Inclusion of costs in conservation planning depends on limited datasets and hopeful assumptions

摘要: Many conservation organizations use spatial prioritization to help identify locations in which work. Increasingly, prioritizations seek account for heterogeneity the costs of conservation, motivated part by claims large efficiency savings when these are included. I critically review cost estimates on such based, focusing acquisition and management associated with terrestrial protected areas. If researchers evaluate how including affects planning outcomes, estimation methods need preserve covariation between relative variation within benefits activities. However, widely used estimating incorporating them into may not meet standards. For example, among relevant studies, there is surprisingly little attention given that actually face. Instead, a heavy reliance untested proxies costs. Analytical shortcuts also common. Now debate moving beyond whether planning, it time just we can include greatest effect.