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One of Georgina Mace's many transformational research contributions was to provide a universally applicable framework for incorporating any or all elements and connections of the natural environment within conventional economic decision-making. We apply this natural capital framework to consider the overall effects of a suite of land-use policy options intended to promote the conservation and renewal of biodiversity. Options considered include sharing, sparing, three-compartment sparing, rewilding and organic farming regimes. Each is assessed in terms of its impact on both domestic and global biodiversity. Reinforced by an empirical application considering land use in Great Britain, we show that while policy has prioritized sharing options, evidence supports land sparing and three-compartment approaches as more efficient, sustainable and equitable alternatives. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Bending the curve towards nature recovery: building on Georgina Mace's legacy for a biodiverse future' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Conservation and coexistence at a crossroads" by Simon Pooley discusses the challenges faced by conservationists in balancing the universal urge for biodiversity conservation with the recognition of diverse ways of living in the natural world. The integration of human-wildlife coexistence into the Global Biodiversity Framework highlights the need for a nuanced approach that considers cultural, social, and ecological complexities. The article emphasizes the importance of developing shared visions and principles for coexistence in specific landscapes, rather than imposing universal standards, to foster positive relationships between humans and wildlife. [Extracted from the article]

Designed to be “wilderness” spaces with minimal human impact, the establishment of national parks contributed to dispossessing Indigenous peoples from traditional territories across North America, preventing access to dwindling populations of wildlife essential to cultural and material well-being. With the systematic near extermination of buffalo during the nineteenth century and forcible relocation of Tribes onto reservations, Tribal food systems collapsed. Tribal Nations across the Great Plains are now restoring buffalo to support food sovereignty and political resurgence, while re-asserting a presence in national parks where Indigenous hunting remains prohibited. This article focuses on the Blackfoot-led Iinnii Initiative working to restore free-roaming buffalo (Bison bison) along the Rocky Mountain Front, supported by Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. Recognizing Tribal rights to hunt buffalo in these parks would enable Tribal hunters to exercise practices that challenge the idea of national parks as wilderness. We coproduce this article as Blackfoot and non-Indigenous scholars and activists, drawing on interviews with restoration practitioners, Blackfoot knowledge holders, and park and other government officials to explore distinct narratives of what it would mean to enable Tribal hunting in national parks, with implications for food sovereignty, political resurgence, and wildlife management. We argue that openness within parks agencies to Indigenous hunting suggests a potential watershed moment for reimagining the role of people in parks. Through this, we examine important links between food sovereignty, political sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, and decolonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relational values have been proposed as a way of capturing more inclusively the relationships that people have with nature and have been adopted within the conceptual framework of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Relational values literature has taken strides towards a more comprehensive appreciation of human-nature interactions than previous frameworks. However, we see an opportunity to build further on the relational values concept through the frame of political ontology. In this Perspective, we argue that, in order to understand people's relationships with their environments, we must first ask the following question: what is nature to those who value their relationships with it? Comprehending the multiple natures that people experience and value can help us to achieve equitable and representative conservation policy, explain actions and behaviours, and identify obstacles to engagement with conservation agendas. Key policy highlights: Relational values currently embrace a plurality of values but not plural natures or worlds Political ontology can build on relational values To ensure equitable representation in conservation policy and outcomes, it is necessary to recognize and account for ontological difference Excluding underlying ontology may obfuscate potential conservation sticking points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests are vital for global biodiversity and climate stability, but the political economy of deforestation and land-use change constantly challenges their integrity. In this article, we analyse 50 years of policy development in the municipality Marqués de Comillas, located in Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, Mexico, to understand how development and conservation priorities have evolved, interacted, and shaped land-use in a tropical forest frontier. By analysing peer-reviewed literature and empirical data, we identify five phases of policy continuity and change that have produced diverse socio-environmental outcomes. We reveal a persistent state-led prioritisation of rural development over environmental concerns, pursued through policies promoting settlements and agricultural expansion and exacerbated by external market forces. This focus has caused substantial ecosystem degradation and deforestation without significant livelihood improvements. Recent conservation initiatives, such as payment for ecosystem services, show potential for challenging the status quo by offering alternative livelihood opportunities benefiting both people and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the perceived influence of corruption on the practice of trophy hunting in South Africa, the largest trophy exporter in Africa. Corruption is a major problem in South Africa, where it takes the form of bribery and embezzlement. To investigate its perceived effects on the practice of trophy hunting, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 trophy hunting stakeholders in South Africa. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, recorded, transcribed, and coded using a qualitative content analysis. Six of the 15 respondents had personally witnessed corruption in the trophy hunting industry in South Africa, and 13 respondents had heard accounts of corruption witnessed or experienced by others. Respondents identified several perceived problems caused by corruption in the trophy hunting industry and suggested ways to mitigate corruption. Based on these results, a multi-pronged approach for addressing corruption within the trophy hunting industry in South Africa may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest conversion and conservation in rural settings are linked to both social and biophysical drivers. However, the joint analysis of these drivers presents methodological challenges. To address this problem, we propose a novel methodology to explore the relationship between livelihood heterogeneity and land use change at the community level. It combines the concept of archetype with the accounting scheme of MUlti-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism to define and quantify the characteristics of livelihood typologies in socioeconomic (time use, financial flows) and ecological terms (land use, agricultural inputs, soil degradation). Conservation trade-offs of potential policies are explored through "what if" scenarios assuming changes in off-farm opportunities, population growth, and conservation/farming subsidies. The approach is tested with a case study of the community of San Isidro, in Chiapas, Mexico. We conclude that the concept of livelihood typologies is useful to inform the debate over conservation prospects in rural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designation of protected areas has enjoyed global application as a means of biodiversity conservation for over 100 years. National conservation policy is essential as a means of protecting biodiversity, but is contingent on, amongst others, changing values and international drivers, and remains dynamic in many countries. As conservation policies evolve, the role of pre-existing protected areas within broader strategies for conservation can become unclear, with consequences both for the ability of the conservation policies to achieve their stated goals, and also for biodiversity outcomes within a nation. In order to map evolving inconsistencies between conservation policy and the role of protected areas within it, we develop a conceptual conservation policy framework synthesised from different policy orientations reported in the literature. Using South Africa as a case study, the conceptualisation is used to characterise the policy goals for protected areas in the recently adopted conservation policy, and the pre-existing protected areas system which remains on the statute books. The results indicate that the conceptual conservation policy framework can be used identify misalignment between policy and practice, and has enabled a mismatch to be identified between South Africa's pre-existing protected areas system and its contemporary conservation policy, which suggests that the management of protected areas is likely to significantly change towards greater access and monetisation at the expense of their intrinsic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exponential increase in the availability of genomic data, derived from sequencing thousands of loci or whole genomes, provides exciting new insights into the diversity of life. However, it can also challenge established species concepts and existing management regimes derived from these concepts. Genomic data can help inform decisions about how to manage genetic diversity, but policies that protect identified taxonomic entities can generate conflicting recommendations that create challenges for practitioners. We outline three dimensions of management concern that arise when facing new and potentially conflicting interpretations of genomic data: defining conservation entities, deciding how to manage diversity, and evaluating the risks and benefits of management actions. We highlight the often-underappreciated role of values in influencing management choices made by individuals, scientists, practitioners, the public, and other stakeholders. Such values influence choices through mechanisms such as the Rashomon effect, whereby management decisions are complicated by conflicting perceptions of the causes and consequences of the conservation problem. To illustrate how this might operate, we offer a hypothetical example of this effect for the interpretation of genomic data and its implications for conservation management. Such value-based decisions can be challenged by the rigidity of existing management regimes, making it difficult to achieve the necessary flexibility to match the changing biological understanding. We finish by recommending that both conservation geneticists and practitioners reflect on their respective values, responsibilities, and roles in building a more robust system of species management. This includes embracing the inclusion of stakeholders in decision-making because, as in many cases, there are not objectively defensible right or wrong decisions.

This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers—90% of whom were married—face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria's borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks. ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus ; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus ; P = 0.001). As key species such as West African crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), African leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecosystem system services framework has potential to help clarify wildlife management challenges at the single species scale, but existing methods struggle to capture the complex values and tradeoffs at play in human–wildlife interactions. We worked with community scientists to gather and use stories (n = 150) as a source of ecosystem services data about living alongside eastern coyotes (Canis latrans var) in rural Vermont, United States. Our a priori ecosystem service assessment showed that human–coyote interactions can have simultaneous positive and negative human well‐being impacts at both the sample scale and for individual interviewees. Our research identified emergent themes that lent insight into how interviewees justified different kinds of relationships with coyotes. We applied a tradeoffs lens to evaluate three policy options based on their potential to mitigate ecosystem disservices and maximize ecosystem services from human–coyote interactions. We found that ecosystem services assessment rooted in a dataset of stories revealed policy‐relevant understanding of value conflicts and alignments at the sample scale without overshadowing the nuances of individual interviewees' experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small felids play pivotal roles in India's ecosystems, regulating prey populations, facilitating nutrient transfer, and safeguarding critical habitats. Despite their ecological significance, these species receive inadequate conservation attention, contrasting sharply with the focus on larger carnivores. Our review assesses the conservation status of nine native Indian small felids, aiming to consolidate data for improved species conservation and to draw connections with global small carnivore conservation efforts. Over the last 50 years, data scarcity has impeded comprehensive understanding, hindering the assessment of crucial ecological dynamics.We delve into the factors influencing the distribution and abundance of small cats across India, identifying climate, human disturbances, the presence of large carnivores, topography, and vegetation cover as influential determinants. Notably, trade records reveal a decline in small wild felid trade since 1997, suggesting potentially positive outcomes from enhanced law‐enforcement measures.Highlighting the necessity of robust ecological data, particularly pertaining to demographic parameters, prey–predator relationships, and responses to human‐induced habitat alterations, we advocate for integrating these insights into conservation strategies. We stress the urgency of collaborative efforts supported by unwavering political commitment and sustained financial backing to ensure the successful conservation of small felids globally.This review underscores the imperative of filling knowledge gaps, integrating ecological findings into conservation frameworks, and fostering international collaborations to preserve the crucial ecological roles of small felids in terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study offers a comprehensive avifaunal diversity assessment within the Therthanagal Bird Sanctuary (TBS) in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, India, conducted from April 2021 to March 2023, covering two breeding seasons. A total of 96 bird