Butterfly

A network for EU Protected Areas

The European Union's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 seeks to protect 30% of land, with 10% under strict protection, while building a transnational nature network. But, how can this influence land use change and ecosystem services provision in the future? A new paper, by Andrea Staccione and Almut Arneth in collaboration with the Land Use Change and Climate Research Group, explores the possibility of extending a network of protected areas and derived benefits. Results show that prioritizing connectivity when implementing new protected areas could achieve the strategy's targets without compromising the future provision of ecosystem services, including food production, in Europe. The Eu protected area targets appear to be achievable, but adaptation needs should be considered in the wider land system.

 

Exploring the effects of protected area networks on the European land system. Journal of Environmental Management, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117741

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