Upload
christy-tartt
View
214
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Review
Case Studies in Reserve Design
Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
Marine Protected Areas, Bohol Island, Phillipines
RESERVE DESIGN
The Goal:A reserve system that includes and sustains all biodiversity and ecosystem processes of the region
RESERVE DESIGN
We don’t have time to count everythingsoHow do we assess “all” biodiversity quickly
What can we use as surrogates for overall biodiversity?
Flagship Species No –charismatic but don’t capture other speciesUmbrella Species NoBiodiversity Indicators – birds(lots info); dung beetles(easy to collect info)No – hotspots for one taxa≠hotspots for others\Land types -
land systems or vegetation classes
What can we use as surrogates for overall biodiversity?
Flagship Species No –charismatic but don’t capture other speciesUmbrella Species NoBiodiversity Indicators – birds(lots info); dung beetles(easy to collect info)No – hotspots for one taxa≠hotspots for others\Land types -
land systems or vegetation classeseg 1 South Africa - YES
Evaluating use of landtypes in reserve design
Cape Floristic Region, SA122,000 km2 - > 6000 endemic plant speciesUNESCO World heritage site
Evaluating use of landtypes in reserve design
Cape Floristic Region, SA122,000 km2
102 broad habitat units (untransformed land)vegetationclimate geologytopography
Reserve selection -current reserve selected+ minimum set to achieve conservation
target (%) by BHU
Evaluating use of landtypes in reserve design
Cape Floristic Region, SAHow representative are the reserves?
Plants - proteasVertebrates - fish, amphibians, reptiles
BHU minimum set represented79% of unreserved proteas35% of unreserved vertebrates
BHUs are a good surrogate for SOME Species
Summary Surrogates for overall biodiversity?
Flagships NOBiodiversity Indicators NOLandtypes not always
So what features should be used?
Combine inexpensive land type infowith other surrogates
CASE STUDY 1Cape Floristic Region, SAUNESCO World heritage site
Smallest of world’s floristic regions
Highest density of plant species in the world
Biodiversity Hotspot
Cape Floristic Region, SA
Renosterveld - “rhinoceros scrub”
lowlandsShrub +Coastal dunes
dominated by members of daisy family
Cape Floristic Region, SA
Birds 324 spp., 6 endemicsEndemic Bird Area (IBA) - Birdlife International
Amphibians51 spp. 16 endemics
STATUS of BIODIVERSITY
IUCN RED LIST
FLORA - 1406 Endangered - 300 Critically endangered - 29 Extinct in wild
FAUNA - Threatened=CR, EN or VU - 21 mammals, 12 birds - 15 fish, 5 reptiles, 5 amphibians - 6 butterflies, 6 dragonflies
THREATS to BIODIVERSITY
Habitat loss - lowland fynbos 83% of original - lowland renosterveld 48% original - matrix = agriculture/urban development
- remnants fragmented/isolated/degraded
Invasive species - upland/lowland fynbos - 70% invaded by
- fire adapted tree spp. 33% CFR transformed20% pristine
CAPE ACTION PLAN for the ENVIRONMENT
Initiated 1998Govt, academia, NGOs, local community
AIMIdentify and establish a representative reserve systemEnsure sustainable yields from biodiversity resourcesImprove conservation policies and legislation and
strengthen capacity to implement them
Stage 2: Conservation goals
Identify elements to protectLand classes 102 BHUs
Proteacae locality records for 364 spp.
Selected lower vertebrates 345 spp.
Large and medium sized mammals 41 spp.