species from 18 orders and 44 families were recorded. The family representations by species included: Ardeidae with 10 species, Accipitridae and Rallidae with six species each, Anatidae with five species, Alcedinidae, Cuculidae, Columbidae, Threskiornithidae and Cisticolidae with four species each. Four globally "Near Threatened" species (IUCN Red List) were reported: Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Asian Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus, and Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis. The observed frequencies of species classes were: common (n=58, 60%), uncommon (n=28, 29%), and rare (n=10, 10%). The majority of species were residents (n=83, 86%), followed by winter visitors (n=12, 12%), and a single passage migrant, (Rosy Starling Pastor roseus). Of conservation significance was the finding that 23 of 40 waterbird species recorded in the sanctuary were breeding on-site. Maximum numbers of birds and nests were recorded in the second year, which was presumed to be due to improved rainfall and water availability. The findings underscored the importance of the sanctuary in providing bird habitat, and emphasised the need for its conservation, particularly in safeguarding breeding waterbird habitat. This study provided essential baseline data for any management plan that the forest department may develop for the sanctuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• South Africa ranks third in global flowering plant barcode data. • The country has submitted more than 12,000 DNA barcode records to BOLD. • Endemic families and taxa are underrepresented, leaving significant data gaps. • Underutilised resources and funding constraints hinder data growth in the region. • Urgent need for collaboration, targeted sampling, and database harmonisation. South Africa, a global biodiversity hotspot, faces escalating threats to its rich plant diversity, including habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and illegal harvesting. These threats are further exacerbated by the country's taxonomic impediment, which hinders both conservation and sustainable development efforts. This paper assesses the efficiency of DNA barcoding as a tool for species identification and biodiversity conservation within the South African context. While DNA barcoding offers promising applications in conservation, significant gaps and challenges persist. We provide a comprehensive overview of plant barcoding initiatives in South Africa – by querying the public data portal for plant barcoding records, 12,456 published specimen records encompassing 159 families and ca. 3,449 species were returned. These numbers highlight historical progress, database contributions, technological advancements, and taxonomic coverage. Despite South Africa contributing the third-highest number of Magnoliophyta records to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), significant gaps in endemic families and geographic regions highlight the urgent need for targeted DNA barcoding initiatives and increased collaboration, as only ca. 16 % of the known flora has been barcoded. The underutilisation of BOLD and financial constraints pose significant barriers to expanding plant barcoding records. However, advancements in sequencing technologies offer cost-effective solutions. We advocate for concerted efforts to enhance DNA barcoding utilisation, harmonise databases, and prioritise sampling of underrepresented taxa to effectively preserve South Africa's diverse plant life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alun-alun Contong, a historical area in Surabaya, connects popular historical areas via a tram line. Today, it features commercial buildings from the Dutch East Indies era, which is dominated by contemporary style. Therefore, historical appearances have become degraded and disconnected from their surrounding areas. Based on the case study, this research tries to construct specific historical conservation policies on connecting areas that have not been discussed before. The mixed method involves several tactics that involve two phases: assessment of the building facade element and serial vision analysis as an internal and external identification. The results show the visual quality condition and potential of an area between two historical areas as a modality of the Alun-alun Contong conservation policy. The research findings enable conservation policies to use this method at other locations to improve or restore connectivity, strengthen visual quality, and ensure the sustainability of the entire urban heritage area.

From its inception, US settler agriculture has used extractive and unsustainable practices. Farm bill agricultural conservation policy since the 1930s has been based on largely ineffective approaches unable to address the environmental problems caused by agriculture. Conservation policies have consistently had both income support and environmental purposes, and have been largely countercyclical: conservation funding decreases when crop and livestock prices are higher, as income support becomes less important. This happens even though higher prices typically cause environmental stressors to get worse, indicating that conservation is ancillary to productivist goals. This is also apparent from the repeated funding of production-enhancing practices under the guise of conservation. In parallel terms, environmental concerns were and remain peripheral to the "iron triangle" conceptualization. The still-marginal role that environmental issues play in agricultural policy is a huge problem, particularly as climate change impacts, adaptation, and mitigation become more crucial in the farm sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative conservation approaches are urgently needed to balance biodiversity conservation with human development. Safeguarding elephant populations often involves active management, leading to direct intentional, direct unintentional, and indirect consequences for animals, people, and ecosystems. Drawing from One Health and One Welfare principles, our study introduces a multicriteria framework for developing conservation strategies that enhance well-being across dimensions. This approach establishes priorities, acceptability zones, and One Well-being scores that guide decision making toward optimal outcomes. We applied our One Well-being framework to evaluate 12 elephant management interventions currently or historically used in South Africa. Examining data from 3306 instances of these interventions, including on-the-ground data, we assessed their relative impact on environmental, human, and animal well-being. Our analysis identified 250 consequences of these interventions, categorized as 58 direct intentional, 127 direct unintentional, and 65 indirect. Although most direct intentional consequences were beneficial (93.4%), the direct unintentional and indirect consequences were predominantly harmful (96.9% and 75.4%, respectively). Although most interventions improved environmental well-being, their consequences for animal and human well-being were less positive. This highlights a conflict among the three well-being dimensions, underscoring the importance of incorporating human and animal well-being into elephant management strategies. Recognizing the interconnected nature of these dimensions and aiming for multiple, mutually reinforcing gains is imperative. This iterative process helps address social-ecological vulnerabilities and risks while advocating for ethical conservation practices, fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, and garnering broader support for conservation efforts. Our approach aligns with global goals for sustainable and equitable wildlife management outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordinated