of DMZ Value Attributes on Eco-Tourism Attributes, Tourism Satisfaction, and Word of Mouth Intention -Focused on Imjingak Nation Tourism Attraction

Objectives: To make a study on an effect that De-militarized Zone (DMZ) value attribute has on eco-tourism attribute, tourism satisfaction and word-of-mouth intention. It is intended to examine tourism satisfaction for regional economy revitalization, symbolism as world peace park and eco-tourism choice attribute by DMZ value attribute based on a study of entire DMZ. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Based on the results of surveying tourists around Imjingak Resort, a regression analysis was carried out. In addition, its results were presented. The survey was carried out for about 2 weeks from 1 October 2015. And among 350 questionnaires, 316 questionnaires were used for analysis except 34 samples that lost goodness of fit as sample because of insincere response. A frequency analysis was made in order to grasp the characteristics of study participants. In addition, a factor analysis was made by utilizing Cronbach’s a coefficient in order to test reliability and validity. Before hypothesis test, a correlation analysis was made, and then a regression analysis was made, and its resultant values were presented. Findings: According to the results of study, it was shown that resource factor and historical factor had a significant effect on eco-tourism choice attribute. In addition, it was shown that, among eco-tourism choice attributes, only natural factor had an effect on tourism satisfaction, and natural factor and eco-exploration factor had an effect on word-of-mouth intention. Besides, it was shown that source factor and historical factor of DMZ value attribute had an effect on tourism satisfaction, and resource factor had an effect on word-of-mouth intention as well. As the results of study were checked, resource factor such as DMZ’s natural landscape and basin system was not related to time with colleague and family members or sense of belonging to organization. In addition, this was based on historical grief, territorial division because of characteristics of DMZ tour. Therefore, it was possible to infer that the tour was not the one where tourists focused on leisure only. And it was possible to find that compassion were created by inviting other people because a desire for word of mouth was formed in the process of observing and experiencing animals and plants in person through having an effect on word-of-mouth intention. This can regarded as phenomenon occurring when ordinary tourists are satisfied. Improvements/Applications: Recently, through events of reunions between South and North Korean family members, a preserved historic battlefield was accepted. Therefore, there was a large number of tourists and high satisfaction. And it was not possible to present strong theoretical basis for DMZ tour as the world’s last divided country. However, in the actual condition where the internationalization of DMZ tour is insufficient, it can be expected to provide very valuable implications also in improvement measures and activation measures in the future.

Greening Africa's borderlands: The symbiotic politics of land and borders in peace parks

Greening Africa's borderlands: The symbiotic politics of land and borders in peace parks

Alien plant species that invade high elevations are generalists: support for the directional ecological filtering hypothesis

AbstractQuestionsThe richness of invasive alien plant species tends to decrease with increasing elevation. This pattern may be due to alien plant species requiring traits allowing survival at high elevations (the Abiotic Limitation Hypothesis; ALH). In contrast, the more recent Directional Ecological Filtering Hypothesis (DEFH) suggests that only species with broad environmental tolerances will successfully spread from lowlands (where most introductions occur) to high elevations. Here we test support for the DEFH and ALH along an elevational gradient by asking: (1) are alien species that occur at higher elevations generalists; and (2) do alien species occurring at higher elevations exhibit traits that distinguishes them from lowland alien species?LocationSani Pass, Maloti‐Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area, South Africa.MethodsA nestedness analysis was conducted to test whether alien species were nested along the elevational gradient, and ANOVA and Chi2 tests (supplemented by resampling procedures) were used to determine if functional traits differed between high‐ and low‐elevation alien species.ResultsSignificant nestedness of the alien flora indicates that alien species occurring at high elevations are generalists, being widespread across the elevational gradient. Compared to low‐elevation aliens, plant height was lower and cold tolerance weaker for high‐elevation species.ConclusionWe found support for the DEFH, with the majority of high‐elevation aliens being widespread generalists. Overall only two of the 11 functional traits differed between high‐ and low‐elevation alien species, with only one trait supporting the ALH: shorter plant stature at higher elevations. Therefore, complementing nestedness analyses with trait data provides a more nuanced insight into the determinants of alien richness patterns along elevational gradients, and highlights how the two contemporary hypotheses might not be mutually exclusive.

