Aquaculture and Marine Protected Areas: Exploring Potential Opportunities and Synergies

This new publication, aims at exploring potential opportunities and synergies between aquaculture and conservation. Acknowledging that both aquaculture and MPA may benefit from each other in striving for global sustainable development, here are some of the questions the brochure explores: Under what circumstances can MPAs and aquaculture come together? How could MPAs boost aquaculture growth? How could aquaculture activities provide financial support to MPAs? And how can we minimize negative interactions

Summary of trials of an integrated gold exploration system at Chakari, Zimbabwe

An integrated system of exploration for gold-sulphide mineralisation in shear zones was tested in the Chakari area of Zimbabwe. This integrated system was developed in Ghana and uses the shear zone as the exploration target. This is located by interpretation of aerial photography of geological settings favourable for gold mineralisation. The shear zone is located on the ground by vapour geochemistry traverses across its strike and sulphide-rich portions are determined from detection of high CO2 values. These sites are tested for gold m inera lisa tion by process ing the over 1 y ing res idua 1 so Us us ing a so i 1 loam ing technique, improved by the use of large soil samples for sieving and panning, the concentrate obtained being passed over a spiral concentrator to extract the gold. The gold particles are counted on a gridded pan. The shear zones at Chakari have no topographic expression but are readily identified on aerial photographs as they form distinct lineaments. In an orientation study high CO2 values were obtained over the Arlandzer shear zone and a small footwall shear zone. These high CO2 values are associated with high gold particle counts, which form a zone of elevated values extending for about 60m on either side of the peak gold particle counts directly over the mineralised shear zone. The footwall shear zone is associated with high radon and thoron values, probably indicating the presence of water in it. High CO2 values near the old Bonzo 2 shaft are related to sulphides only, the gold particle counts being low. In a gold exploration exercise over a ploughed field at Chadshunt farm, a shear zone -was traced in a south south-westerly direction beneath the field by following its CO2 signature until it died away. The presence of gold m inera lisa t ion was es tab I ished by so 11 loam ing. Th is exp lora t ion exerc ise was - performed with minimal interruption to -farm work. The integrated exploration system was shown to work in the semi-arid conditions at Chakari. The uses of aerial photographic interpretation and vapour geochemistry will be of more interest to exploration companies than the soil loaming since they can afford to use the geochemical laboratories in Zimbabwe. The soil loaming will be of more interest to the prospectors and small-scale miners in the exploration of their claims. Prospectors and small-scale miners form an important grouping in the rural economy in Zimbabwe and improvements in their expertise will also benefit the exploration companies who often develop mineral occurrences flrst found by prospectors

Strengthening the global system of protected areas post-2020: A perspective from the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

Protected areas are the cornerstones of biodiversity conservation and have never been more relevant than at the present time when the world is facing both a biodiversity and a climate change crisis. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has been helping to set global standards and best practice guidelines in protected area planning and management for 60 years. Following this guidance, many countries have made significant progress toward their Aichi Target 11 commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The global community will be coming together at the 15th Conference of the Parties of the CBD to set new biodiversity conservation targets for the next decade, as milestones to 2050 and a vision of “a world living in harmony with nature.” This paper lays out the WCPA perspective on priorities for supporting effective protected and conserved areas for the post-2020 era

Public perceptions of the UK marine environment

The damaging effects of human activities on marine health suggest that a major shift is required in the way marine systems are used by individuals. Identifying how to engage society in this shift is an ongoing debate. This includes strengthening the positive connections between society and the sea. This study uses a survey (n¼1047) to investigate UK public perceptions of subtidal species and marine health to assess whether it is possible to build more positive connections between society and the sea. Respondents showed considerable interest in traditionally charismatic species (puffins, seals and seahorses) although many respondents thought these species did not live in UK seas. Gender and experience of marine environments influenced public perceptions of species. Public perceptions of marine health showed issues such as litter to be considered as the greatest indicator of poor health. Ecological concepts of habitat integrity and biodiversity were also rated as important to marine health. Social values were found to influence public perceptions of marine health. The results show that perceptions are far from uniform across the population, and such diversity of perceptions is likely impact upon methods to catalyse societal engagement with marine conservation. These findings reinforce previous research on public perceptions of UK seas, and identify opportunities for building positive connections between society and the sea. Research priorities to further the debate of engaging society with the sea are identified

Protected areas: providing natural solutions to 21st century challenges

Protected areas remain a cornerstone of global conservation efforts. The double impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss are major threats to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially those relating to environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation and food and water security. The growing awareness of the planet’s vulnerability to human driven changes also provides an opportunity to re-emphasize the multiple values of natural ecosystems and the services that they provide. Protected areas, when integrated into landuse plans as part of larger and connected conservation networks, offer practical, tangible solutions to the problems of both species loss and adaptation to climate change. Natural habitats make a significant contribution to mitigation by storing and sequestering carbon in vegetation and soils, and to adaptation by maintaining essential ecosystem services which help societies to respond to, and cope with climate change and other environmental challenges. Many protected areas could be justified on socioeconomic grounds alone yet their multiple goods and services are largely unrecognized in national accounting. This paper argues that there is a convincing case for greater investment in expanded and better-connected protected area systems, under a range of governance and management regimes that are specifically designed to counter the threats of climate change, increased demand and altered patterns of resource use. The new agenda for protected areas requires greater inclusivity of a broader spectrum of actors and rights holders, with growing attention to landscapes and seascapes protected by indigenous peoples, local communities, private owners and other actors which complement conservation areas managed by state agencies. Greater attention also needs to be focused on ways to integrate and mainstream protected areas into sustainable development, including promotion of “green” infrastructure as a strategic part of responses to climate change

Ozeanversauerung: Zusammenfassung für Entscheidungsträger

Third Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 Worl