policies and effective global environmental governance are needed to address the global biodiversity crisis. Human dimensions like geopolitics influence conservation decision‐making and outcomes. The importance of considering these complex social factors is heightened in an era of renewed great‐power politics, as the intensifying US–China rivalry has direct implications for environmental governance and biodiversity outcomes. Can the US–China rivalry and its confrontational dynamics be channeled into conservation policymaking to improve biodiversity outcomes? Drawing from international relations and policy studies, policy diffusion theory can provide conservationists with useful insights into the interdependency of policy decisions. Here, we examine the four mechanisms—competition, coercion, learning, and emulation—of the classic model of policy diffusion theory in the context of environmental policymaking. We explore a case study for each mechanism to illustrate how it can benefit biodiversity conservation, and point to examples of relevant policies and actions that could improve outcomes. To operationalize this concept for conservation, we present a decision tree that conservationists can use to determine the most relevant policy diffusion mechanism in different policy contexts. Upon determining the appropriate mechanism, conservationists can take further steps to intentionally trigger the mechanism and catalyze conservation policy diffusion across jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing estimates of the climate mitigation potential from cropland carbon sequestration (C‐sequestration) are limited because they tend to assume constant rates of soil organic carbon change over all available cropland area, use relatively coarse land delineations, and often fail to adequately consider the agronomic and socioeconomic dimensions of agricultural land use. This results in an inflated estimate of the C‐sequestration potential. We address this gap by defining a more appropriate land base for cover cropping in the United States for C‐sequestration purposes: stable croplands in annual production systems that can integrate cover cropping without irrigation. Our baseline estimate of this suitable stable cropland area is 32% of current U.S. cropland extent. Even an alternative, less restrictive definition of stability results in a large reduction in area (44% of current U.S. croplands). Focusing cover crop implementation to this constrained land base would increase durability of associated C‐sequestration and limit soil carbon loss from land conversion to qualify for carbon‐specific incentives. Applying spatially‐variable C‐sequestration rates from the literature to our baseline area yields a technical potential of 19.4 Tg CO2e yr−1 annually, about one‐fifth of previous estimates. We also find the cost of realizing about half (10 Tg CO2e yr−1) of this potential could exceed 100 USD Mg CO2e−1, an order of magnitude higher than previously thought. While our economic analyses suggest that financial incentives are necessary for large‐scale adoption of cover cropping in the U.S., they also imply any C‐sequestration realized under such incentives is likely to be additional. Plain Language Summary: As a "Nature‐based Climate Solution" (NCS), the practice of cover cropping has received widespread attention and investment recently. Through cover cropping, croplands may be able to absorb and hold more carbon in soil, drawing down CO2 in the atmosphere (i.e., sequester carbon). However, the sequestration that is feasible, which reflects socioeconomic and land use considerations, remains unquantified. We estimate this feasible potential for carbon sequestration in the U.S. croplands from cover cropping and find it to be a fraction of previous estimates. A large portion of the reduction is due to our use of a more realistic and rigorous definition of the land area suitable for cover cropping for climate mitigation purposes. This land area comprises "croplands remaining croplands" (or stable croplands) that are planted to annual crops, like corn and soybeans, because they can more easily integrate the practice. We exclude irrigated croplands to conserve water resources. At just under 44 million ha, our baseline area estimate is 32% of the current U.S. cropland extent. The rest of the reduction is associated with our use of more conservative rates of increase in soil carbon from cover cropping than earlier studies that are more realistic for assessing soil carbon sequestration potential over large areas. Our economic analyses suggests that without financial incentives, implementing cover cropping could be expensive for most U.S. farmers. This high cost hurdle needs to be evaluated against the cost‐effectiveness of alternatives that compete for the same limited resources for climate mitigation. Key Points: For U.S. croplands, the feasible potential of carbon sequestration from cover cropping is a fraction of previous estimatesDefining the land base suitable for mitigation practices more realistically and rigorously is critical to estimating the feasible potentialCover cropping, though beneficial for soil health, may not be a low‐cost pathway for climate mitigation at scale in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, suitable freshwater habitats are undergoing alterations and fish population declines, primarily attributed to the swift changes in climate and land use. Developing an effective conservation policy for freshwater fish necessitates careful consideration of the impacts of climatic and spatial factors. This study focuses on the analysis of 64 threatened freshwater fish in Bangladesh to anticipate their current and future climatically suitable habitats, utilizing the bioclim() species distribution model. Additionally, this study examines existing inland hydrographic networks and their corresponding harvest rates. The findings indicate that approximately 75% of the area of occupancy for the studied species is currently climatically suitable, but this is expected to decrease to 13% under future climate scenarios. Notably, 27 threatened species are at risk of lacking climatically suitable habitats in the future within their current area of occupancy. The three components of hydrographic networks—floodplains, rivers, and natural lakes—play varying roles in providing a climatically suitable habitat for the studied species. For instance, only 34% of threatened fish species are projected to find a suitable habitat over flood areas, 23% over rivers, and 16% over lakes. Existing protected areas presently offer limited protection (21% suitable area), expected to decline to 6% in the future, with no dedicated protected areas for freshwater fish. Floodplains are highlighted for providing habitat connectivity and facilitating brood fish dispersal. However, the unregulated and unmonitored annual harvest of freshwater fish from floodwater and rivers poses a potential silent cause for rapid population decline. Prioritizing the management of hydrographic components to maintain habitat connectivity, legal protection for threatened fish species, and establishing permanent protected areas for fish are crucial aspects in developing a conservation policy to mitigate the impact of future climate scenarios on threatened freshwater species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers—90% of whom were married—face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria’s borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks. ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus; P = 0.001). As key species such as West African crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), African leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice).

