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

Fynbos - “fine bush”

Fire-prone shrub80% of area>7000 plant spp

Cape Floristic Region, SA

Renosterveld - “rhinoceros scrub”

lowlandsShrub +Coastal dunes

dominated by members of daisy family

Cape Floristic Region, SA

Mammals90 spp4 endemics

bontebok

Reptiles 100 spp.10 endemics

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 SeahorseMarine protected areas in Bohol

First MPA initiated 1996 Where?How large?

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

Project Seahorse takes volunteers

PhilipinesDeadline May 15

PortugalDeadline April 1

Source for most CFR material - text Ch 14 and Biol Conservation 112 (Vol 1+2)