Applying landscape-ecological principles to regional conservation: the WildCountry Project in Australia

摘要: Introduction One of the great challenges facing humanity in twenty-first century is conservation and restoration biodiversity (Convention on Biodiversity 1992). In this chapter we present landscape-ecological underpinnings a new nongovernment organization (NGO)-driven initiative Australia, namely WildCountry Project. Global national analyses highlight extent environmental degradation need for urgent protection (e.g., SEAC 1996, Environment Australia 2001, World Resources Institute NLWRA 2002). Such also suggest that existing strategies plans are insufficient to prevent continuing losses. The primary question, at most general level, is: how can system be designed implemented likely maintain centuries millennia? Dedicated protected areas core component nation's system. By our calculations (Fig. 11.1) only about 6 percent secure area. There no theoretical or empirical basis proposition level reservation, while necessary, sufficient securing Australia's biodiversity. any case, area networks largely result various historical contingencies rather than principles modern reserve design (Margules Pressey 2000). We percentage reserved unlikely ever exceed 10–15 percent.