“Beyond Bali”: a transformative education approach for developing community resilience to violent extremism

The Bali bombings of 2002 and 2005 confronted Australia and its neighbours directly for the first time with the dangers of violent extremism. Since then, the Bali Peace Park Association (BPPA), consisting of former victims, their families and other interested parties, has been lobbying for the creation of the “Bali Peace Park” to be built on one of the bombing sites. Peace parks have been conceived as community-driven projects against violent extremism, and the planned Bali Peace Park embodies this principle. In 2012, the BPPA initiated “Beyond Bali”, an ambitious and highly relevant curriculum development project, and secured funding from the Australian Attorney General’s Department. Drawing on the expertise of a counter-terrorism expert, two university education experts and the first-hand experiences of victims and their families, the Beyond Bali curriculum package was created. Beyond Bali covers a range of topics and activities, including social science studies and ethical dilemma learning, is suitable for Years 8 and 9 students studying the Australian Curriculum, and is available for free from the BPPA: http://www.balipeacepark.com.au/beyond-bali-education-package.html. In this paper we position Beyond Bali as a transformative education resource within the fields of peace and global education and argue that it embodies UNESCO’s “learning to be” principle.

The influence of socioeconomic factors on the densities of high-value cross-border species, the African elephant.

Unprecedented poaching levels triggered by demand for ivory in Far East Asia are threatening the persistence of African elephant Loxodonta africana. Southern African countries make an important contribution to elephant conservation and could soon become the last stronghold of elephant conservation in Africa. While the ecological factors affecting elephant distribution and densities have extensively been accounted for, there is a need to understand which socioeconomic factors affect elephant numbers in order to prevent conflict over limited space and resources with humans. We used elephant count data from aerial surveys for seven years in a generalized linear model, which accounted for temporal correlation, to investigate the effect of six socioeconomic and ecological variables on the number of elephant at the country level in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA). Important factors in predicting elephant numbers were the proportion of total land surface under cultivation, human population density and the number of tourists visiting the country. Specifically, elephant numbers were higher where the proportion of total land surface under cultivation was the lowest; where population density was the lowest and where tourist numbers had increased over the years. Our results confirm that human disturbance is affecting elephant numbers, but highlight that the benefits provided by ecotourism could help enhance elephant conservation. While future studies should include larger areas and more detailed data at the site level, we stress that the development of coordinated legislation and policies to improve land-use planning are needed to reduce the impact of increasing human populations and agriculture on elephant.

Serosurvey for Selected Viral Pathogens among Sympatric Species of the African Large Predator Guild in Northern Botswana.

The recent increase in the creation of transboundary protected areas and wildlife corridors between them lends importance to information on pathogen prevalence and transmission among wildlife species that will become connected. One such initiative is the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area of which Botswana's Okavango Delta constitutes a major contribution for wildlife and ecosystems. Between 2008 and 2011, we collected serum samples from 14 lions ( Panthera leo ), four leopards ( Panthera pardus ), 19 spotted hyenas ( Crocuta crocuta ), and six cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) in the Okavango. Samples were tested for antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV), feline panleukopenia virus, enteric coronavirus, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Evidence of exposure to all of these pathogens was found, to varying degrees, in at least one of the species sampled. High antibody prevalence (>90%) was only found to FHV-1 and FIV in lions. Only hyenas (26%, 5/19) were positive for CDV antibody. Except for one case, all individuals displayed physical conditions consistent with normal health for ≥12 mo following sampling. Our results emphasize the need for a comprehensive, multispecies approach to disease monitoring and the development of coordinated management strategies for subpopulations likely to be connected in transboundary initiatives.