Abstract Accounting for the values placed on nature by the public is key to successful policies in reversing ongoing biodiversity declines. However, biodiversity values are rarely included in policy decisions, resulting in poorer outcomes for people and nature. Our paper addresses an important evidence gap related to the non‐availability of values for appraising large‐scale policies and investment programmes for species recovery and habitat improvement at the national level. We use a stated preference choice modelling approach to estimate household preferences and Willingness to Pay for species recovery and habitat improvement over a wide range of habitats in England. The framing of our stated preference study is crucial to the evidence we develop. Within the study, we define species recovery as incremental improvements to habitat quality and present respondents with choices between conservation policy options that improve different habitat types. We then use the response data to estimate values for habitat quality improvements, and the associated improvements to species presence and abundance. We are thus able to estimate economic benefits for ‘wild species recovery’ simultaneously across a wide range of habitat types. Willingness to pay values for habitat improvement was found to be highest for improvements from ‘moderate’ to ‘full’ species recovery by 2042; and for habitat types which have relatively low current extents in England, such as lowland fens. Policy Implications: biodiversity policy designers can make use of stated preference methods to guide decisions over which aspects of biodiversity targets to focus more resources on, since this enables policy to reflect public preferences, and thus engages higher public support for conservation. In our specific data and context, this implies prioritising the restoration of species recovery to high levels and focussing resources on scarcer rather than more abundant habitat types. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Globally, suitable freshwater habitats are undergoing alterations and fish population declines, primarily attributed to the swift changes in climate and land use. Developing an effective conservation policy for freshwater fish necessitates careful consideration of the impacts of climatic and spatial factors. This study focuses on the analysis of 64 threatened freshwater fish in Bangladesh to anticipate their current and future climatically suitable habitats, utilizing the bioclim() species distribution model. Additionally, this study examines existing inland hydrographic networks and their corresponding harvest rates. The findings indicate that approximately 75% of the area of occupancy for the studied species is currently climatically suitable, but this is expected to decrease to 13% under future climate scenarios. Notably, 27 threatened species are at risk of lacking climatically suitable habitats in the future within their current area of occupancy. The three components of hydrographic networks—floodplains, rivers, and natural lakes—play varying roles in providing a climatically suitable habitat for the studied species. For instance, only 34% of threatened fish species are projected to find a suitable habitat over flood areas, 23% over rivers, and 16% over lakes. Existing protected areas presently offer limited protection (21% suitable area), expected to decline to 6% in the future, with no dedicated protected areas for freshwater fish. Floodplains are highlighted for providing habitat connectivity and facilitating brood fish dispersal. However, the unregulated and unmonitored annual harvest of freshwater fish from floodwater and rivers poses a potential silent cause for rapid population decline. Prioritizing the management of hydrographic components to maintain habitat connectivity, legal protection for threatened fish species, and establishing permanent protected areas for fish are crucial aspects in developing a conservation policy to mitigate the impact of future climate scenarios on threatened freshwater species.

In our research study, we surveyed national food code policy related to reuse and refillable containers. The purpose of this research is to improve access to information for multistate organizations that pursue related conservation opportunities. The landscape of food code policy in the U.S. spans six federal codes that theoretically serve as the basis for all state codes. In creating this census, the inefficiency of the current system was identified regarding the quantity and nature of the changes that states make to federal codes. Overall, 6% of regulations and 44% of definitions were sampled. We found that only two states did not meaningfully deviate from federal guidelines. Moreover, the definition of "food establishment" was changed >84% of the time. Furthermore, 65% of states were rated as permissible in their policy regarding reuse and refillable containers, 18% as semi-permissible, and 18% as non-permissible. States with older codes were substantially more likely to be semi-permissible or non-permissible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounting for the values placed on nature by the public is key to successful policies in reversing ongoing biodiversity declines. However, biodiversity values are rarely included in policy decisions, resulting in poorer outcomes for people and nature.Our paper addresses an important evidence gap related to the non‐availability of values for appraising large‐scale policies and investment programmes for species recovery and habitat improvement at the national level.We use a stated preference choice modelling approach to estimate household preferences and Willingness to Pay for species recovery and habitat improvement over a wide range of habitats in England.The framing of our stated preference study is crucial to the evidence we develop. Within the study, we define species recovery as incremental improvements to habitat quality and present respondents with choices between conservation policy options that improve different habitat types. We then use the response data to estimate values for habitat quality improvements, and the associated improvements to species presence and abundance. We are thus able to estimate economic benefits for 'wild species recovery' simultaneously across a wide range of habitat types.Willingness to pay values for habitat improvement was found to be highest for improvements from 'moderate' to 'full' species recovery by 2042; and for habitat types which have relatively low current extents in England, such as lowland fens.Policy Implications: biodiversity policy designers can make use of stated preference methods to guide decisions over which aspects of biodiversity targets to focus more resources on, since this enables policy to reflect public preferences, and thus engages higher public support for conservation. In our specific data and context, this implies prioritising the restoration of species recovery to high levels and focussing resources on scarcer rather than more abundant habitat types. