A Process for Selection and Implementation of Conservation Approaches

In this book, we have described a variety of approaches designed to achieve biological conservation objectives for both rare and little-known species. Resource managers are usually most concerned, for practical rea-sons, with approaches that conserve large-bodied and better-known taxa. Because we know so little about population status and life history require-ments of rare or little-known (RLK) species, conservation managers have been forced to assume that the needs of these species are being met via proxy through our management of vegetation communities and well-stud-ied species. Because so much of the world's biological diversity consists of rarer and more poorly known species (see chaps. 3 and 4), our focus on these species is warranted. In this chapter,we propose a process by which a land manager might evaluate the conservation issues on a particular planning area and select a set of approaches to address those issues. We organize this discussion around a set of steps, as illustrated in figure 12.1: 1. Identify geographic area and scope 2. Identify social, economic, and ecological requirements and considerations 334 This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. 1.Identify lleographicarea and scope Spedes & systen)'.faGtorsto address in risk.. assessment....... /. '.- presel\,~(Iocation);oforganisms-distrtbutionl~~Dnofsites or range- demograp!ly.tpQp,·$tructuf'e, ' ViUI'raie!i,·trenCl:'1-dispersal.....:."C/: ".> •...•.•....,..-. habitatselection::;tonditions · & spatial arrangement <i;;;~'.. interspedficinterat;llons-populationgenetlfS-. ecologicalrolesci'fimdions- sensitivitY to ~rs- extent;&dlstrilnltloll of environmental c.onditions '..••.•..•••..•..-disturban ~ I1gimes- reslliencepotentiil ·.- ecosystem lulictiO'f;. Threatfactorsto address In risk assessment-type of threats.,....- immediacy of threat's-·magnitude.. of threats 8, Identify.. risk. factors thatcanll().t:be ameliorated " ' '~,, ~ ~" 10. Evaluate·ecoIoglcal, administrative, ~al,.an