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Scientists urge overhaul of the world’s parks to protect biodiversity

Countries should concentrate on outcomes instead of actions when they set aside areas for parks and reserves to shore up the loss of biodiversity, according to a group of scientists.

Several forests around Bucharest get protected-area status

The Snagov, Andronache and Băneasa forests, close to Bucharest, will have the status of protected areas beginning this March, environment minister Costel Alexe announced.

Seychelles protects 30 percent of territorial waters, meeting target 10 years ahead of schedule

Seychelles has legally designated 30 percent of its territorial waters as marine protected areas 10 years ahead of international targets, President Danny Faure said at the signing of legal document on Thursday.

Seychelles to set up Marine Protected Areas

The government of Seychelles has pledged to set aside 30 percent of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to marine protected areas, out of which 15 percent will be a no take, no fishing and no extraction.

Seychelles: $ 31 Million 'Ridge to the Reef' Project to Protect Seychelles' Ecosystems From Mountain to Coast

A first-of-its-kind project in Seychelles will show an integrated approach to the management of marine, coastal and terrestrial ecosystems of the island nation, stretching from mountaintop to coastline. The $31 million project, from Ridge to Reef, will be implemented over six years. It is co-fin ...

Sharks attract illegal fishing in protected areas

Sharks attract illegal fishing in protected areas, according to a new study from the University of Exeter. The researchers found that thousands of sharks have been illegally caught in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) around the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, where fishing has been banned s ...

Simba’s future depends on putting communities at the forefront of lion conservation (commentary)

While Simba and Mufasa’s return to the big screen is good news for Disney and summer movie fans, in the quarter-century since the original animated version of The Lion King was released, Africa’s lion population has declined by roughly half.

South Africa: Cabinet Approves Marine Protected Areas

Acting Environmental Affairs Minister Derek Hanekom says a network of 20 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will considerably advance South Africa's efforts to protect its ocean heritage for future generations.

Southern Ocean conservation cannot be left behind

The recent CCAMLR meeting failed to increase marine protected areas, but progress was made on regulating krill fishing

Study: To curb biodiversity declines, protect land in the tropics

Feb. 26 (UPI) -- If world leaders, land managers and other policymakers can find a way to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius and conserve a third of the land in the tropics, global species loss could be cut in half.

Tanzania's biosphere reserves key to environmental conservation: official

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities said on Wednesday the country's five biosphere reserves were key toward environmental conservation.

Thaidene Nëné heralds a new era of parks

In Canada’s newest national park — Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve — the Łutsel K’e Dene will hunt and fish, work as guardians of the territory and show off their land to tourists.

Thailand to nominate ‘Andaman Marine Protected Areas’ as world heritage site

Thailand is preparing to nominate Andaman Marine Protected Areas as a World Heritage Site at a World Heritage Committee session in July, hoping to help stimulate the economy post-COVID-19 while promoting a sense of pride among Thai people.

The European Union at the forefront of biodiversity in the DRC

Hidden in the thick primary rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are a few silverbacks and a host of small, fiery eyes. The Baraka, one of the last families of mountain gorillas, are welcoming a happy event out of sight: a young male snuggled in his mother's arms. A new victory for ...

The Government of Canada invests in protected areas in Prince Edward Island

Protecting nature is vital to our health, well-being, and our efforts to combat climate change. That's why the Government of Canada is working closely with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples and others to double the amount of nature protected from coast to coast to coast.

The MPA Guide: A framework to achieve global goals for the ocean

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are now well established globally as tools for conservation, for enhancing marine biodiversity, and for promoting sustainable fisheries.

The New ‘Con’ in Conservation: Why the Proposed Voluntary, Paris Agreement-Style, ‘30×30’ Target for Protected Areas Won’t Save the World’s Biodiversity

The idea of increasing to 30% the portion of Earth’s lands and seas designated as protected areas by 2030 (‘30×30’) has become a rallying cry for conservationists.

The Push to Safeguard 30% of the Ocean

The ocean covers more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface and produces more than half of the oxygen on the planet. It provides sustenance and income for billions of people and plays a vital role in regulating climate around the globe.1 It is home to nearly a quarter of the world’s known speci ...

The advantage of changing sex in fish population recovery

Humans eat a lot of fish, in some areas of the world making up an essential part of our diet. Fishing can sometimes deplete fish populations to the point where the fish have difficulty reproducing and growing their numbers again. Establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that limit or eliminate ...

The hottest number in conservation is rooted more in politics than science

Right now, in the conservation movement, a lot of people are fixated on a single number: 30. The US and more than 50 other countries have pledged to conserve 30 percent of their land and water by 2030 as a means to help thwart the biodiversity crisis.

The phantom chorus: birdsong boosts human well-being in protected areas

If you thought your morning hike was contributing to your wellbeing, a new study shows that you're right, especially if our avian friends were singing while you strolled.

These 3 World Heritage marine sites store billions of tonnes of CO2

Protected marine sites around Australia are crucial for capturing and storing of greenhouse gases, according to a new UNESCO report.

These protected marine spots around the world are giving hope to Planet Earth

If you’ve been to the Andamans, gone diving in the Great Barrier Reef or sailed around the British Virgin Islands—chances are you’ve probably been to a Marine Protected Area (MPA) but you never knew it. Across the world, there are dozens of MPAs, earmarked with the aim to conserve marine life an ...

Tiny Atlantic island takes giant leap towards protecting world's oceans

A community of 250 people on one of the most remote inhabited islands on Earth has made a significant contribution to marine wildlife conservation by banning bottom-trawling fishing, deep-sea mining and other harmful activities from its waters.

