Dear Biodiversity Friends and Colleagues,
Whilst working on the EU Strategic Approach to African Wildlife Conservation, my colleagues and I had to confront the failure of the African network of protected areas to conserve the iconic wildlife of the continent. In addition to rampant trafficking of wildlife, we found that many African parks were severely degraded and the process was clearly accelerating. Ultimately it will pose the greatest threat to Africa’s wildlife. It remains a matter of deep concern that this decline in area protection is not being effectively monitored (let alone addressed and reversed). I have posted a Call for a Parks Red List <https://martynmurray.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/call-for-a-parks-red-list/> that is an appeal for the urgent implementation of an effective monitoring system for protected areas at regional and global scales. It reviews the need for a Parks Red List, the problems that have prevented its take-up by the conservation community, and how it can now be implemented.
IUCN and WWF established the modern era of conservation with their Species Red List. Many organisations have shown their commitment to monitoring the status and management effectiveness of protected areas. The expertise is available: it now needs to be put to use in establishing a Parks Red List.
Figure: Exponential rise in degradation of the protected area network in Africa
Projected by M Murray
Best wishes to all,
Martyn Murray
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Dr Martyn Murray,
Wildlife Conservationist,
Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Email: [email protected]
Author website : www.martynmurray.com
Wild Nature website : www.wildnature.org
Wild Nature on Facebook : www.facebook.com/MartynMurray
