The impact of protected area network expansion on the conservation status of Finnish breeding birds

Abstract

Species extinction risk, often measured by the IUCN Red List status, is a widely used indicator for the state of biodiversity. Changes in the Red List status have shown alarming and rapid declines of biodiversity, both globally and in Finland. As an example, 45% of the 249 breeding bird species in Finland have been considered threatened (Red-listed) in 2015, compared to a significantly lower proportion 36,9% in 2010. Even though protected areas are considered to be a key strategy in halting biodiversity decline, there is limited evidence on the link between the establishment of protected areas and a reduction in extinction risk. The designation and management of protected areas represents a measurable financial cost, and this investment is often covered using public funds. As resources for nature conservation are limited, it is important to know if the investment in species protection truly yields the intended conservation results. The aim of this study is to quantify the impact of protected area cover and spending in maintaining the conservation status of Finnish breeding birds. To do this, I use the Finnish Red List Assessments for birds in years 2000, 2010 and 2015. I have calculated the change in status for each species between assessments in years 2000-2010 and in 2010-2015. I have then calculated the increase in protected area coverage for each bird species’ distribution since 1996 until 2010. For the public spending, I estimate how much money has been used to establish more protected areas per each species on a regional level. This information is based on data on regional protected area establishment spending provided by the Ministry of Environment. The expanded protected area coverage and the increased monetary investment in protection are then compared to the improvement or deterioration in the Red List status. Since species’ extinction risk is explained both by species’ average body mass and migration ecology, these will also be included in the analyses. Phylogenetic relatedness among species will also be considered. Currently all the data has been gathered and the analysis on the increase of protected area coverage and monetary investment will be finished during spring 2018. My results will shed light on how the increased investment in protected areas might be linked to the conservation status of species.