Wells R FEMC2007

Cost Effective Planning Approaches to Sustaining Biodiversity at the Landscape Level in the Managed Forests of Southeastern British Columbia

Ralph Wells, Centre for Applied Conservation Research, Faculty of Forestry, 3041-2424 Main Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada, ralph.wells@ubc.ca

In this study, I evaluate conservation priorities and explore outcomes of planning alternatives explicitly designed to optimise conservation objectives while minimizing economic impacts in a large (1.15 million hectare) study area in the east Kootenay region of British Columbia.
Systematic approaches to setting conservation priorities have traditionally focused on protected area planning. However, it is equally important to consider conservation activities outside of protected areas (i.e. understanding conservation benefits of the ‘matrix’ of conditions found in the managed forest). This study explicitly considers matrix areas, including areas excluded from harvesting within forest tenures, and private land areas managed for conservation purposes. I apply a hierarchical (coarse to fine filter) approach based on ecosystem representation, key habitat elements and types, and habitat for identified species to identify areas with conservation potential in the study area. I evaluate efficient solutions to meeting conservation targets for these priority areas using the Marxan conservation planning tool, a spatial simulated annealing model.

Evaluation of conservation priorities are typically developed without consideration of economic consequences. This may result in higher than necessary opportunity costs for timber or other land values than if economic consequences are explicitly considered. Incorporating economics into conservation planning has the potential of providing considerable improvements in cost effectiveness. In this study, I evaluate trade-offs among conservation and economic objectives which can be used to compare alternative scenarios to current management. I also explore conservation trade-offs that occur due to tenure and jurisdictional barriers, evaluating conservation ‘responsibility’ among tenure holders and across jurisdictions (including forest tenure holders, provincial and national parks and private land). These results are expected to provide support to decision makers interested in exploring conservation policies that are cost effective and more integrated across jurisdiction than is currently the case.