Protected area loss, damage and fragmentation LB-1

Loss of Biodiversity Pressure

1 Indicator definition and unit of measurement

Loss, damage and fragmentation of designated protected areas (all categories) due to human activities.

The unit of measurement is percentage or km ² of protected area affected in relation to an appropriate baseline year (e.g. 1992).

2 Placement in the framework

5EAP:

Chapter 5: The themes and targets of the programme, section 5.3: Protection of nature and bio-diversity.

Agenda 21:

Chapter 15: conservation of biological diversity, section 15.5 (g) calls for the “reinforcement of protected areas”.

International conventions and agreements:

EU directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds (Berne convention, 2nd April 1979).

EU directive 92/43 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (May 1992).

Convention on biological diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 22nd June 1992): Article 8.

Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance (2nd February 1971).

Ranking:

Core ranking: 1 (54%)

Policy Relevance: 2 (3.2)

Analytical Soundness: 3 (3.3)

Responsiveness: 1 (3.1)

Most appropriate related state indicators:

Protected area extent and integrity.

3 Significance

Purpose:

The indicator represents pressures on the integrity of biological systems, hence species and their habitats, within protected areas.

Relevance:

Protected areas have a high international profile (public and institutional) and hence strong policy resonance. Because of the limitations (see below) protected area integrity per se may not fully reflect total biodiversity.

Linkages to other pressure indicators:

In the Loss of Biodiversity policy field, LB-3: Agricultural intensity; LB-6: Change in traditional land use; LB-5: Clearance of natural and semi-natural forest; LB-4: Forest and landscape fragmentation by roads/intersections; LB-2: Wetland loss through drainage. In the Marine Environment & Coastal Zone policy field, ME-7: Priority habitat loss.

Targets:

EU birds directive (79/409): special protection areas.

Habitats directive (92/43/CEE): Natura 2000 - a coherent European ecological network of special areas of conservation (JOCE L 206/1992).

Convention on biological diversity: national biodiversity action plans.

5EAP: No further deterioration in protected areas.

4 Methodological description and underlying definitions

Underlying definitions and concepts:

Loss, damage and fragmentation of protected areas represent loss of biodiversity resulting from direct negative impacts on ecological integrity at various levels: population, species and habitat.

Measurement methods:

Standardised definitions and objectives are required, particularly with regard to the causes and consequences of "fragmentation”. Fragmentation as a pressure should be measured according to sector; transport: roads length per total protected area, energy: power lines length per area, tourism: area occupied by tourist establishments, etc.

Limitations of the indicator:

(i) Definitions of "protected area" categories needs harmonisation throughout Europe (e.g. following the IUCN typology) because, amongst other things, pressure on protected areas is dependent on the degree of priority afforded by sovereign states to the integrity of protected areas in face of pressures for economic development.

(ii) Definition of “loss” or “damage” and the ecological implications of “fragmentation” needs clarification and standardisation.

(iii) Data may concentrate on single events (building of a road, land drainage etc.) and may be much less effective at indicating the deterioration in the biodiversity value and provide no direct indication of the changes in ecological quality of the protected area.

(iv) The category of damage should be identified: temporary or permanent, short or long-term, because it is important whether the activity causing the loss or damage/fragmentation is potentially reversible (e.g. road building) or causes more intractable changes in the ecosystem (e.g. non-point source pollution).

Alternative definitions:

An indicator based solely on loss of protected areas may be more appropriate since data on damage and fragmentation are more problematic. The European Topic Centre, Copenhagen is currently developing a “pressure index” for protected areas to identify threats to protected areas from the surrounding land use. The pressure index is calculated from the frequency/intensity of threats (pressures) present within buffer zones around the protected area.