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instream flows are vital to the ecology of riverine and riparian systems. The influence of watershed characteristics on these systems is helpful in developing landscape policies to maintain these flows. Watershed characteristics like precipitation, forest cover, impervious cover, soil drainage, and slope affect baseflows. Spatial analysis using GIS and nonlinear regression analysis is used to analyze spatial and temporal information from gauged watersheds in Massachusetts to quantify the relationship between baseflows and watershed metrics. The marginal functions of landscape factors that reflect changes in baseflow are quantified. This information is then applied to watershed policy toward improving base flows. The interactions of three fixed attributes, soil drainage, rainfall incidence, and slope, are analyzed for the manageable landscape attributes of impervious and forest cover. Developing watershed policy to protect baseflows involves evaluating the complex interactions and functional relationships between these landscape factors and their use in watershed conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Cerrado is one of the most biodiverse hotspots in the world, the birthplace of major rivers, and plays a crucial role in climate stability. Despite ongoing efforts to conserve the native vegetation within this biome, a significant amount of land remains legally available for conversion. This situation raises concerns, as landowners are likely to continue clearing areas for agricultural production due to its legality and the substantial economic incentives involved. This poses a direct threat to the ecosystem services provided by the Cerrado. To delve into the beliefs of landowners regarding the preservation of native vegetation beyond legal requirements on their properties, we adopted a theory-based approach, specifically the Theory of Planned Behavior. These beliefs serve as the foundation for designing and implementing effective conservation initiatives. A qualitative survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 21 landowners in Mato Grosso do Sul, Cerrado, Brazil. Through content analysis, we identified a total of 30 salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Behavioral beliefs underscored the environmental benefits of preserving more than legally required, while acknowledging existing economic constraints. Normative beliefs revealed the expectation for approval for preservation from groups historically in disagreement or conflict with landowners. Control beliefs highlighted economic incentives as facilitators for preservation; however, landowners fear losing rights over land, and fear being watched by the state through surveillance and monitoring systems. The implications of these findings for conservation initiatives are thoroughly discussed, recognizing the delicate balance between environmental preservation and the economic considerations that influence landowners in the Cerrado region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada’s provinces and territories govern species at risk across most of Canada, with the federal Species at Risk Act generally covering only aquatic species, migratory birds, and species living on federal land. More than a decade after a 2012 report by the environmental law charity Ecojustice on species at risk protection in Canada, we use the same criteria to evaluate the current state of provincial and territorial species at risk legislation, and we provide updates on changes in each jurisdiction since 2012. These criteria are as follows: whether at-risk species are being identified, whether these species are being protected, whether their habitat is being protected, and whether species recovery plans are being created and implemented. We find that there is considerable variation across jurisdictions, with shortcomings that result in inadequate protections for at-risk species, as well as strong components that should be adopted by all jurisdictions. We recommend seven key areas for improvement: dedicated and harmonized legislation, limited discretionary power, increased embrace of scientific and Indigenous knowledge, appropriate timelines for actions, reasonable exemptions to protections, habitat protection across land ownership types, and transparency throughout the process. We urge policymakers to address current shortcomings as they work toward meeting Canada’s biodiversity conservation commitments.

Conservation strategies for huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), listed as an endangered cervid by IUCN, have not helped to reverse its declining population trends. Recent evaluations of historical data revealed that they also inhabited lower valleys and grasslands as residents or only during winter. However, the dogma persists that huemuls do not need such habitats. To determine if more solid evidence exists to back up or refute our hypothesis that huemuls once inhabited lower valleys and grasslands, we researched the literature and discovered additional relevant historical sources on this species. These new findings substantiate that huemuls also occupied unforested areas, reaching the Atlantic coast, and resided on various islands including Tierra del Fuego, and that their co-occurrence with guanaco was frequent. Their extreme naivety towards humans resulted in their extirpation on winter ranges settled by humans, resulting in refugee huemuls year-round on remote mountain summer ranges. The ease by which indigenous people could kill them for subsistence and commercial export of hides to Europe, followed by the lowlands becoming modified by settlers and their exotic species facilitated the huemuls’ extirpation. The hypothesis of a dramatic modification of the original biogeographical distribution of huemuls is supported by anatomical and ecological features along with historical accounts. Sedentariness on only rugged summer ranges makes long-term survival of this species crucially challenging and requires sound conservation strategies that incorporate geographical areas of their former distribution.

Despite global calls to raise protection for nature, efforts proliferate to reduce the extent of, and restrictions in, protected areas (PAs) via legal changes to downgrade, downsize, or degazette PAs (PADDD). Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement studies have considered the tropics, despite significant data and relevance for the Global North, and focused on fixed proxies for economic opportunity cost. Given important political dynamics, we focus instead on the U.S. and shifts in political representation. We examine 2001–2018 federal PADDD events in the U.S., using panel data to control for all fixed factors. We study how elections that shift representatives and senators affect U.S. PADDD. Indeed, shifts at district, state, and national levels appear to influence PADDD. Specifically, shifts that put Republicans into office raised risks for PADDD events, especially proposals. Our empirical results highlight shifts in political power as an ongoing challenge to conservation, even after the establishment of protected areas.