Online Appendix 1: Classification and mapping of the woody vegetation of Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Within the framework of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA), the purpose of this study was to produce a classification of the woody vegetation of the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, and a map of its potential distribution. Cover-abundance data of woody species were collected in 330 georeferenced relevés across the Park. These data were used to produce two matrices: the first one using the cover-abundance values as collected in five height layers and the second one based on merging the layers into a single cover value for each species. Automatic classifications were produced for both matrices to determine the optimal number of vegetation types. The two classification approaches both produced 14 types belonging to three macro-groups: mopane, miombo and alluvial woodlands. The results of the two classifications were compared looking at the constant, dominant and diagnostic species of each type. The classification based on separate layers was considered more effective and retained. A high-resolution map of the potential distribution of vegetation types for the whole study area was produced using Random Forest. In the model, the relationship between bioclimatic and topographic variables, known to be correlated to vegetation types, and the classified relevés was used. Identified vegetation types were compared with those of other national parks within the GLTFCA, and an evaluation of the main threats and pressures was conducted.Conservation implications: Vegetation classification and mapping are useful tools for multiple purposes including: surveying and monitoring plant and animal populations, communities and their habitats, and development of management and conservation strategies. Filling the knowledge gap for the Gonarezhou National Park provides a basis for standardised and homogeneous vegetation classification and mapping for the entire Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Online Appendix 2: Classification and mapping of the woody vegetation of Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Within the framework of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA), the purpose of this study was to produce a classification of the woody vegetation of the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, and a map of its potential distribution. Cover-abundance data of woody species were collected in 330 georeferenced relevés across the Park. These data were used to produce two matrices: the first one using the cover-abundance values as collected in five height layers and the second one based on merging the layers into a single cover value for each species. Automatic classifications were produced for both matrices to determine the optimal number of vegetation types. The two classification approaches both produced 14 types belonging to three macro-groups: mopane, miombo and alluvial woodlands. The results of the two classifications were compared looking at the constant, dominant and diagnostic species of each type. The classification based on separate layers was considered more effective and retained. A high-resolution map of the potential distribution of vegetation types for the whole study area was produced using Random Forest. In the model, the relationship between bioclimatic and topographic variables, known to be correlated to vegetation types, and the classified relevés was used. Identified vegetation types were compared with those of other national parks within the GLTFCA, and an evaluation of the main threats and pressures was conducted.Conservation implications: Vegetation classification and mapping are useful tools for multiple purposes including: surveying and monitoring plant and animal populations, communities and their habitats, and development of management and conservation strategies. Filling the knowledge gap for the Gonarezhou National Park provides a basis for standardised and homogeneous vegetation classification and mapping for the entire Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Vegetation structure and composition in the semi-arid Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape

235 ABSTRACT: Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (MCL) woody vegetation was characterized to establish structural and compositional attributes. Stratified random sampling based on major soil types was used and nine plant variables were measured in 137(20x30) m 2 sampling plots; these being genera, species and family names; basal circumference; plant height; depth and diameter of tree canopy; number of stems per plant; plant life status; number of trees and shrubs; and number of saplings. A total of 3114 woody plants were sampled, comprising an assemblage of 28 families, 63 genera and 106 species. The results suggest alluvial floodplain flanking the Limpopo River is a biodiversity hotspot with high plant species diversity (H �=1.8-2.2) 1/ha, taller trees (P<0.05) with median height per plot ranging between 6.1-10 m, high canopy volume at 105783 (443155m 3 /ha) and basal area (16.9-111m 2 /ha). The Arenosols-Regosol stratum had significantly shorter trees (P<0.05) with median height per plot between 3-4 m, low species diversity (H �=0.8-2.3) 1/ha, low basal area (3.23-48.2m 2 /ha) and low canopy volume (6687.08(155965.00) m 3 /ha. The Cambisol- Luvisol stratum in the western section of MCL had high number of stems/plant at 1.65 (1.40), high woody plant density 483.33 (900.00) 1/ha, F 3,137 =19.07,P<0.05), high density of dead plants 16.67 (133.30) 1/ha and high sapling density 208.33 (850.00) 1/ha. The present study suggests soil type is a key determinant of woody vegetation structure and composition. The study recommends regular vegetation monitoring, periodic update of plant species inventories in protected areas, control of exotic invasive woody plant species found along the Limpopo river floodplain within the biodiversity management framework of Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area initiative.

