Worksheet 3.

8: DIY protected area

Some historical context
Many protected areas or nature reserves were set up in the past on land that no-one else
wanted. It may have been on poor agricultural land, land not near areas of high human
population density or land that was degraded in some way. The haphazard nature of this
meant that early reserves may not have been large enough or may have been
inappropriate to the needs of the species they were aiming to protect.
UNESCOs Man and the Biosphere programme (MAB) started in 1970, creating a world
network of international reserves now with 480 reserves in over 100 countries. The
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), sustainability and conservation are their main aims.
When conservationists are planning a new protected area, these are the questions they ask
themselves.

How large should it be to protect the species? Are there species that need protection in
the middle of a large reserve?

Is it better to have one larger or many smaller reserves (SLOSS)? What about the edge
effects?

How many individuals of an endangered species must be protected?

What is the best shape?

If there are several reserves, how close should they be to each other?

Should they be joined by corridors or be separate?

Activity
You live in a country on the equator. The natural ecosystem is rainforest. Your government
wants to clear rainforest for agriculture. You have been told that you will be left with 10% of
the available land for a reserve to conserve native species.
You need to design an effective protected area; that is, a nature reserve which achieves the
following things:

conserves a wide range of different habitats (Hint: Why is this a good idea?)

conserves endangered species

attracts revenue (cash) for future conservation ventures

is unlikely to be disturbed in the future.

Use the notes on pages 17778 of the textbook to find out about what factors make species
prone to extinction how would you avoid these problems in the design of your reserve?
Draw a diagram of your design, and annotate it to explain your ideas.
Things to think about

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a) Size
The reserve you need to create contains several endangered animals that live in very
different habitats. There are also species that range widely.

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What does SLOSS stand for? What is the advantage of each method (SL or SS)?

SLOSS stands for Single Large Or Several Small. It is one of the greatest debated in
reserve design: is it better to have one large reserve or several smaller ones. It
depends on the location of the habitants. Single Large (SL) is advantageous when
one large area can support more species than areas (they have more habitats and
can support more top carnivores). Single Several (SS) is advantageous when
habitats to be preserved are not all found reasonably close together (then several
small reserves may be necessary).

Your forest contains several large mammals, including forest elephants. How would you ensure a
viable breeding population?
A vital breeding population of several large mammals, including forest elephants, can be ensured in a
forest by the use of breeding programmes, which are used for effective conservation and re-establishment
of species in the wild. Furthermore, correct enclosure design and enrichment schemes mean that a species
is more likely to breed.
There is a large town near the reserve area and logging happening in adjacent forest. What
measures could you take to protect your area? (Hint: Buffer zone)
You can set up buffer zones (areas around conservation areas). Buffer zones contain habitats and
may be either managed or undisturbed. These area minimize disturbance from outside influences
such as people, agriculture or invasion by diseases or pests. A nearby large town or extensive
disturbing (e.g. logging) can directly impact a protected area if it is not surrounded by an area
that buffers (protects) it from effects of the disturbance. Most successful protected areas are
surrounded by buffer zones.

b) Edge effects

The area you are protecting is dense rainforest. Around the reserve will be
cleared areas of land. What problems will this cause in your reserve? (Hint: What
are edge effects? Will the conditions at the edge of the forest be the same as the
interior? Will the same species be in both places?)
One problem can be the existence of edge effects. At the edge of a protected area, there is
a change in abiotic factors exotic (e.g. more wind, or warmer and less humid conditions
compared to the interior of the reserve). Edge effects attract species that are not found
deeper in the reserve, and may also attract species from outside the reserve, leading to
competition with forest species and overall reduction in diversity.

What shape do you need to minimize edge effects? (Hint: How would you reduce the amount of
edge? Think about issues you may know about concerning surface area/volume ratios in biology).

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The best shape for a reserve is a circle because this has the lowest edge effects. Long thin reserves have
large edge effects. In practice, the shape is determined by what is available and where the habitats to eb
conserved are located. Parks tend to be irregular shapes.

c)

Corridors
Will your protected area exist in isolation?

