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Contents:

1 - The challenge of conserving biological diversity; 2 - Foundations: ecoregions, guiding principles and a planning process; 3 - Building blocks for regional conservation planning; 4 - What to conserve? selecting conservation targets; 5 - Evaluating existing conservation areas and filling information gaps; 6 - How much is enough? setting goals for conservation targets; 7 - Will conservation targets persist? assessing population viability and ecological integrity; 8 - Drafting nature's blueprint: selecting and designing a network of conservation areas; 9 - Safeguarding nature's investments: setting priorities for action among conservation areas; 10 - Maintaining the ebbs and flows of the landscape: conservation planning for freshwater ecosystems; 11 - The sea around: conservation planning in marine regions; 12 - Adapting ecoregional plans to anticipate the impact of climate change; 13 - Putting the pieces together: implementing conservation plans for biodiversity at multiple scales; 14 - Conservation planning at the crossroads.

Review:

There's little new in the idea of conserving species. The theory and practice of the topic has increased immeasurably in the last 15 years. One problem is that these two areas are often separated. There's good theory in terms of conservation biology and ecology. The huge efforts by conservation volunteers around the world demonstrates ably their work. The trouble lies in that good theory and conservation science don't always make it into real-life conservation efforts, neither do conservationists (especially at the local level) have an understanding of or even access to, 'good' science. Sensing this, the author has attempted to write a text showing how science and practical work can coexist for the betterment of both and especially for species conservation.

Right from the beginning, Groves focusses conservation at the level of biodiversity. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, biodiversity is a key area shown to be crucial in our management of species and, secondly, it holds a key place in the public imagination. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but since this text is designed to help things happen then the views of stakeholders take on prominence. To this end, the first three chapters are grouped together looking at the basics of conservation. Chapter one describes the various meanings attached to 'biodiversity' and shows how it can vary and why it should be conserved. Chapter two outlines the key stages in producing a conservation plan. This is the crucial chapter: it outlines the 7 steps that need to be taken to produce a workable plan (with the key word being workable since this is a text devoted to getting things actually happening). These 7 steps ( identify targets; gather information; assess existing areas; set goals; evaluate viability; design areas and assess threats and goals) are much like any EIA or SEA in that they require certain stages to be undertaken: the fact that it needs to be mentioned shows that there's still a way to go! Chapter three ends this part with a look at the 'building blocks' needed to get a regional plan. Here, the aim is to get a group developed that will construct and implement the plan. Like chapter two, there are seven blocks that need to be considered (defining problems; team-building; project management; external relationships; data gathering; information management and evaluation). Although these aspects are necessarily separated for the purposes of the book, it should also be noted that there would be a dynamic situation between the newly formed team and the conservation project. Part two consists of 6 chapters each one of which takes one (in one case, two) elements of the conservation planning set out in chapter two. Chapter four, therefore, looks at the way in which conservation targets are selected. Here we are introduced to the range of scales, species and environments that can create difficulties. Chapter five looks at the existing provision of conservation areas and the gaps in our knowledge that we need to fill to make a good plan. The aim here is to get people to be more proactive in their conservation: to make a logical choice rather than try to pick up on whatever is left. A range of evaluation techniques are described. Chapter six focusses on the question of size - how much area is really needed for a scheme? As with other parts of the text the notion is to use good conservation and ecological science to select the best areas (tempered with a knowledge of what is likely to be achievable!). The next move is to consider whether the area will actually be any use. Global warming and other global and regional threats now make this question of central importance. Although our conservation work is only decades old the aim should be to keep it going for a century or more (of course we have no way of knowing is this can be done but at least we should address the issues). Chapter eight looks at a subject which has a longer history than most in conservation: reserve design. The trade-offs between size and shape an number are described here along with the parameters which might determine what is done. The final chapter in this part highlights the need to prioritise areas and species because time and money will always be scarce. These two parts have given us both background and a set of tools to use. Part three looks at the issues set in specific biomes: freshwater (10), marine water (11) and terrestrial ecosystems likely to be affected by climate change (12). Neither freshwater nor marine areas are amenable to the same techniques that would work in terrestrial systems and so their inclusion here tempers the ideal set up in previous chapters. The climate change work is a complete contrast in many ways to the previous chapters (although data are equally difficult to obtain!). Part four consists of two chapters describing successful schemes (13) and showing where this work could be developed further (14).

Overall this is a very interesting text. It brings together material that has been known about for some time but usually left as personal knowledge/experience amongst conservationists. It crosses the divide between theory, practice and politics in such a way as to show what needs to be done to be successful. It contains a huge range of resources and ideas that make it a key text in the subject. Conservationists from whichever part of the spectrum their work lies should read this text. The only problem as far as a UK audience is concerned is that it is highly US-centric and as such would be of more value to educators than school students. This aside, there is a great deal to be gained with numerous ideas that could be used to great effect in teaching.