To save the oceans, we need MPAs that emphasize actual protection of marine ecosystems (commentary)

Saving the ocean is possible but it requires getting serious about stopping its destruction, not everywhere, but especially in designated places called marine protected areas, a new op-ed argues.

Transforming African conservation from old social cause into next-gen growth market

Africa’s conservation challenges are daunting.

Trudeau promises 25 per cent protection of land, oceans by 2025

The Liberals’ week of climate announcements continued on Thursday, as leader Justin Trudeau committed to a new environmental target — protecting 25 per cent of Canada’s land and oceans by 2025.

Turn High Seas ‘Hotspots’ Into Parks

Researchers are using big data to identify biodiversity hotspots that could become the first generation of high seas marine protected areas.

UN cautions on depletion of biodiversity

Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, has warned that biodiversity is depleting at an unprecedented speed.

UN: A third of the planet should be protected as wildlife habitats

The planet is experiencing a mass extinction of species and we are the cause of it. But we can do something about it while there’s still time. We can stop cutting down forests. We can stop further fragmenting already fragmented wildlife habitats. And we can stop poaching endangered species.

UNDP supports Seychelles to put together 'Blue' financial plan

Ultimately, up to 400,000 km2, around 40 percent of its marine environment, will be protected and marine resources will be managed in a sustainable way for the benefit of the people of Seychelles.

Underrepresented voices needed in conservation debates

[NAIROBI] Debates and policy processes regarding global conservation need to value the perspectives of groups such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa who may have less powerful positions, a study suggests.

Using strategy to preserve biodiversity while saving space

In South and Central America, an especially high number of biodiverse areas are in jeopardy. Tropical rainforests are being cleared so that the land can be used for livestock grazing and planting soybeans. To compensate for these losses, other areas need to be placed under protection. The United ...

Watch: In Rare Event, Over 92,000 Giant River Turtles Hatch on Beach in Brazil

Call it a turtle tsunami! The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has released an amazing video showing tens of thousands of Giant South American River turtle hatchlings (Podocnemis expansa) emerging from a sandy beach in a protected area along the Purus River -- a tributary of the Amazon River ...

We need to protect 50% of the planet — but even that’s not enough

You may have heard the idea that we need to protect half of the planet to ensure enough resources for the sustainable replenishment of natural resources.

What if we gave half the planet entirely back to nature?

To conserve life on Earth (as we know it) in the face of climate change, we need a drastic solution, and a growing movement has a bold plan: set aside half of the planet’s surface for just nature. There’s one problem: There are a lot of people already on much of that land.

When tigers, elephants, rhinos visit an expanding Indian town

Once a highland where wildlife sheltered from floods, the growing town of Tezpur along the Brahmaputra, sees regular interactions between large mammals such as rhinos, tigers, elephants and humans.

Which African country is providing the world with a blueprint for ocean protection?

Gabon is in a world-leading position when it comes to protecting oceans, say experts. The country on Africa’s west coast provides a blueprint that could be used in many other nations, according to a new paper compiled by Gabonese policymakers and researchers from the University of Exeter, UK.

White-tailed eagles return to southern Britain after 240 years

Conservationists hope release of six eaglets on Isle of Wight will mirror Scotland success

Why 'biosecurity' is important for wildlife conservation

FAUSTO Novelozo, chief of the Taw’buid tribe, exhales from his worn clay pipe. The sweet scent of wild tobacco envelopes the hut. “It was sickness that drove us down from the mountains. Measles we got from Tagalog visitors. Half our village of 200 died. The survivors moved here to be closer to c ...

Why should St. Martin’s Island be declared as a marine protected area?

Bangladesh’s Exclusive Economic Zone covers 118,813km2 of the Bay of Bengal’s large marine ecosystem, which is located in the southeast corner of the country. With a 710 km coastline and three major coastal zones Bangladesh possesses a unique coastal and marine habitat. This marine ecosystem is ...

Why the St. Martin's Island should be declared a marine protected area

Since St. Martin’s island is a hotspot for a wide range of species, from primary producers to top predators, a holistic approach is required to conserve biodiversity, so declaring a new MPA here would be a good option for conserving the multifariousness in this area

Why tiny Belize is a world leader in protecting the ocean

Fish stocks are stable and reef health improving, in part thanks to Belize’s substantial ‘no-take’ zones. Now greater legislation is needed to secure progress

Will Large Protected Areas Save the Oceans or Politicize Them?

In the last decade, governments have been pushing to create vast Marine Protected Areas large enough to protect species from overfishing and other threats. But critics are questioning whether the creation of these large protected areas is driven more by geopolitics than conservation.

With Ambitious Conservation Action, Governments Can Help Nature—and People—Thrive

Our planet is home to wonderfully diverse natural habitats that support a huge array of life and provide innumerable benefits to humankind. Yet nature is deteriorating faster than at any time in recorded history due to human activity, including overexploitation of natural resources and climate c ...

Women, youth in fisheries sector benefit from multi-million projects

One of the projects dubbed ‘Improving Management Effectiveness of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Conservation Area’ aims to enhance management effectiveness of the marine protected area and adjacent locally marine managed areas for sustainable biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development.

Woodland buffers help maintain bird communities in forest edges

Woodlands in agricultural fields surrounding a protected area maintain functionality of a wintering bird community, according to a recent study.

Working through the pandemic to save the Cheer pheasant

Increasing anthropogenic pressures have led to severe environmental degradation and decline of several species. While protected areas offer refuge, a significant population of threatened species is found outside such areas -- unprotected areas are more widespread than these protected locations, ...

World's protected areas need more than a 'do not disturb' sign

Lessons learned from the world's protected forests: Just declaring a plot of land protected isn't enough—conservation needs thoughtful selection and enforcement.

[VIDEO] Protected areas can help end nature loss and protect people. Here's how.