An Agenda For The Future Brook Milligan Department of Biology New - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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An Agenda For The Future

Brook Milligan

Department of Biology New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003 brook@nmsu.edu

Fall 2009

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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What is Conservation Biology?

New science meeting a challenge

biodiversity is seriously threatened on a global scale biodiversity is important to human welfare major threats are human induced solutions must be human mediated

Goals

document the full range of global biodiversity investigate human impact develop practical approaches to

prevent extinction maintain genetic variation protect and restore communities and ecosytems

Crisis discipline

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower

problem: protecting biological diversity is difficult when most species are unknown and most communities are not monitored solution: increased training programs

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale

problem: many conservation issues are global in scope and require the interaction of many countries solution: increased international discussions, multi-country parks/preserves

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development

problem: developing countries often want to protect their biodiversity but are under pressure to develop their natural resources solution: reduce the tension by technical/financial support, debt forgiveness, improvement of human quality of life

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services

problem: ecosystem services are often not assigned an economic value solution: integrate value of ecosystem services into mainstream economy; end subsidies for environmental degradation

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame

problem: poor people are often blamed for biodiversity destruction solution: change government policies to increase quality of life; create sustainable lifestyles

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals

problem: decisions about land conservation are often made by central governments without buy-in from local populations solution: engage locals in discussions, planning, etc.

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals Few local benefits

problem: economic benefits from national parks and protected areas often do not acrue to local communities solution: train local people; invest in local communities

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals Few local benefits Inadequate budgets

problem: national parks and reserves often have inadequate budgets for conservation activities solution: raise fees, outside investment

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals Few local benefits Inadequate budgets Importance of private landowners / leaseholders

problem: many endangered species occur on private land or on public land managed for resource development reduce economic benefit of overexploitation; make leases dependent on sustainability

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals Few local benefits Inadequate budgets Importance of private landowners / leaseholders Bureaucracy

problem: government bureaucracy slows effective protection of biological communities solution: encourage publicly and financially NGOs, which are

• ften more responsive than governments

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Problems Conservation Biologists Face

Limited manpower Global scale Tension: protection versus resource development Undervalued ecosystem services Transfer of blame Disenfranchised locals Few local benefits Inadequate budgets Importance of private landowners / leaseholders Bureaucracy Lack of interest

problem: many businesses, banks, and governments are unresponsive to conservation issues solution: provide more information to increase interest

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Challenges For Conservation Biologists

Policy and economics

transfer increasing public awareness of conservation issues into policy decisions and economic markets

Reduce tension between need for preservation and the subsistence needs of local people Improve equity in distribution of resources and quality of life Develop management strategies for the 85% of land outside of reserves

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Role Of Conservation Biologists

Scientific research: foundational information Education: in public forum as well as in classroom Political activity: join conservation organizations, influence public policy Translational science: intermediary between science and policy/management/public debate Organizers of conservation activities to stimulate interest in

• thers

Motivators: convince a range of people to become involved in conservation projects Managers and practitioners of conservation projects

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Primary Questions Biodiversity: what is it, where is it, and why is it important? Why is biodiversity loss a concern? What are the current trends and drivers of biodiversity loss? What is the future for biodiversity and ecosystem services under plausible scenarios? What response options can conserve biodiversity and promote human well-being? What are the prospects for reducing the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010 or beyond and what are the implications for the Convention on Biological Diversity?

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Outcomes of Future Scenarios

Order from strength Protection through boundaries Global orchestration Global economic and social policies Adapting mosaic Environmentally proactive local and regional managment TechnoGarden Technology providing or improving ecosystem services

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future

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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Ecosystems and human well-being: Biodiversity synthesis. Technical report, World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.

Brook Milligan An Agenda For The Future