Protected areas (PAs) represent the main tool of modern society to mitigate the loss of biological diversity, thereby maintaining ecosystem functionality and services. The new Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 of the Convention on Biological Diversity promotes the expansion of the global coverage of PAs, through Aichi Target 11, to reach at least 17% of land and 10% of marine waters by 2020. Undoubtedly, in human dominated regions, the establishment of PAs is challenging due to multiple human uses of land and sea, while the efficiency of the current PAs network has been largely questioned.

 

The goal of this research area is to contribute to the ongoing discussion on the following topics:

 

• How efficient is the coverage and distribution of current PAs and priority regions for expanding the global PAs network?
• How could we ensure the coherence and ecological sufficiency of protected areas?
• How efficient are networks of PAs in conserving biodiversity targets under land use and climate change? Could these networks safeguard coherence and resilience to these threats?
• How could we advance systematic conservation planning tools to satisfy alternative criteria, ensuring an optimal spatial conservation prioritisation?

 

Indicative publications

• Mazaris, A. D., Almpanidou, V., Wallace, B. P., Pantis, J. D., & Schofield, G. 2014. A global gap analysis of sea turtle protection coverage. Biological Conservation 173, 17-23
• Vokou, D., Dimitrakopoulos, P. G., Jones, N., Damialis, A., Monokrousos, N., Pantis, J. D., Mazaris A.D., & Natura-2000 Committee 2014. Ten years of co-management in Greek protected areas: an evaluation. Biodiversity and Conservation 23, 2833-2855
• Tsianou, M. A., Mazaris, A. D., Kallimanis, A. S., Deligioridi, P. S. K., Apostolopoulou, E.,  Pantis, J. D. 2013. Identifying the criteria underlying the political decision for the prioritization of the Greek Natura 2000 conservation network. Biological Conservation 166, 103-110