Landscape Level Conservation Planning for prioritizing

conservation action in Mozambique

Bruno Nhancale, PhDConservation Science workshop, 21st April 2014

Introduction

• Biodiversity loss is mainly due to habitat degradation and species over-exploitation.

• Protected areas (PAs) are a cornerstone to reduce biodiversity loss.

• Nevertheless: – Significant proportion of biodiversity

is located outside of PA.– Insufficient to cover all critical

ecological processes

• Ad-hoc actions/establishment of PAs

• Ad-hoc disadvantages:– Leaves some species,

communities, or ecosystems without protection.

– Makes biodiversity representation more expensive.

• New tools: Landscape level conservation planning

Landscape level conservation planning

• Representativeness – Persistence – Economy

Landscape level conservation planning assessment

for Maputaland

• Maputaland centre of endemism is a region of approximately 17,000km2.

• Is part of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot.

Landscape level conservation planning approach

(i) Identifying and sub-dividing the planning region into a number of planning unit polygons;

Defining the planning region and planning units

Landscape level conservation planning approach

(i) Identifying and sub-dividing the planning region into a number of planning unit polygons;

(ii) developing a list of conservation features, such as important species and habitats;

Environmental surrogates for Maputaland

Landcover map containing 32 landcover types

Divided into 11 biogeographic zones

Choosing the conservation features

Species in Maputaland

• Range-restricted species• Keystone species• Wide-ranging species

20 vertebrates, 13 invertebrates, 20 plants

Choosing the conservation features

Ecological processes in Maputaland

• River systems • Areas large enough for natural fire regimes• Areas large enough for natural herbivory (elephants)• North-South and East-West corridors

Choosing the conservation features

Landscape level conservation planning approach

(i) Identifying and sub-dividing the planning region into a number of planning unit polygons;

(ii) developing a list of conservation features, such as important species and habitats;

(iii) setting representation targets for how much of each feature should be protected;

• Minimum viable population estimates for some species.

• Estimated proportion of meta-population for some species.

• Habitat targets derived from species-area curves for landcover types (Desmet & Cowling, 2004).

• Statutory targets for forest types (when higher than targets based on species-area curves.

Setting targets in Maputaland

Landscape level conservation planning approach

(i) Identifying and sub-dividing the planning region into a number of planning unit polygons;

(ii) developing a list of conservation features, such as important species and habitats;

(iii) setting representation targets for how much of each feature should be protected;

(iv) determining the amount of each feature found in each planning unit;

(v) assigning a cost value to each planning unit, based on whichever constraint is relevant to the analysis, e.g. financial value or opportunity costs, and;

Setting cost values in Maputaland

Threat of habitat transformation

Based on historical patterns of agricultural clearance, soil fertility, elevation etc.

Patterns of harvesting natural resources- Bark is widely (12.7%) harvested for use as

traditional medicine.

- Trees that were close to agriculture, close to roads and on low elevation were more likely to be affected by bark harvesting.

Setting cost values in Maputaland

Landscape level conservation planning approach

(i) Identifying and sub-dividing the planning region into a number of planning unit polygons;

(ii) developing a list of conservation features, such as important species and habitats;

(iii) setting representation targets for how much of each feature should be protected;

(iv) determining the amount of each feature found in each planning unit;

(v) assigning a cost value to each planning unit, based on whichever constraint is relevant to the analysis, e.g. financial value or opportunity costs, and;

(iv) using computer software to identify portfolios of these units that meet the representation targets whilst minimising planning unit costs

Running the Analysis with Marxan software

Best portfolio Selection frequency

Combining terrestrial and freshwater data conservation assessment for Maputaland

• Divide de region in to sub-catchments.

• Produced 127 units• Mean= 139.80 ± 28.6 Km2

Elevation zones (m)High ≥ 400 Mid >200 & ≤ 400 Low ≤ 200

Hierarchical Classification of Sub-catchments

Flow accumulationHigh ≥ 0.6 Mid >0.3 & ≤ 0.6 Low ≤ 0.3

RiskHigh ≥ 0.5 Mid >0.2 & ≤ 0.5 Low ≤ 0.2

• According to the existence of rivers or lakes:

− No water bodies− With rivers− With lakes

• According with endangered freshwater species (IUCN Freshwater Red Data List)

Freshwater assessment Freshwater and Terrestrial Assessment

Conservation Planning approach and prioritization of conservation action

• With limited human and financial resources and so many habitats and species in need of protection is important to deciding where to act.

- Use of selection frequency (irreplaceability scores) to prioritize actions at species and/or site level.

- Use expert opinion the refine priorities.

- Include Socio-Economic Assessment (e.g. Sustainable Livelihoods Framework approach).

Landscape Level Conservation Planning approach and priority conservation action

– Identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for Biodiversity Offsets or development compatible land-uses.

– Develop regional (fine-scale) or National (coarse- scale).

– Update regularly the planning system.

Thank You!!!!