Natural resources and the ecosystems that produce them face heightened pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support is instrumental in advancing our understanding of these birds, the effects of climate change on wildlife, and how best to protect them! The COVID-19 pandemic, like the SARS-CoV 1 and Ebola epidemics, likely originated from human consumption of wild animals. The pandemic will also shift focus from conservation towards humanitarian causes. Ecology of zoonoses: natural and unnatural histories. Lindsey, P. A. et al. A critical history of the global CBNRM narrative. Tropical sub-regions of Americas showing biggest declines The WWF study added that there was a 94% decline of wildlife populations in tropical sub-regions of the Americas over the 50 years from 1970 - the largest fall observed anywhere on Earth. We outline actions needed to (1) manage the immediate crisis; (2) tackle environmental destruction and address the ongoing threats of habitat destruction and illegal, unsustainable and/or unsafe wildlife trade; and (3) address systemic flaws in the current conservation model. Oryx 47, 4153 (2013). Sci. What are the impacts of nature conservation interventions on human well Efforts to stamp out unsafe and unsustainable practices should not, however, undermine legal components of the wildlife trade industry that are or could be well regulated, pose a controlled disease-transmission risk and support millions of livelihoods47. Thus, with few localized exceptions, African conservation was in crisis even before COVID-19 hit. & Macdonald, D. W. A review of financial instruments to pay for predator conservation and encourage human-carnivore coexistence. 209, 137149 (2017). Olson, D. M. et al. We know that combatting climate change helps save wildlife populations around the globe, but the reverse is also true: Wildlife conservation plays an essential role in regulating our climate. These threats will coincide with reduced funding, operational ability, and field presence of community conservancies, state wildlife authorities, private landowners, conservation NGOs, and tourism and hunting companies. They will require strategic planning to prioritize critical activities and minimize risks of overstretching. Ecol. In Namibia, community conservancies account for 170,000 km2, and in South Africa, game ranches cover 205,000 km2, both exceeding the land area encompassed by state PAs19,23. Tourism generates 40% more full-time jobs per unit investment than agriculture, has twice the job creation power of the automotive, telecommunications and financial industries, and employs proportionally more women than other sectors10. Africa is diverse, presenting an array of contexts in which conservation must be practised. Conserving Africas wildlife and wildlands through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. ecosystem noun community and interactions of living and nonliving things in an area. Sustain. Balmford, A. et al. Business as usual will not be possible for most conservation practitioners during the crisis. Robust aquatic biodiversity, including the animals below, supports ecosystem functions and helps mitigate the impacts of ocean acidification caused by global warming. The WWF Living Planet Report 2022 found that, in less than 50 years, the world has lost 69% of all mammal, fish, bird, reptile, and amphibian populations. Hockings, M. et al. Large birds like eagles and hawks can be affected when humans are over 1,300 feet (400 meters) away - roughly a quarter of a mile. Google Scholar. Open Sci. 2018 Annual Report (Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, 2018). USA 110, E2603E2610 (2013). If regulated and enforced over the long term, such restrictions could reduce poaching in Africa for illegally sourced products that supply Asian markets. Wildlands and conservation areas provide critical resources for local people who benefit from using wildlife, grass, water, firewood and non-timber forest products. These assessments empower a diversity of customers to evaluate conservation successes, identify potential improvements, and set targeted, measurable goals for the future. Plummeting tourism revenue and negative economic impacts of the pandemic will likely increase rural poverty. Development, environmental degradation, and disease spread in the Brazilian Amazon. Article While greater domestic investment is desirable, substantially more financial support is needed beyond this. J. Environ. Conserv. The conservation crisis facing Africa must not be overlooked, even as governments and NGOs respond to the health and humanitarian crisis. Effects of labeling on wildlife conservation education 1 and Box 1, we expect increased poaching, tree cutting, artisanal mining, PA encroachment, agricultural conversion and possibly the ultimate degazettement of the most-affected PAs. While previous shocks, for example, the 2014 Ebola epidemic and the 2008 financial crisis, markedly reduced tourism in some African countries, the negative, continent-wide impacts of COVID-19 on the industry are unprecedented in scale and severity35. Lott, L. et al. 21 Altmetric Metrics A Systematic Map to this article was published on 27 April 2016 Abstract Background International policy has sought to emphasize and strengthen the link between the conservation of natural ecosystems and human development. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. PubMed Central The presenter is Dr. Kevin King of USDAs Agricultural Research Service. In addition, Africas wildlife provides important cultural and heritage values for multiple ethnic groups, and charismatic species have extensive symbolic value internationally13. When a whale dies a natural death, its carbon turns into sediment that nourishes the sea floor. Tourism is one of the primary economic drivers and areas for job growth on the continent. Article Africas wildlife also attracts considerable foreign investment via funding for conservation efforts (Table 1). In South Africa, a biodiversity economy strategy promotes bioprospecting and game ranching for hunting and meat-, skin- and leather exports as key revenue streams complementing eco-tourism62. Barrow, E. & Fabricius, C. Do rural people really benefit from protected areas - rhetoric or reality? 