10.3 Adaptation of Management Planning
for Protected Areas
The adaptation of protected area management to climate change requires consistent
definitions and objectives for the manifold activities, strategies and practices that are
part of the active management of nature conservation. Management activities affect
different stakeholders or require specific data, competencies, cooperation, and strategies. Management of protected areas is limited by financial, institutional, and legal
restrictions. In addition, lack of competence within relevant administrations and a
limited acceptance or willingness of local stakeholders to support the goals of nature
conservation hampers its implementation. These aspects define the decision-making
context and need to be considered when adapting conservation management to
climate change.
The adaptation of protected area management requires an evaluation and revision
of existing management practices, strategies and measures described in management
plans. According to the IUCN-Definition these plans should document the “management approach and goals, together with a framework for decision making, to apply in
the protected area over a given period of time. [. . .] Plans may be more or less
prescriptive, depending upon the purpose for which they are to be used and the legal
requirements to be met” (Lausche 2011, p. 29). Management plans provide guidance
and standards for all management decisions and for the implementation of conservation goals, and form a basis for transparent and acceptable management decisions.
Management plans are usually not so detailed that they define precise and measurable
objectives for all protected species and habitats in the area, but they serve as guiding
documents establishing a framework for everyday management decisions.
To address the specific tasks and challenges in adaptation, management tasks in
protected areas can be divided into different groups of activities and strategies, each
requiring a specific set of know-how, data, skills or expertise. Based on categories
suggested by The Heinz Center (2008) we divided management tasks into activities
and strategies related to:
– Land and water protection and management,
– Species conservation,
– Monitoring and planning,
– Law and policy,
– Stakeholder involvement, public relations and creation of awareness,
– Knowledge and research, science and technology.
Since most management personnel in protected areas do not have experts on
their staff for all of these tasks, external expertise should be acquired to ensure
effective adaptation.
Not all management activities are documented in detail in management plans.
Activities related to stakeholder involvement or knowledge and research are rarely
defined. Nevertheless, they have to be considered in the process of adaptation.
10 A Methodical Framework for Climate Change-Adapted Management. . .
161
for Protected Areas
The adaptation of protected area management to climate change requires consistent
definitions and objectives for the manifold activities, strategies and practices that are
part of the active management of nature conservation. Management activities affect
different stakeholders or require specific data, competencies, cooperation, and strategies. Management of protected areas is limited by financial, institutional, and legal
restrictions. In addition, lack of competence within relevant administrations and a
limited acceptance or willingness of local stakeholders to support the goals of nature
conservation hampers its implementation. These aspects define the decision-making
context and need to be considered when adapting conservation management to
climate change.
The adaptation of protected area management requires an evaluation and revision
of existing management practices, strategies and measures described in management
plans. According to the IUCN-Definition these plans should document the “management approach and goals, together with a framework for decision making, to apply in
the protected area over a given period of time. [. . .] Plans may be more or less
prescriptive, depending upon the purpose for which they are to be used and the legal
requirements to be met” (Lausche 2011, p. 29). Management plans provide guidance
and standards for all management decisions and for the implementation of conservation goals, and form a basis for transparent and acceptable management decisions.
Management plans are usually not so detailed that they define precise and measurable
objectives for all protected species and habitats in the area, but they serve as guiding
documents establishing a framework for everyday management decisions.
To address the specific tasks and challenges in adaptation, management tasks in
protected areas can be divided into different groups of activities and strategies, each
requiring a specific set of know-how, data, skills or expertise. Based on categories
suggested by The Heinz Center (2008) we divided management tasks into activities
and strategies related to:
– Land and water protection and management,
– Species conservation,
– Monitoring and planning,
– Law and policy,
– Stakeholder involvement, public relations and creation of awareness,
– Knowledge and research, science and technology.
Since most management personnel in protected areas do not have experts on
their staff for all of these tasks, external expertise should be acquired to ensure
effective adaptation.
Not all management activities are documented in detail in management plans.
Activities related to stakeholder involvement or knowledge and research are rarely
defined. Nevertheless, they have to be considered in the process of adaptation.
10 A Methodical Framework for Climate Change-Adapted Management. . .
161