Can a Memorial Communicate Embodied Trauma? Reenacting Civilian Bodies in the No Gun Ri Peace Park

Abstract In 2011, South Korea built an unusual memorial that honors civilian victims of an American atrocity during the Korean War. This memorial, called the No Gun Ri Peace Park, particularly commemorates the No Gun Ri killings, a 2000 Pulitzer Prize–winning story that depicts the massacre by American GIs of South Korean civilians who were taking refuge underneath a bridge called No Gun Ri. As a durable war mnemonic in a public site, the park is now performing the critical role that survivors and victims’ families used to carry: witnessing, performing, and transferring trauma to others. This essay critically looks at not only how the park reenacts civilian bodies in communicating a traumatic event that most visitors did not experience directly but also how it—as a newly constructed sign—negotiates meanings of the No Gun Ri bridge, the original site of the killings that is located adjacent to the park.

Introduction

Welcome to this second Special Issue focusing on building networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). In the first Special Issue we focused on new insights on MPAs stemming from the 3rd International Marine Protected Area Congress which was held in Marseille, France in 2013. This issue draws out new information, perspectives and conclusions from the 6th World Parks Congress in 2014 convened by IUCN in Sydney, Australia. The World Parks Congresses are a landmark global forum on protected areas held every 10 years. As the world's most influential gathering of people involved in protected area management, it sets the global agenda for the following decade. More than 6000 participants from more than 170 countries met at the Sydney World Parks Congress. As challenges in sustainable development and sustainable use of the earth's natural resources accelerate, the Sydney Parks Congress aimed to position parks and protected areas firmly within broader goals of economic and community well-being. The theme of the Congress was therefore ‘Parks, People, Planet: Inspiring Solutions’. In Sydney, meeting the challenges of sustainable development and contributing to community well-being were achieved by increasing understanding of the vital role of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and delivering ecosystem services. Acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, the Congress celebrated an enormous variety of inspiring ways of addressing the challenges facing the planet, through protected area approaches that respect and conserve nature, while benefiting human health and prosperity. It recognized that rebalancing the relationship between human society and nature is essential, and that ecosystems and their variety of life fully support our existence, cultural and spiritual identity, economies and well-being. This progress has contributed substantially to realizing IUCN's overall vision of a ‘just world that values and conserves nature’. The Congress took stock of not just what is challenging us, but how innovative leaders in every corner of the world are finding and implementing protected area solutions to a wide range of challenges, from climate change to economic recessions. Captured from the boldest thinking of governments, international organizations, communities, civil society leaders and indigenous peoples, the four pillars of the Promise of Sydney collectively represent the outcomes of the World Parks Congress. These pillars – a core Vision for the future we want to see, a set of Innovative Approaches to solving some of the world's most elusive challenges, Commitments to advancing this change for people, protected areas and the planet, and Solutions that provide evidence that this change is in fact within our reach – collectively represent the direction and blueprint for a decade of change that emanate from the deliberations of this World Parks Congress. Originally proposed by a youth leader in the preparations for Congress, The Promise of Sydney is a deliberate step away from the usual declaration and action plan so familiar to these events. The Promise of Sydney is at once representative of the promise we will make to our children and our belief in a promising future for all. This was the first Congress where marine and the ocean became the key take home message from the whole event. This was also the year when the total area under marine protections became greater than the area under terrestrial protection. Ocean protection is expanding at an order of magnitude faster than terrestrial protection, something that many political leaders are showing the world that they want to be part of. The Congress demonstrated through a wide array of activities and actions why the ocean is such a fundamental focus for conservation action and management in the coming decades. Once perhaps seen as the poor relative of terrestrial conservation, the Sydney Congress demonstrated the need to embrace ocean values and issues throughout the work of IUCN, its members and as a rallying call for the world. Without a healthy ocean we would have a planet similar to Mars, so investing in ocean action became a central call to emerge from the Congress. In this Special Issue we explore MPAs from a variety of perspectives – from global targets through to local actions. We hope that this publication will be of wide interest to the community as we drive forward with enlightened self-interest that now is the time to safeguard our ocean world. The next Special Issue will highlight new developments in MPAs that will come from the World Conservation Congress to be held in Hawaii, USA in September 2016 – IUCN's first ‘ocean’ Congress.