Pennsylvania's (PA) processes and policies for landscape-scale cultural and visual resource conservation are lacking. In PA, like much of the United States (US), landscape change policies are prescriptive and concerned mainly with ecology, health, safety, and welfare issues. These factors combined relegate cultural and scenic aspects to ancillary matters, often leading to their degradation. Culturally focused fields, such as landscape architecture, archaeology, and planning call for rescaling cultural conservation planning to regional scale. Rescaling would treat cultural resources like other environmental and ecological resources, giving cultural resources equal weight in conservation evaluations. The United Kingdom (UK) has policies specifically for visual impact assessment required for development projects. This paper discusses scale issues and political processes within regional visual and cultural resource conservation in PA, US, compares nascent regional-scale planning efforts in PA and the UK, and proposes improvements to PA and, by extension, US cultural landscape conservation policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown trout is a species complex (Salmo trutta complex, L., 1758) including both widespread invasive (non‐native hatchery strains) lineages and endangered local‐endemic lineages, among which is the Sardinian trout, the only native salmonid present in Sardinia. Multiple stressors (e.g. the spread of stocked brown trout of Atlantic origin, habitat alteration and climate change) combine to seriously threaten the persistence of wild native populations.In this study, the origin, population genetics and demography of wild Sardinian brown trout populations were extensively investigated. A total of 274 trout individuals collected from 12 hydro‐geographical basins were analysed using both mitochondrial (control region) and nuclear (LDH‐C1* locus and 10 microsatellites) markers.Although stocking activities have altered the native genetic makeup of some populations in the study area, several (almost) uncontaminated populations showing strong genetic structure were detected. Eroded intra‐population diversity, as well as small effective population size, sometimes associated with a bottleneck signal was also found.The genetic characteristics of Sardinian trout populations described in this study are probably due, at least partly, to the peculiarity of local environmental conditions at the margin of the ecological niche for salmonids.Based on the results of this study, the need for urgent measures of conservation aimed to ensure the near future viability of the last wild Sardinian trout populations was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species extinctions and ecological degradation are accelerating to an unprecedented degree in human history, emphasizing the imperative need to understand the drivers of ecological degradation for designing effective conservation policies. This paper aims to provide an overview of China's biodiversity landscape over the past three decades since the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. We begin by reviewing several key challenges to biodiversity conservation, including habitat change, air pollution, and climate change. Next, we summarize China's multifaceted approaches to ecosystem preservation, encompassing laws, regulations, policies, and noteworthy conservation events. Furthermore, the paper explores avenues for future research, shedding light on potential stressors and solutions in the realm of biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic development that does not follow the rules of its existence can be detrimental to the living ecosystem. Many efforts have been made throughout the world to eliminate these negative impacts. Recently, religious concepts related to green economics have received attention again, including Islamic views on this matter. The problem formulation in this article is the concept of Islam in sustainable development. So this research aims to find the ideal concept of Islam in sustainable development. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive method with a library study type of research, where the researcher relies on various literature related to the study topic. The research results show that Islam has the ideals concept of sustainable development. At least there are basic principles in supporting sustainable development with the concept of a green economy, namely the application of fiqh al-bi’ah (fiqh environment) based on values guided by maqashid sharia for managing sharia resources in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change is an inevitable part of rural livelihoods. While natural disasters can trigger sudden challenges to resilience, long-term shifts in government-related socio-ecological transformation policies can pose even greater challenges to the well-being of rural households and communities. We identified and characterized the socio-ecological transformations generated by the Chinese central government's 'ecological civilization construction' policy, culminating with the creation of Sanjiangyuan National Park, and analyzed the heterogeneity of household responses to these transformations. We take a mixed-method approach that is derived from Ostrom's (2007) socio-ecological systems framework, calibrated to local residents' self-assessments of their household well-being. Our results support three policy-relevant conclusions. First, government efforts to re-settle survivors of the 2010 Yushu earthquake appear to be well appreciated by the affected populations. Second, residents' perceptions of their economic well-being depend upon their ability to augment government payments with income generated from natural products, particularly harvesting of Chongcao (Cordyceps militaris) and cattle grazing. Third, women and older residents tend to be more skeptical of government and demonstrate lower perceptions of their own economic and health status. We conclude that a successful socio-ecological transformation as envisaged by the "ecological civilization" paradigm requires a balance of government regulation, compensation, and sustainable access to environmental resources by the affected populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation strategies for huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), listed as an endangered cervid by IUCN, have not helped to reverse its declining population trends. Recent evaluations of historical data revealed that they also inhabited lower valleys and grasslands as residents or only during winter. However, the dogma persists that huemuls do not need such habitats. To determine if more solid evidence exists to back up or refute our hypothesis that huemuls once inhabited lower valleys and grasslands, we researched the literature and discovered additional relevant historical sources on this species. These new findings substantiate that huemuls also occupied unforested areas, reaching the Atlantic coast, and resided on various islands including Tierra del Fuego, and that their co-occurrence with guanaco was frequent. Their extreme naivety towards humans resulted in their extirpation on winter ranges settled by humans, resulting in refugee huemuls year-round on remote mountain summer ranges. The ease by which indigenous people could kill them for subsistence and commercial export of hides to Europe, followed by the lowlands becoming modified by settlers and their exotic species facilitated the huemuls' extirpation. The hypothesis of a dramatic modification of the original biogeographical distribution of huemuls is supported by anatomical and ecological features along with historical