Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective

Abstract The failure to meet global biodiversity targets clearly indicates the need for biodiversity management and conservation efforts to be more effective, and this in turn requires better understanding of the current barriers to success. Islands are known as biodiversity hotspots but nowhere has...

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Main Authors: April J. Burt, Ana Nuno, Nancy Bunbury
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:Conservation Science and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.587
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author April J. Burt
Ana Nuno
Nancy Bunbury
author_facet April J. Burt
Ana Nuno
Nancy Bunbury
author_sort April J. Burt
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The failure to meet global biodiversity targets clearly indicates the need for biodiversity management and conservation efforts to be more effective, and this in turn requires better understanding of the current barriers to success. Islands are known as biodiversity hotspots but nowhere has biodiversity loss been so acute as in island ecosystems. To identify the barriers to effective island ecosystem conservation, we conducted 32 semistructured interviews with conservation and management practitioners from island nations in the Western Indian Ocean region. Practitioners described 33 barriers to meeting their objectives under 12 overarching topics and suggested 14 solutions to these. Most barriers described by interviewees existed at organization level (55%), followed by national (24%) and site/project level (21%). Of the 33 barriers described by practitioners, the most commonly associated cause was limited capacity (23.5%), followed by lack of government coordination and limited resources (both 21.6%), lack of incentives (11.8%), poor leadership (11.7%), and finally interpersonal issues interfering with progress (9.8%). Most solutions centered around bridging capacity gaps. By defining these barriers, we can bring them forward for discussion and allocate resources and efforts to bridging them. Only by doing so can we increase the effectiveness of our management efforts and maximize our chances of achieving global biodiversity targets.
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spelling doaj.art-0fd41514605343f1b6ee59dc54a746fe2022-12-21T18:13:40ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542022-01-0141n/an/a10.1111/csp2.587Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspectiveApril J. Burt0Ana Nuno1Nancy Bunbury2Department of Plant Sciences Oxford University Oxford UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UKSeychelles Islands Foundation Mahé SeychellesAbstract The failure to meet global biodiversity targets clearly indicates the need for biodiversity management and conservation efforts to be more effective, and this in turn requires better understanding of the current barriers to success. Islands are known as biodiversity hotspots but nowhere has biodiversity loss been so acute as in island ecosystems. To identify the barriers to effective island ecosystem conservation, we conducted 32 semistructured interviews with conservation and management practitioners from island nations in the Western Indian Ocean region. Practitioners described 33 barriers to meeting their objectives under 12 overarching topics and suggested 14 solutions to these. Most barriers described by interviewees existed at organization level (55%), followed by national (24%) and site/project level (21%). Of the 33 barriers described by practitioners, the most commonly associated cause was limited capacity (23.5%), followed by lack of government coordination and limited resources (both 21.6%), lack of incentives (11.8%), poor leadership (11.7%), and finally interpersonal issues interfering with progress (9.8%). Most solutions centered around bridging capacity gaps. By defining these barriers, we can bring them forward for discussion and allocate resources and efforts to bridging them. Only by doing so can we increase the effectiveness of our management efforts and maximize our chances of achieving global biodiversity targets.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.587conservation managementisland ecosystemsNational CoordinationSeychellesSmall Island Developing Statessocial survey
spellingShingle April J. Burt
Ana Nuno
Nancy Bunbury
Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
Conservation Science and Practice
conservation management
island ecosystems
National Coordination
Seychelles
Small Island Developing States
social survey
title Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
title_full Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
title_fullStr Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
title_full_unstemmed Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
title_short Defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems: A practitioner's perspective
title_sort defining and bridging the barriers to more effective conservation of island ecosystems a practitioner s perspective
topic conservation management
island ecosystems
National Coordination
Seychelles
Small Island Developing States
social survey
url https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.587
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