Effectiveness of the global protected area network in representing species diversity

Ana S. L. Rodrigues (), Sandy J. Andelman, Mohamed I. Bakarr, Luigi Boitani, Thomas M. Brooks, Richard M. Cowling, Lincoln D. C. Fishpool, Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca, Kevin J. Gaston, Michael Hoffmann, Janice S. Long, Pablo A. Marquet, John D. Pilgrim, Robert L. Pressey, Jan Schipper, Wes Sechrest, Simon N. Stuart, Les G. Underhill, Robert W. Waller, Matthew E. J. Watts and Xie Yan
Additional contact information
Ana S. L. Rodrigues: Conservation International
Sandy J. Andelman: University of California
Mohamed I. Bakarr: World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Luigi Boitani: Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’
Thomas M. Brooks: Conservation International
Richard M. Cowling: University of Port Elizabeth
Lincoln D. C. Fishpool: BirdLife International
Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca: Conservation International
Kevin J. Gaston: University of Sheffield
Michael Hoffmann: Conservation International
Janice S. Long: Conservation International
Pablo A. Marquet: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
John D. Pilgrim: Conservation International
Robert L. Pressey: New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation
Jan Schipper: University of Idaho
Wes Sechrest: Conservation International
Simon N. Stuart: Conservation International
Les G. Underhill: University of Cape Town
Robert W. Waller: Conservation International
Xie Yan: Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature, 2004, vol. 428, issue 6983, 640-643

Abstract: Abstract The Fifth World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, announced in September 2003 that the global network of protected areas now covers 11.5% of the planet's land surface1. This surpasses the 10% target proposed a decade earlier, at the Caracas Congress2, for 9 out of 14 major terrestrial biomes1. Such uniform targets based on percentage of area have become deeply embedded into national and international conservation planning3. Although politically expedient, the scientific basis and conservation value of these targets have been questioned4,5. In practice, however, little is known of how to set appropriate targets, or of the extent to which the current global protected area network fulfils its goal of protecting biodiversity. Here, we combine five global data sets on the distribution of species and protected areas to provide the first global gap analysis assessing the effectiveness of protected areas in representing species diversity. We show that the global network is far from complete, and demonstrate the inadequacy of uniform—that is, ‘one size fits all’—conservation targets.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02422

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