Case studies

IUCN's 5th World Parks Congress (2003) concluded that parks should not exist as unique islands, but need to be planned and managed as an integral part of the broader landscape. Ecological networks provide an operational model for conserving biodiversity that is based on ecological principles and allow a degree of human use of the landscape.

Coral reefs are at risk from many threats including global warming causing coral bleaching, over fishing or destructive fishing, pollution by sediments, nutrients and toxic chemicals, coral mining and shoreline development and unregulated tourism. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important tool for marine conservation and management. This book provides practical advice on how to design and implement ecological and socio-economic monitoring programmes aimed at addressing these issues.

The loss and fragmentation of natural habitats is one of the major issues in wildlife management and conservation. Habitat "corridors" are sometimes proposed as an important element within a conservation strategy. Examples are given of corridors both as pathways and as habitats in their own right.