Protected Areas in Forest Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities

• Other Authors: Dimitrakopoulos, Panayiotis (Editor), Jones, Nikoleta (Editor)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2021
• Subjects: Humanities; Social interaction; Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography; biodiversity; ecosystem services; West Africa; incentives; Sustainable Development Goals; participation; co-management; forest users; benefits; ACA; Nepal; urban forest; institutional design; land use planning; Serbia; governance; forests; environment; Malawi; Photovoice; conservation; policy; community-based forest management; participatory forest management; biodiversity conservation; nature conservation policy; operational environment; legal; economic and social factors; evaluation framework; protected areas; Natura 2000 network; conservation estate; conservation planning; bottomland hardwood forest; deforestation; isolation; buffer areas; Tanzania; social network analysis (SNA); cooperation and conflict networks; stakeholders' involvement; participatory process; Natura 2000 management Programme; anthropology; land use and access; flexibility; Bakweri; Mount Cameroon National Park; reserve network; large trees; snags; coarse woody debris; regression model; habitat conditions; strict protection; managed forests; tree cover loss; global forest; State Forests; nature protection; financing; decision making; responsibility; implementation of protective measures; Poland; silviculture; timber distribution; benefit-sharing; elite; community forestry; abiotic dispersal; animal dispersal; distance-decay; forest fragmentation; sacred forest; sacred grove; South Gondar Administrative Zone; conflict; national parks; management; pandemic; public health; wellbeing; n/a
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

Forest ecosystems are important habitats for a vast number of species worldwide. These ecosystems are degrading faster than they are regenerating, due to the increased demand for natural resources. In order to protect these ecosystems, the designation of Protected Areas (PAs) has become the primary policy tool for forest conservation. The articles included in this book explore challenges and opportunities within forest PAs, focusing on four main themes. The first theme refers to current initiatives in forest management across the world, reflecting the efforts of several organizations in halting deforestation. Major challenges are also identified, reflecting the declining rates of forest coverage across the world. A second theme refers to policy planning processes withing existing governance frameworks focusing, in particular, on the level of engagement of local stakeholders. A third theme of the book refers to social equity and how the impacts of forest PAs are distributed among different users. A final theme in the SI refers to potential solutions in order to halt the loss of biodiversity within forest ecosystems. Several directions are proposed by the authors that can be useful for policy makers and practitioners, especially in the context of the 30 by 30 targets.