accounts. Sedentariness on only rugged summer ranges makes long-term survival of this species crucially challenging and requires sound conservation strategies that incorporate geographical areas of their former distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the iconic North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as Vulnerable due to population declines. Yet, in the United States, there are no national laws protecting monarchs. In 2020, the US Fish and Wildlife Service determined that monarchs are "warranted" for US Endangered Species listing, although this listing was "precluded" because of lack of agency resources. In the absence of federal laws, individual US state—sub‐national—wildlife agencies play an essential role in monarch conservation. State wildlife agencies document decadal plans for at‐risk species conservation via State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs). We analyzed all 2015–2025 SWAPs to assess and compare state‐level monarch conservation efforts. We found monarch representation in SWAPs varied widely and lacked geographic alignment with actual conservation needs and interstate coordination. For example, in the contiguous United States, 15 states that occupy critical monarch migration corridors omit listing monarchs as a species of conservation need; 10 of these states have critical breeding habitat. This limited attention in critical areas of monarch flyways is troubling. States can improve upcoming 2025–2035 plans by coordinating efforts to conserve monarch habitat across the entire migration corridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional governments are increasingly developing conservation policy initiatives that are framed alongside the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples. This paper examines the case of Tambrauw, West Papua, that set out to establish one of the first ever Conservation Regencies in Indonesia. To understand the implications of conservation policy developments, we explored from an environmental justice perspective the ways that one of the most important forest-based activities of local communities -- hunting -- has changed in recent years. Data was collected using qualitative methods of participatory observation and interviews between 2015-2018 across three Tambrauw districts. The study shows how policy changes are increasing clashes between local hunters and conservation officials. This has implications for broader issues of conservation policy and local livelihoods, and sheds light on the more recent trend of foregrounding Indigenous identity in forest management. Although on the face of it the emergence of conservation regencies represents a trend in downscaling authority to empower local communities, findings show that place-based and more locally responsive policies need to be established to address emerging conflicts that can also meet broader conservation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions are one of the main threats to biodiversity, but they also offer insights on different ecological processes, as highlighted by the hypotheses posited to explain the phenomenon. We explore the relative importance of different hypotheses using biotic (native diversity) and abiotic factors (climate and landscape configuration) as proxies driving the spatial pattern of alien plant biodiversity in Greece. The strongest predictor of alien species richness is native species richness. Landscape heterogeneity boosts this relationship, but native and alien species prefer different conditions. Landscape composition and configuration explain more of the variance of alien diversity than of native diversity, with native diversity increasing at more naturally vegetated areas and alien diversity at agricultural lands. Climate is associated more strongly with native diversity than with alien diversity, with native diversity increasing in colder regions and alien diversity in warmer regions. The transportation network was associated with higher alien species richness but not with native species richness, highlighting the importance of propagule/colonization pressure. These differences might indicate that aliens occupy part of the niche space that is not preferred by the natives and thus allow us to speculate on the role of limiting similarity as a driving force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agendas are often threatened by divergent political viewpoints. This was evidenced by the January 2023 coup attempt in Brazil. The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda faces various challenges and relies on safeguarding institutions and democracy itself. For megadiverse countries such as Brazil, strengthening the nexus between democracy and governance is fundamental.

Freshwater systems are complex social-ecological systems (SES) impacted by multiple activities within watershed boundaries beyond their shorelines. Since many of these systems provide important ecosystem services, are threatened, and are managed by complex governance structures, there is a need for empirical work to understand how social setting and interactions between stakeholders impact governance. This study assesses conservation stakeholders' perspectives in the Iowa Great Lakes region, a valuable freshwater system that is a popular tourist destination nested within an intense agricultural production region. Conservationists work within a polycentric governance structure to protect the Lakes. Using 23 semi-structured interviews and the SES Framework, we examine the environmental pressures facing the region, barriers to mitigation efforts, and solutions within a polycentric system. Our results highlight the difficulties in using voluntary conservation measures to mitigate environmental pressures and the challenges of involving non-conservation stakeholders given competing goals and limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs are a common policy tool to conserve forests. Effective PES programs attain conservation and social equity outcomes by actively engaging diverse landowners in long‐term land stewardship and meeting landowners' needs. In 2017–2018, we conducted 32 in‐depth interviews with landowners, technicians, and government officials to attain insights into how the PES program in Salta province, Argentina, has performed in terms of (1) motivating landowners to enroll in PES, and (2) ensuring their satisfaction with the design and performance of the program, a necessary precondition to ensure long‐term forest stewardship. Interviewees suggested that landowners enroll in PES because they are restricted from engaging in more profitable land uses, they are not reliant on income from their land, they need PES payments to cover their land management costs, they are unable or unwilling to sell their land because their property values have been adversely impacted by land‐use restrictions, they want to sustainably manage forested land, and/or they want to protect their property rights. Interviewees stated that land title requirements, conflicts over user rights, and high transaction costs hinder PES enrollment and exacerbate social conflicts between landowners and indigenous communities. Finally, interviewees questioned the conservation effectiveness of the PES program, owing to the program design and inadequate funding. Our findings suggest that engaging technicians, landowners, and indigenous communities in discussions on how the structure of the PES program could be improved might allow for shared learning, improved institutional trust, and the design of more flexible contracts that would facilitate sustained conservation and improved social equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]