Suchergebnisse

Biodiversity loss is caused by both local and higher-level environmental and governance trends, hence the response mechanisms for the conservation of biodiversity should also be of a multi-level nature. The European Union's biodiversity conservation policy materializes through the Birds and Habitat Directives (dating from 1979 and 1992 respectively), which were designed to create a coherent network of protected areas known as Natura 2000, as well as a system of species protection. These Directives need to be implemented at member state-level. Both Directives were submitted to a so-called 'fitness check' in 2016, which they passed, meaning that their effectiveness and usefulness was confirmed. We performed an analysis of the emergence of the EU conservation policy, to identify the policy arrangements that allowed the development of this contentious legislation in a time when biodiversity conservation issues were not as prevalent as today. Data were gathered among key actors who shaped the Birds and Habitat Directives, and hence laid the basis for Europe's current nature conservation policy. We used the policy arrangement approach (PAA) to adequately reconstruct past decision-making processes and interpret the (change in) policy arrangements. The legislative process was mostly confined to an 'epistemic community' of scientists, activists and policy-makers without direct participation of other socio-economical actors. This top-down, technocratic policy process was common at the time and contrasts with current policy arrangements. The rules of the game changed over time and a few individual policy entrepreneurs, appeared to be crucial for the realization of both Directives, as well for its eventual features. The EU nature conservation policy could be inspiring for other regions and/or supranational contexts, while current and future challenges to biodiversity conservation will demand continuation and stepping up the efforts of the EU and its Member States. ; peerReviewed

To fuel their flights, wading birds rely on abundant and high-quality food supply along their migratory route. The time spent in flight in fact represents only a small part of the migration period when compared to the time spent at stopovers. Especially in proximity of major barriers, the conditions at a single site can have a large effect on further travel stages. The Ionian flyway is considered such a migration bottleneck, where flight routes converge along a chain of coastal wetlands. To gain insight in its function as stopover site for wading birds, the goal of this study was (1) to quantify the refuelling capacity of western Greek wetlands and (2) assess which habitat characteristics are related to high food availability. In a wider framework, both goals support the development of connectivity models that, in addition to spatial characteristics of wetland networks, incorporate the energetic component of migration to evaluate the relative importance of sites. During autumn (2016) and spring (2017) migration seasons, we sampled benthic macroinvertebrates at 90 locations in four wetlands protected under the European Natura 2000 legislation, i.e. the Kalamas delta and the Amvrakikos, Messolonghi and Gialova lagoons. By using a multilevel core sampling device, we separated prey fractions that are accessible to different wading bird species, depending on their bill length. Invertebrates were identified, weighed and their biomass and nutritional quality (fat and protein content) was determined. Additionally, for each sampling location, information on environmental parameters, wading bird abundance and foraging intensity was collected. We show the first results of the sampling campaigns and discuss the implications for aligning Natura 2000 habitat types with patterns of prey availability and quality. ; peerReviewed

Although mangroves dominated by Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle are extending over 6000 ha in the Tanbi Wetland National Park (TWNP) (The Gambia), their importance for local populations (both peri-urban and urban) is not well documented. For the first time, this study evaluates the different mangrove resources in and around Banjul (i.e., timber, non-timber, edible, and ethnomedicinal products) and their utilization patterns, including the possibility of ecotourism development. The questionnaire-based results have indicated that more than 80% of peri-urban population rely on mangroves for timber and non-timber products and consider them as very important for their livelihoods. However, at the same time, urban households demonstrate limited knowledge on mangrove species and their ecological/economic benefits. Among others, fishing (including the oyster—Crassostrea cf. gasar collection) and tourism are the major income-generating activities found in the TWNP. The age-old practices of agriculture in some parts of the TWNP are due to scarcity of land available for agriculture, increased family size, and alternative sources of income. The recent focus on ecotourism (i.e., boardwalk construction inside the mangroves near Banjul city) received a positive response from the local stakeholders (i.e., users, government, and non-government organizations), with their appropriate roles in sharing the revenue, rights, and responsibilities of this project. Though the guidelines for conservation and management of the TWNP seem to be compatible, the harmony between local people and sustainable resource utilization should be ascertained.

Mainstreaming biodiversity in development cooperation activities is called for by scientists and policy-makers alike, as the current biodiversity crisis can only be mitigated if the linkages between biodiversity and human wellbeing are acknowledged. Reconciling biodiversity conservation and human development is a particularly topical challenge in highly biodiverse developing countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the population is highly dependent on natural resources for their livelihood. This study combines expert interviews with an evaluation of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, in order to determine the current motivations, obstacles and effectiveness of biodiversity mainstreaming in the DRC and to assess the framing, the representation and use of biodiversity in recently conducted EIAs in the DRC. Our findings indicate that biodiversity mainstreaming in the DRC is considered challenging due to enduring contextual (e.g. governance) factors; and that there is a strong support base for EIA among the interviewed experts. Turning to actual EIAs that were recently performed in the DRC, the diversity of framings motivating the uptake of biodiversity is remarkable. Instrumental reasons do not thwart intrinsic motivations –which is indicative of a support base for the non-instrumental value of biodiversity. The use of biodiversity baseline data in mitigation measures is low, and the taxonomic resolution of the biodiversity data in EIAs is uneven. Despite these challenges, the potential of EIA in the DRC is considered high, and linkages between project-driven EIA practice and biodiversity data collection and dissemination should be strengthened. ; SCOPUS: ar.j ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Vegetated coastal ecosystems provide goods and services to billions of people. In the aftermath of a series of recent natural disasters, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Nargis, coastal vegetation has been widely promoted for the purpose of reducing the impact of large storm surges and tsunami. In this paper, we review the use of coastal vegetation as a "bioshield" against these extreme events. Our objective is to alter bioshield policy and reduce the long-term negative consequences for biodiversity and human capital. We begin with an overview of the scientific literature, in particular focusing on studies published since the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and discuss the science of wave attenuation by vegetation. We then explore case studies from the Indian subcontinent and evaluate the detrimental impacts bioshield plantations can have upon native ecosystems, drawing a distinction between coastal restoration and the introduction of exotic species in inappropriate locations. Finally, we place bioshield policies into a political context, and outline a new direction for coastal vegetation policy and research. ©2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. ; SCOPUS: re.j ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Vegetated coastal ecosystems provide goods and services to billions of people. In the aftermath of a series of recent natural disasters, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Nargis, coastal vegetation has been widely promoted for the purpose of reducing the impact of large storm surges and tsunami. In this paper, we review the use of coastal vegetation as a "bioshield" against these extreme events. Our objective is to alter bioshield policy and reduce the long-term negative consequences for biodiversity and human capital. We begin with an overview of the scientific literature, in particular focusing on studies published since the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and discuss the science of wave attenuation by vegetation. We then explore case studies from the Indian subcontinent and evaluate the detrimental impacts bioshield plantations can have upon native ecosystems, drawing a distinction between coastal restoration and the introduction of exotic species in inappropriate locations. Finally, we place bioshield policies into a political context, and outline a new direction for coastal vegetation policy and research.