Protecting Earth's last conservation frontier: scientific, management and legal priorities for MPAs beyond national boundaries

Abstract Marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) comprise most of Earth's interconnected ocean, hosting complex ecosystems that play key roles in sustaining life and providing important goods and services. Although ABNJ encompass nearly half the planet's surface, biological diversity found in these areas remains largely unprotected. Mounting pressures generated by the escalation of human activities in ABNJ threaten vital ecosystem services and the fragile web of life that supports them. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely acknowledged as an important tool for the conservation of biological diversity. Currently less than 1% of ABNJ are protected, with the vast majority of MPAs located in waters within national jurisdiction. The existing legal framework for protection and sustainable use of ABNJ lacks common goals, principles or standards, multi‐sectoral coordination and comprehensive geographic coverage to ensure conservation or good governance grounded in science‐based decision‐making, transparency, accountability and effective enforcement. This paper highlights the urgency and importance of protecting the last conservation frontier on Earth. Key lessons for conservation in ABNJ can be learned from regional, cross‐boundary and national experiences shared during the high seas governance workshop at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Sydney, Australia in November 2014. The intent of this paper is to inform the deliberations now underway in the United Nations General Assembly to develop a new legally binding international instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in ABNJ. It also aims to encourage further initiatives to protect and preserve our last conservation frontier using currently available mechanisms and powers consistent with international law. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Using the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas to promote conservation impact through marine protected areas

Abstract With the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) growing rapidly and progress being made towards protecting 10% of the ocean, as called for by the Convention on Biological Diversity, there is equally a need to increase efforts and provide incentives for effective management of these sites. The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas (GLPCA), a voluntary global standard that protected areas and their agencies may decide to commit to working towards, has been set up to contribute to this. Protected areas can achieve Green List status by demonstrating a certain performance level and by meeting outcomes measured against a set of defined criteria. An assured verification process is followed before sites are recognized. The GLPCA will thus encourage and identify those protected areas (both terrestrial and marine) that are effectively managed, have equitable governance and achieve significant conservation impacts. The GLPCA pilot phase announced the first 25 protected areas to meet the criteria at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Sydney in November 2014. These included four MPAs: Iroise Natural Marine Park, Cerbère‐Banyuls Natural Nature Reserve, and Guadeloupe National Park in France, and Gorgona National Park in Colombia. Italy and China also participated in the pilot phase and each has an MPA that is continuing to work towards GLPCA status. The experiences of these sites are described, as well as three other programmes (two regional and one global) that are being developed to promote improved management of MPAs. This information will be useful for other MPAs considering participation in the GLPCA initiative. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Fishing livelihoods as key to marine protected areas: insights from the World Parks Congress

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) have become a widely used tool for marine conservation and fisheries management. In coastal areas, it has become clear that the success of MPAs, and the achievement of sustainable fishery production, requires a combination of effective management and conservation frameworks, maintenance of decent fisheries livelihoods, and a governance system that allows for effective participation of coastal communities, fishing people, and other ocean users in considering, designing and implementing MPAs. These ingredients are crucial to provide the social sustainability needed to achieve ecological sustainability, and in particular, to reconcile fisheries and marine conservation objectives, in light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Since its inception in 1962, the series of World Parks Congresses (WPC) has focused on protected areas, in both terrestrial and marine domains. The 2014 WPC in Sydney reinforced the apparent movement, started at the Durban WPC of 2003, towards recognition of social and economic issues related to MPAs, including the importance of food security and livelihoods, and the crucial nature of interactions between MPAs and fisheries. Many discussions at the 2014 WPC focused on these human dimensions of MPAs, and the need to incorporate them into MPA decision‐making. This article examines the process and outcomes of the 2014 WPC, with emphasis on the role of people (in particular, fishers) in marine conservation, and particularly in coastal MPAs. In doing so, the article examines the process of producing a Marine Statement at the end of the WPC, as a component of the final ‘Promise of Sydney’ declaration. That process led to a range of concerns including (i) issues over transparency and inclusiveness in the statement's development, and (ii) content issues focused on representation of the social and economic conclusions, and advocacy of a specific MPA target for no‐take areas. The article focuses on potential strategies for moving constructively beyond the still existing tensions between environment‐ and people‐focused conservation and development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Foreword

Exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources from seas and oceans has underpinned the prosperity and livelihoods of many communities and nations, in some cases for millennia. Over the last century, however, the industrialization of some of these uses has extended and escalated their impacts dramatically. The consequent collapses of a number of major fisheries and the near extinction of several species has highlighted the need for better understanding and management of the use of marine resources. The impacts of land-based activities on coastal and marine resources raise similar concerns. Growing awareness of the importance of the oceans, not only for food but also for a wide range of services delivered by healthy marine ecosystems, has resulted in a much stronger global focus on a range of ocean-related issues including the conservation of marine biodiversity. The 6th IUCN World Parks Congress held in Sydney, Australia in November 2014 marked some important shifts in awareness and thinking on the importance and benefits of protected areas for human livelihoods and health, disaster risk reduction, ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services. The Congress included a major focus on marine protected areas (MPAs) in this broad context of ensuring the maintenance of the vital services provided by healthy ocean ecosystems. Participants at the Congress celebrated an enormous variety of inspiring ways of addressing the challenges facing our planet through protected area approaches that respect and conserve nature while benefiting human health and prosperity. This special issue of Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems contains an outstanding selection of papers from the Congress's cross-cutting theme on oceans. The Promise of Sydney – a key output from the Congress – noted that healthy oceans are critical to life on Earth and must be protected at much greater scale. This requires bold vision and concerted actions if we are to meet conservation goals and human aspirations for current and future generations. Globally, significant progress is now being made to better protect marine ecosystems but pressures from human activities are intensifying and will require global cooperation and action to reduce adverse impacts on future generations. Reflecting this imperative, in 2015 the Sustainable Development Goals were endorsed, with a specific goal for oceans. Encouragingly, the extent of marine protected areas is beginning to rise steadily, and some major country commitments are being made to greatly increase their marine protected area estates. It is vital that these initiatives are widely understood, strongly supported and adequately resourced to build the capacity needed to deliver their objectives and protect our oceans. We hope that the papers in this volume will contribute towards that end.

Empowering emerging leaders in marine conservation: the growing swell of inspiration

Abstract Young marine conservation leaders can create and mobilize change when they are inspired, empowered and actively involved in decision‐making processes. This paper provides a journey overview of the opportunities, challenges and commitments for young conservation leader empowerment within the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its Commissions to create change. Young conservation leadership contribution to the development and delivery of the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress highlights the drive by this cohort to inspire and mobilize change. Global marine conservation initiatives being led by transformative young leaders in partnership with senior leaders with the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Young Professionals (WCPA YP) group and the recently established IUCN WCPA Young Professionals Marine Task Force are actioning change. This paper highlights a critical need for the global conservation sector to invest in current and emerging young conservation leaders for creating change. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Polar opposites? Marine conservation tools and experiences in the changing Arctic and Antarctic

Abstract The polar regions are undergoing vast changes in the land and seascape. They serve as major components of the Earth's climate system and are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Warming temperatures, combined with increased human use and resource extraction, are putting increasing pressure on these vulnerable regions. While the Arctic and Antarctic are distinct from one another in their governance and human use, the 2014 World Parks Congress provided a platform for joint learning on progress and options for protecting marine areas in these unique regions. Though they remain among the remotest places on earth, their important role for global biodiversity, climate processes and economic activity have made them a focus for conservation efforts. Establishing a robust, integrated network of protected areas is one important tool for protecting ecosystem function and enhancing resilience as these regions face climate change impacts as well as increasing pressures for resource exploitation. This paper describes some major efforts to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Arctic and Antarctic and analyses the similarities and differences in marine protection initiatives in the Earth's polar regions. As a basis for the analysis the authors focus on the following two themes: pressures – what are they and how fast are they growing; and governance – are there appropriate governance structures to establish and manage MPAs at appropriate geographic scales? Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.