1. Mumbai's mangroves have been significantly depleted through historical city development and continuing encroachment. These mangroves are important for production of a range of ecosystem services.2. Recent conservation-oriented orders in India's courts of justice recognize some of the values associated with mangroves, though wider benefits flow to diverse stakeholders through many additional ecosystem services provided by Mumbai's remaining fringe of mangrove systems.3. Valuation of ecosystem services on a semi-quantitative basis and, where possible, using value-transfer techniques from other relevant studies, demonstrates in indicative terms the magnitude of the benefits provided to Mumbai by its mangrove systems and connected habitats. Values could only be deduced approximately as most services lie outside the current market.4. Conservative valuation and assumptions about cumulative, non-quantified value emphasize the importance of mangroves to the built environment, people, and future security of Mumbai. This reinforces the need for conservation and restoration of the mangrove resource, particularly as a matter of 'natural insurance' in the light of a changing climate, sea-level rise and other emerging sustainability challenges. 5. Current mangrove extent is at its most sparse on the seaward border of the city, arguably where greatest protection is required from storms, tsunamis, and other threats.6. Investment in mangrove restoration would add significant value to the city region. Novel economic tools such as 'payments for ecosystem services' (PES) may be used to protect or enhance the mangrove stands of Mumbai.
We used information derived from expert elicitation to measure progress in conservation of the Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) by calculating six metrics, namely: (a) current threat impact, (b) research need, (c) research achievement, (d) management need, (e) management achievement, and (f) percentage threat reduction. We then used the metrics to identify priority threats, namely predation by dogs, hunting, power lines, and vegetation changes caused by human activities. The metrics indicate that although there has been little progress in addressing predation and power lines, reductions in hunting have been achieved and practitioners have a good understanding of how to ameliorate vegetation changes. We assessed conservation needs across all sites that support Bengal Florican, and highlight conservation achievements at Stoung‐Chikreang Bengal Florican Conservation Area (BFCA), Manas National Park and Kaziranga National Park. We used our results to develop a framework for prioritizing collaboration on tackling priority threats. We highlight D'Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in India as one of the highest priority sites for Bengal Florican conservation, and propose that conservation in Stoung‐Chikreang Bengal Florican Conservation Area (BFCA), Manas National Park and Kaziranga National Park must be continued, scaled‐up and good‐practice replicated at Koklabari, Baray BFCA and Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. If these plans are followed, then we believe that priority threats can be adequately addressed and the extinction of Bengal Florican can be prevented.
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