Toward integrating private conservation lands into national protected area systems: Lessons from a megadiversity country

Conservation Science and Practice

Luiz Paulo Pinto¹  Fábio Rubio Scarano²  José Maria Cardoso daSilva³ 

[1] Centro de Pesquisas Ambientais do Nordeste (CEPAN) Recife Pernambuco Brazil;Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, IB Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil;Department of Geography and Regional Studies University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA;

关键词: biodiversity;    Brazil;    conservation;    policy;    private lands;    protected areas;   

DOI  :  10.1111/csp2.433

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Private conservation lands are essential for protecting biodiversity, but few national‐level studies have assessed their coverage and the legal frameworks that support them. Here, we review the legal mechanisms enabling conservation on private lands in Brazil and evaluate these lands' potential to reinforce the national protected area system. We found that conserving native vegetation on private lands is the most important mechanism to protect biodiversity in five out of the six Brazilian biomes. Because Brazil has a law that mandates landowners to set aside conservation areas, remnants of native vegetation were protected rather than converted to other land uses in areas of old economic frontiers. These remnants can be the cornerstones of effective regional conservation systems. Still, upgrading these remnants to privately protected areas and integrating these privately protected areas into the national protected area system remains a challenge. We suggest that the Brazilian experience provides important lessons on how other countries can design innovative policies to recognize and expand private land conservation.

【 授权许可】

Unknown