The role of Management Effectiveness assessments in understanding the performance of protected areas

Abstract

Setting aside land for the protection of nature is a key global strategy for halting the current loss of biodiversity. However, the extent to which PAs are safeguarding biodiversity is debated, and there is an increasing understanding that setting aside land for protection is not enough to safeguard biodiversity. Importantly, we also need to understand if and how existing protected areas are maintaining biodiversity and reducing threats as well as understand what management systems, and interventions make protected areas most effective. Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) tools is one of the most widely used methods for assessing the adequacy of management actions and resources and have been applied across thousands of protected areas globally, championed by organizations like the Global Environmental Facility and WWF. This talk will present results using PAME tools to evaluate the performance of protected areas in maintaining species populations and reducing human threats and discuss the strength and weaknesses of simple, quick, and easy-to-apply management assessment tools for assessing the impact of conservation interventions.