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https://theconversation.com/when-is-a-nature-reserve-not-a-nature-reserve-when-its-already-been-burned-and-logged-200528>
"Australia has the world’s worst mammal extinction record, with nearly 40
native mammal species lost since European colonisation. By contrast, the United
States has lost three.
Last year, the federal Labor government made a welcome commitment to stop
further extinctions. One essential tool to do this is protecting habitat in
dedicated conservation reserves.
Reserves can and do work – especially when well designed and then well managed.
By some estimates, a quarter of the world’s bird species have been saved from
extinction because of conservation reserves. Here too, the government is to be
commended for plans to conserve 30% of the continent by 2030.
In light of this, we analysed Victoria’s newest conservation reserves - called
Immediate Protection Areas - designed to conserve forest biodiversity in
Victoria as the state prepares to phase out native forest logging by 2030.
We found Immediate Protection Areas didn’t do what they were supposed to do.
The protected areas were small, and well short of the area needed to adequately
conserve threatened species. Many Immediate Protection Areas were established
in forests already burned, logged, or both, meaning their value as habitat was
limited. Some areas even appeared to have been chosen because they were no
longer needed for logging, rather than for their conservation value.
As we accelerate plans to protect more Australian habitat, we must watch for
problems like this. Land with high conservation value must be prioritised for
protection."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