Ecological and evolutionary processes
SYSTEMATIC CONSERVATION PLANNING
Targetvaries with heterogeneity, vulnerability, original extent 10-100%
Varies with threat 1-15 records
Varies with threat 1-2 records
Varies with endemism, range 10-2000 individuals 1-15 records
Stage 2: Conservation goals ctdEcological and evolutionary processes
Diversification across edaphic interfaces
----> 1 km wide interface between soil types
----> 1 km wide paths across gradients eg coastal lowland --> interior mountain
Migration and diversification between inland and coastal biotas
---> whole inter-basin riverine corridors500m wide, all untransformed lengths + restorable sections
Diversification across upland/lowland interfaceFaunal seasonal migrationResponse to climate change
Stage 3: Review existing conservation areas
GIS based GAP analysis
22% of CFR has some level of protection189 sites49% secure statutary conservation areas51% less secure (state/municipal/private)
BUT Unrepresentative50% Mountain Fynbos Complex (>target)9% Lowland BHUsSpatial components of ecological process not
captured
Stage 4. Selection of additional areas
Planning units - grids of 3900 ha 3014- current protected areas 1032- process planning units 2993
Minimum set problemOrder - current reserves
- riverine/sand corridors - irreplaceable BHUs, plants, vertebrates - large mammals - climatic, upland-lowland gradients - outstanding objectives
(minimize vulnerable areas)
----> PLAN requiring 52% of extant habitat
Stage 5 - Implementation
Expansion of protected areas in intact habitatCape Peninsula and Cape Agulhas NPFunds for 3 mega-reserves (> 500,000 ha)
and fragmented areasassist conservation of irreplaceable lowlands
Promotion of sustainable use of biodiversityinvestment in ecotourism
Promotion of conservation-minded governanceadoption of CAPE guidelines in assessing development proposals
Lessons learnt
Progress in implementation slowmunicipal-level decision makers not identified as key stakeholdersscale was necessarily coarse- but additional fine scale planning therefore required
Limited success at integrating biodiversity issues into land use planning of some sectors
municipal level developmentbiodiversity-based enterprises
Coral reefs
Incredible biodiversity - 25% of marine spp.
And economically valuable8% world lives within 100 km of a reef10% of worlds fishing harvestgenerate billions of dollars in tourism and provide opportunities for local development
Very vulnerablePhilippines - 56% reefs close to being lost
Project SeahorseDirector Dr Amanda Vincent, Fisheries, UBC
“committed to conservation and sustainable use of the world’s coastal marine ecosystems”
Project Seahorse - Philippines
Danajon bank - 145 kmone of only six double-barrier reefs in the world
Bohol Island
652 km of coastline70,000 ha of coral reef
29 coastal municipalities; 1 city of 1.2 million80,00 full or part-time fishers
Fishing is main employer and main supplier of animal protein1999 - 55% villagers noted use of dynamite and/or poison on fishing areas
Issues
Population growth - family sizePovertyOverexploitation of marine resource--->Degradation and loss of coral reef
Project Seahorse - approachEducate school scholarships/apprenticeships
visits to other ‘no-take reserves’ Empower local fishers - KAMADA alliance, Develop alternative employmentResearch effectiveness of MPAs
Project Seahorse
Community survey one year latervast majority felt reserve was “working”
Area expanded to 50 haGreater focus on enforcement
MPA GuardhouseKAMADA member paid by community
Project SeahorseCurrently 20 MPAs in northern BoholKAMADA expanded to 4 islands in Danajon Bank
700+ members 20 independent villagesmembers act as fish wardensplay a role in Coastal Law Enforcement provide active link between villages
and local and national government MPAs have support of local gov’t as a
biodiversity conservation and fisheries management tool
Project SeahorseScience
Populaton recovery in no-take zonescf before / after after/controlsize distributions have changedabundance harvested families up
some other families down
Spillover effects - evidence of recovery outside MPA ltd BUT- fishers harvest from just outside buffer zones - extraction rate data coming
Lessons learnt
Degraded habitat can make good reservesany improvement is easily detected
Devolution of power to local governments in 1991 facilitated community empowerment
Paired community liaison officer + local biologist teams linked biodiversity and sustainable development
Community support generated momentum for further conservation initiatives