at Google ScholarTitle data
Cazzolla Gatti, Roberto ; Zannini, Piero ; Piovesan, Gianluca ; Alessi, Nicola ; Basset, Alberto ; Beierkuhnlein, Carl ; Di Musciano, Michele ; Field, Richard ; Halley, John M. ; Hoffmann, Samuel ; Iaria, Jacopo ; Kallimanis, Athanasios ; Lövei, Gabor L. ; Morera, Albert ; Provenzale, Antonello ; Rocchini, Duccio ; Vetaas, Ole R. ; Chiarucci, Alessandro:
Analysing the distribution of strictly protected areas toward the EU2030 target.
In: Biodiversity and Conservation.
(2023)
.
- pp. 1-18.
ISSN 1572-9710
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-023-02644-5
Abstract in another language
Protecting global biodiversity is one of the most urgent tasks for the coming decades. Areabased
conservation is a pillar for preserving ecosystems and species. Strictly protected
areas specifically preserve biodiversity and ecosystem processes. The “EU Biodiversity
Strategy for 2030” targets strict protection for 10% of land area. Here we performed the
first analysis of strictly protected areas (as IUCN type Ia, Ib, and II) across Europe, by
investigating their area coverage at the level of biogeographical regions, countries and elevation
gradients. We show that, with few exceptions, the amount of strictly protected area
is very limited and the spatial distribution of such protected areas is biased towards higher
elevation sites, as in the case of other protected areas. Then, we suggest that potential areas
should be identified to expand strictly protected areas with low economic and social costs
including, for instance, areas with high biodiversity value, low population, and low productive
land use. Finally, we propose that a coordinated effort and a strategic plan to achieve
continental-scale conservation are fundamental, and at least half of this land under strict
conservation (i.e. 5%) should be under the protection categories Ia and Ib.