IUCN UK 2012 Conference UK Protected Areas - Natural Solutions

Howard Davies

Who designates an AONB?

• Protected areas provide a focus for conservation activities• They are designed to protect what we cherish because

a) as a group of nations we have decided we should, or b) subsections of society, often with a specialist interest, have advised us that we

should.

Differences of opinion

• A focus for forward-thinking, mechanisms for engagement, shared outcomes• Flawed tools supporting retrograde thinking , alienation, resentment

Why the two extremes and why is this relevant to AONBs and the Putting Nature on the Map project?

People and Place

• AONBs are about people and the land

• Critical issues

a) perception

b) interaction of natural and human factors.

Nature conservation

• Landscape designations are about much more than a large scale approach to nature conservation.

• Conserving and enhancing natural beauty is about facilitating the interaction of natural and human factors such that landscape character is enhanced positively. The landscape approach is far more than just nature conservation.

Governance models

• Governance is about power, relationships, responsibility and accountability. It is about who has influence, who decides, and how decision-makers are held accountable.

• AONBs are co-managed – managed by a partnership that represents the interests of the local community

The old Category V

AONBs have long sat comfortably in Category V

Areas….where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity

Protected Areas and the new Category V

Protected Area - Yes

Category V - Yes

Upping the biodiversity ante

AONB Partnerships are rising to the challenges of better biodiversity conservation delivery

Back to governance

• AONBs are governed “by local communities” so how will this be factored into the process of re-categorisation?

• But, we all value international recognition.