1. Why we need a more democratic biodiversity science
Douglas Sheil, NMBU, Ås

2. Tropical forests
6-7% of earth’s surface >½ of all species >10,000 km2/year cleared … degradation, hunting, climate, etc.

3. A global crisis 1978 1989 24,307 species threatened
Extinction rates ~1000 x background rate Pimm et al., Science 344 (2014)
24,307 species threatened
1978
Miss Waldron's red colobus
(Piliocolobus badius waldronae)
1989
Golden toad (Incilius periglenes)

4. Protected areas 1985 <4% 2016 14.7% (217,155 areas) Target 17%
Enough?

5. The Half-Earth Project is working to conserve half the land and sea to safeguard the bulk of biodiversity, including ourselves
E.O. Wilson proposed conserving half the lands and seas for biodiversity to ensure the long-term health of the planet. What will Half-Earth look like? Where are the best places on Earth to protect the most species? Why Half, and how do we get there? That’s the work of the Half-Earth Project.

6. We create protected areas but …
Spending on conservation ~US$ 21.5 billion/yr globally (Waldron et al. 2013)
UN targets need ~US $ 76.1 b’n/yr* (McCarthy et al. 2012)
Major shortfall in the tropics
*0.1% of global GDP
<5% of military spending

7. Conservation costs Most land protected was occupied
Escalating conflict (expensive)
Approaches perceived as unjust are unlikely to be sustained in a democratic system
So how should we pursue conservation?

8. Conservationists need help not conflict
We can work with people to support outcomes that they seek synergy Build trust and identify acceptable options
Review
30 seconds

9. Identify tangible ways to reveal local views Respect cultural values
New opportunities …
Identify tangible ways to reveal local views
Respect cultural values
Respect local achievements in protecting nature
These opportunities are poorly recognized (outside mainstream)
Why?
Review
30 seconds

10. e.g. Sheil, Boissière, & Beaudoin 2015 Ecology & Society 20: 39
People’s protection often unrecognized
Three communities: maintain effective control and protection (3,000 km2)
Everyone involved
Specific roles too, e.g.hereditary guardians “Ijabait” along Tariku River

11. Vast opportunity Pro-conservation preferences and practices common
Community managed >10,000,000 km2 (Molnar et al. 2004)
I minute
Many people like these we worked with in Papua protect large regions of the tropics.
Farmers cover many more ...
Then read over numbers
3,700,000 Km2 is about twice the entire land area of Indonesia

12. Thanks