What problems would be caused if your reserve was not connected to other
protected areas?

Some problems that could be caused if the reserve is not connected to other protected
areas:

Gene flow by immigration and/or emigration is not allowed.

Seasonal movements are not allowed

Collision between cars and animals can occur

More roads would not act as a barrier to some species.

What are the disadvantages of corridors? (Hint: What width do they need to be?)
The disadvantages of linking reserves by corridors include:

Some species may breed outside the protected area rather than in it leading to reduction in
numbers (this is called outbreeding depression).

Invasion of exotic pests or disease from connected reserves

Poachers can easily move from one reserve to another.

Corridors may be narrow (30-200m wide)-this means a big increase in edge conditions rendering
the corridors unsuitable for the dispersal of species from the centre of the reserves, which
normally avoid edge habitat.

Corridors may become barriers to some species when protected by fences or obstructions
(designed, for example, to deter poachers).

Your reserve contains several rare bird species which need habitats that cannot be found in your
reserve. What do you do about this?
In this situation, an ex situ conservation (the preservation of species outside their natural habitats) can be
used. It usually takes place in botanic gardens and zoos, which carry out captive breeding and
reintroduction programmes. The species-based approach to conservation is an approach that focuses on
specific individual species (usually animals ) that are vulnerable.
As well as size and shape, what other factors will you need to take into account to make a
successful conservation area? (Hint: Have a good educational programme)

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Other factors that need to be taken into account to make a successful conservation area is to have a good
educational programme. Community support, adequate funding and proper research increases the chance
of success for conservation efforts. The location of a conservation area in a country is a significant factor
in the success of the conservation effort. Use of surrounding land and distance from urban centres are
important factors for consideration in conservation area design.
When you have finished, read pages 19596 of the textbook. Does your reserve design match
those recommended?
Yes

Find a local example of a successful conservation area and write an A4

factsheet about it.
One example of a successful conservation area in the UAE is the Dubai Desert
Conservation Reserve (DDCR).
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve is the largest protected land area in the UAE and is
the only location where visitors can watch wildlife roam free while protected in their natural
habitat.
The Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa was opened in 1999, with its own embryonic conservation
area, which saw sand and Arabian gazelles and Arabian oryx reintroduced to their original
home.
The luxurious hideaway was expanded in 2003, with its 27 square-kilometre nature reserve
transformed into DDCR, a 225 square-kilometre national park.
To protect wildlife and control visitor numbers DDCR is segregated into zones, with some
only open to researchers and access limited at others to a few selected desert safari tour
operators.
Comprising five per cent of Dubai's total land area, the park received permanent protection
in 2004 as the government moved to maintain a balance between Dubai's rapid
development and the need to preserve its natural and cultural heritage.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and United Nations Environmental
Programme gave the park international Protected Area status in 2008, establishing DDCR as
the regional benchmark for sustainable development and conservation.
Emirates has sponsored the conservation and wildlife support programmes within the
DDCR, investing more than AED 10 million over seven years.
Al Maha continues to have overall responsibility for the operations of DDCR, which is now
home to home to more than 33 mammal and reptile species indigenous to the Arabian
Peninsula, including the endangered oryx, as well as a wide variety of bird species,
including the Barbary falcon, Lappet-faced vultures and even species of migrating Cuckoo.

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Along with the Dubai Government, Emirates developed this reserve that is now the largest
environmental park in our country. It was the first UAE conservation area officially protected
with a constitution and environmental law dedicated to ensuring its operation as a National
Park.
Apart from protecting several endangered species, such as the Arabian and Scimitar-horned
Oryx, the DDCR is a major contributor to both local scientific research and conservation
efforts.
100% of all visitor revenue from DCCR is spent on conversation and wildlife care, with
Emirates also sponsoring a dedicated conservation team of eight.
The DDCR also houses the conservation-oriented Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort
& Spa.

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