10, 1528 (2012). PubMed Central Human-wildlife conflict occurs when the needs and behavior of wildlife impact negatively on humans or when humans negatively affect the needs of wildlife. The Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series provides key findings, data, and tools to support producers and partners in pursuing voluntary conservation efforts across the nation's working lands. Ripple, W. J. et al. Africas terrestrial protected areas refers to all nationally gazetted, terrestrial protected areas in Africa15. This report provides data on national and regional trends in cropland conservation, and associated effects, over time. A.D. was supported by a fellowship from the Recanati-Kaplan Foundation. Safeguarding wild habitats against encroachment can also help tackle a key root cause of emerging zoonotic diseases, lessening future pandemic risks. Africa is developing at a rapid pace, and governments should use the biodiversity mitigation hierarchy to diminish ecological damage and mandate offset payments to generate sustainable revenue for conservation63. Kleinschroth, F., Healey, J. R., Gourlet-Fleury, S., Mortier, F. & Stoica, R. S. Effects of logging on roadless space in intact forest landscapes of the Congo Basin. This study focused on 63 gazetted protected areas (Appendix 1) on state land under the jurisdiction of the ZPWMA, a government agency with a national mandate for wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.The gazetted protected areas in Zimbabwe fall into six categories that included 11 national parks, 16 safari areas, 13 recreational parks, 6 sanctuaries, 3 botanic gardens, and 14 botanical reserves . In some areas, livestock markets have closed, cutting off revenue streams for rural communities. For nations less reliant on wildlife tourism for conservation (for example, in the forest biome), the impact will be lower. R. Soc. The world is currently facing a major disease pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 and its associated illness, COVID-191. Natl Acad. Markotter, W., Coertse, J., de Vries, L., Geldenhuys, M. & Mortlock, M. Bat-borne viruses in Africa: a critical review. The repeated contact with humans has resulted in high infant mortality rates due to diseases and poor motherhood skills, which indicates tourism is having a negative impact on these already endangered animals. PDF Estimating the Effect of the Conservation Reserve Program on Endangered This Ask the Expert features Dr. Joseph (Joe) Prenger, CEAP Wetlands Lead. Translocations that supplement existing populations are referred to as reinforcements, and can be conducted using captive-origin animals ( ex situ reinforcements . (Wildlife Conservation Society 2017), China's 2017 Wildlife Protection Law (People . In the absence of financial capital reserves, food-insecure rural Africans could be attracted to the periphery of PAs to draw upon natural resources100. Peter Lindsey. The fitness consequences of wildlife conservation - bioRxiv Galvani, A. P., Bauch, C. T., Anand, M., Singer, B. H. & Levin, S. A. Human-environment interactions in population and ecosystem health. The financing and resourcing of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa. We then highlight systemic flaws in contemporary conservation and identify opportunities to restructure for greater resilience. China and Vietnam have taken steps to restrict trade and consumption of wildlife in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Every great whale sequesters an average of 33 tons of carbon over the span of their lifetime. Restrictions on travel and gatherings have caused cancellation and postponement of key conferences and conservation fund-raising events. Large mammal population declines in Africas protected areas. Devastating decline of forest elephants in Central Africa. Some Asian countries (notably China and Vietnam) have taken steps to restrict trade that threatens wildlife. critical one - of a much larger wildlife conservation model. We identify the immediate steps necessary to address these challenges and support ongoing conservation efforts. Biol. Conservation from the insideout: winning space and a place for wildlife in working landscapes. Global shifts in mammalian population trends reveal key predictors of virus spillover risk. 134, 455469 (2007). Sci. CEAP provides assessments and associated conservation outcome insights for multiple land uses and conservation goals. CAS In an effort to help experts and policymakers determine where they might focus research, a panel of 25 scientists and practitionersincluding mefrom around the globe held discussions in the fall to identify emerging issues that deserve increased attention. WIN-PST is an environmental risk screening tool for pesticides. They bear costs of conservation (for example, through humanwildlife conflict, exclusion from natural resources, and, in some cases, loss of land), often without receiving commensurate benefits. Dickman, A. J., Macdonald, E. A. Olival, K. J. et al. Africas economy could suffer from reductions in foreign investment, reduced inflows of remittances and foreign aid, and lower overall earnings3. Biol. Currently, overreliance on short term, ad hoc external funding streams (including philanthropy) is unsustainable and insecure. Reducing support for African conservation at this critical juncture could undo decades of progress. This Conservation Outcomes Webinar highlights key strategies to reduce woody encroachment on rangeland across the Great Plains to restore and maintain healthy grassland ecosystems and improve forage production. USDAs Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) collaborates with partners to deliver tools that support conservation assessment and planning for diverse land uses and management goals. People Nat. The Northern Rangeland Trust State of Conservancies Report 2018 (NRT, 2018). Supporting conservation efforts will help national and local African economies recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 by diversifying and bolstering economies, creating employment for rural citizens, and protecting ecosystem services. Methods Today, the earth is experiencing its sixth mass extinction event, driven by human activity and subsequent rising global temperatures. The presence of an abundant variety of life on earth is critical for the health of our planet. Tumusiime, D. M. & Vedeld, P. False promise or false premise? Glob. Consequently, as detailed in Fig. The State of Community Conservation in Namibia (NACSO, 2018); https://go.nature.com/30jMLiL.