Economic priorities shape protected area placement: The role of land competition in Argentina

Abstract

Protected areas (PAs) are a cornerstone of global conservation efforts, and their coverage is expected to increase. However, many PAs are less effective than envisioned because they have historically been established in landscapes with low human pressure (e.g., remote areas). While a growing emphasis on effectiveness and additionality in conservation planning could reduce this location bias over time, intensifying land competition may make it more difficult to place PAs in the most valuable conservation areas. As a result, it remains unclear how the residuality of PA networks has evolved in many regions. Here, we assess changes in Argentina\u27s PA network residuality from 1934 to 2022 by modeling the suitability of intensive agriculture—Argentina\u27s main competitor for conservation land—and analyzing how agricultural suitability varied in newly designated PAs. We found a pronounced and persistent bias toward less suitable areas, with no changes during the study period. This bias was evident at both local and regional levels, highlighting the persistence of this pattern across scales. Moreover, it was particularly pronounced in the most agriculturally productive regions and the most restrictive PA categories. Overall, our results suggest that competition for land has historically shaped, and continues to shape, the allocation of PAs to less contested areas. A stronger focus on increasing the representativeness and effectiveness of PA networks should be a priority when expanding these networks—particularly toward the 30 × 30 target—in Argentina and elsewhere. © 2025 Elsevier Lt