Conservation Beyond Crisis Management: A Conservation-Matrix Model

Posted in Library, News & Publications on 10/28/10
Schmiegelow et al review the science behind the Nature Needs Half vision and the application in the boreal forest of Canada.

In many regions of the world, failure to plan effectively for conservation of biological diversity has led to irretrievable losses of ecosystem structure and function or, at least, a need for expensive and risky restoration efforts. In relatively intact systems, planning pro-actively for biological conservation requires a systems approach that integrates the fields of conservation biology and resource management. We evaluate current conservation paradigms and describe an alternative, Conservation-matrix model for regional conservation that exploits the strengths of systematic conservation planning and adaptive resource management. We explore application of this model for boreal regions of Canada, where opportunities for large-scale conservation are virtually unparalleled.  Continue reading >
F.K.A. Schmiegelow1, S.G. Cumming2, S. Harrison1, S. Leroux1, K. Lisgo1, R. Noss3, and B. Olsen1
1Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Canada, T6G 2H1
2Boreal Ecosystems Research Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6H 2W1
3Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA 32816