8 - Expanding the Conservationist’s Toolbox: Going Beyond Species

Summary

Expanding the scope of conservation beyond species and taking a broader, more holistic approach can provide greater and more lasting benefits to a wider ecological community. However, doing so can reduce our capacity to understand and ameliorate threats to individual species. Factors that favor a broader approach can be used to prioritize areas for protection. Protected areas can benefit from appropriate management of surrounding areas and from connectivity to other protected or partially protected habitat. Eradicating invasive species can benefit multiple imperiled species—although fencing and monitoring entail long-term costs, contributing to conservation reliance. This chapter provides examples, especially from oceanic islands. Managing fire regimes, either by controlling or setting fires, is another way to improve habitat and benefit multiple species. There are trade-offs in both cost and effectiveness between single- and multi-species management.