Saving Species, Privately

by Jeff Langholz

Species continue to vanish rapidly despite the vast areas set aside by governments to protect them. Can private biodiversity reserves help

Biological diversity continues to decline across most of the world, and threats are mounting as climate change kicks in. Scientists have documented temperature-related changes to the number, range, and behavior of several hundred species across the globe. Yet conservationists continue to tinker with the same old approach to saving species, when what they really need is a bold new strategy on a scale commensurate with the problem.

When it comes to biodiversity conservation, national parks and other government-protected natural areas have long served as the main tool. Since 1872, when the U.S. government established Yellowstone National Park (the world's first), governments have set aside more than 108,000 protected areas worldwide that protect some 30 million square kilometers. Many countries have reached the international standard of formally protecting 10 percent of their terrestrial surface area.

That's the good news. Hitting the 10-percent target is an impressive accomplishment, even if it took more than 135 years. But the specter of climate change suggests that 10 percent will not suffice. On a warmer planet, thousands of plant and animal species must shift to higher latitudes (or elevations) to find climatic conditions similar to those under which they evolved. Making these range shifts will take decades, if not centuries. Landscapes must also be linked with protected natural areas that facilitate safe movement. Thus, protecting the world's flora and fauna from mass extinction may require something on the order of 20 percent. And we need to do it faster this time, say within 50 years.