Conservation and restoration in peopled landscapes in Oceania: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

While the role of humans in causing high rates of species extinctions worldwide is well established, philosophies and opinions as to how to mitigate the current biodiversity loss are once again hotly debated topics. At the centre of the debate are differences in opinions regarding the value and the best methods of conserving and restoring biodiversity in peopled landscapes. Here we synthesise information from different case studies from Oceania that demonstrate how biodiversity conservation in peopled landscapes will require different, and often novel, socio-ecological approaches. We draw special attention to the importance of prioritising human dimensions in the conservation of different ecosystems, ranging from highly modified urban areas to largely intact wilderness areas. Particularly, we explore the importance of understanding motivations to conserve biodiversity, implementing well designed conservation actions, both socially and ecologically, and involving different stakeholders in the design and implementation of conservation projects. On the basis of our synthesis, we suggest that conservation in peopled landscapes in Oceania offers great opportunities for community involvement, including traditional landowners, in all aspects of conservation planning and implementation. Where uncertainties regarding the suitability of established management strategies exist, novel guidelines should be based on the best available ecological and social evidence to avoid potential negative outcomes.

Peopled landscapes: Questions of coexistence in invasive plant management and rewilding

“…If examined through a social justice framework, these complexities demonstrate the commonalities between forms of biodiversity and biosecurity conservation that rely on human intervention. Any human intervention cannot be separated from questions of justice, livelihood, land ownership and Indigenous reparations (Wittmer et al., 2018).…”

“…Peopled landscapes are increasingly being articulated as beneficial for biodiversity conservation 1 and are the focus of debates about restoring and coexisting with biodiversity (Sayer et al, 2021;Wittmer et al, 2018). The concept of peopled landscapes has a long history in geography, archaeology, landscape ecology and other disciplines and acknowledges the deep heritage of cultural influences on environments (Haberle & David, 2012;Slack & Ward, 2002), the social coconstitution of nature (Castree, 2013;Mathewson, 1998) and the 'end of nature' (Morton, 2010).…”

The conservation of urban flower visitors Down Under

“…Referencing key plant species that are particularly important for native pollinators (Donovan, 2007) and maintaining urban forest reserves likewise are integral for maintaining urban biodiversity in New Zealand. In addition, invasive species have contributed to significant declines in plant, marsupial, and bird communities in Australia and New Zealand, and there is significant public support for conservation efforts to reverse these trends, including in urban environments (Wittmer et al, 2018). As birds can be highly vulnerable to cat predation, urban pollinator conservation of avian flower visitors may require extensive removal of feral cats, limiting outdoor cat ownership, and trapping within urban areas (Kikillus et al, 2017).…”

Oceanian Sovereignty: rethinking conservation in a sea of islands

“…In this article we argue that neglected aspects of Hau'ofa's vision both anticipate and shed light on how Oceania's peoples are responding to the crisis of governance, management and conservation of regional natures in the era of climate change and rampant ecological and environmental degradation (Kelman 2017). The Pacific Islands region is notable for its biodiversity and functional ecological conservation potentials and precarities (Wittmer et al 2018;Russell and Kueffer 2019). It is also notable for the ongoing struggles of Indigenous and local communities to re-exert agency over island and ocean environments that have for millennia been intimately linked to local identities and senses of place and belonging (Ruru 2008;D'Arcy 2009;Leenhardt et al 2013).…”