Ecosystem service provision in dynamic heath landscapes.

Conservation policy and management is undergoing a step-change, moving from focusing conservation resources on individual sites such as protected areas, to include the wider landscape. Landscape-scale initiatives may focus on either managing the entire landscape or they may focus on managing particular sites but attempt to address landscape-scale patterns and processes, such as habitat fragmentation. Whilst there is a vast body of research investigating the impacts of habitat fragmentation on individual species, much less is known about the impacts of habitat fragmentation on ecological processes, for example woody succession. Woody succession is an ecological process which has particular implications for conservation management as it drives ecosystem dynamics which can alter the value of the habitat for species of conservation concern. At the same time there is a move to incorporate ecosystem service protection into conservation policy. Understanding the synergies and trade-offs that exist between biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision is therefore an important priority. Few studies have examined the influence of habitat fragmentation on woody succession and, in turn, the impact of woody succession on the value of the habitat for both biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision. In addition, there is still very little evidence suggesting to what extent areas managed for biodiversity conservation also provide ecosystem services. There is a need to understand how management approaches aimed at increasing the biodiversity value of conservation areas will impact ecosystem services, particularly at the level of the landscape. This thesis aimed to explore all these themes in the Dorset lowland heathlands, UK. The Dorset lowland heathlands are highly fragmented and a priority habitat for nature conservation because they are rare and threatened and support a characteristic flora and fauna. The main threat to this habitat is now woody succession. Without conservation management, the characteristic dwarf shrub heath undergoes succession and is replaced by scrub and woodland. The objectives of this thesis were to (1) assess the impact of fragmentation on the process of succession on lowland heathlands and quantify lowland heathland vegetation dynamics; (2) determine biodiversity and ecosystem service values of major cover types along a successional gradient on lowland heathlands and assess how trade-offs and synergies between biodiversity and ecosystem service provision vary along this gradient and (3) explore how alternative management approaches aimed at increasing the biodiversity value of lowland heathlands impact ecosystem service provision. Fragmentation was found to promote succession with smaller heaths undergoing succession faster than larger heaths. Trade-offs were found between biodiversity value and ecosystem service provision. Biodiversity value was highest in heath habitats and lowest in woodland. Carbon storage, aesthetic value and timber value were highest in woodland. However, recreation value was associated with heathland habitats and not woodland. Conservation management for biodiversity increased the biodiversity value of lowland heaths but not the provision of ecosystem services

Evaluating Land Management Options (ELMO): a participatory tool for assessing farmers’ sustainable land management decision preferences and trade-offs

This document provides guidance on applying the ELMO tool. It is primarily targeted at researchers seeking to collect information about the social and economic drivers of land use decisions, and wishing to investigate farmers’ sustainable land management preferences and trade-offs. As illustrated on the facing page, ELMO is organised around three basic questions, and entails 10 steps. Although these steps follow a logical, iterative process, it should be emphasised that the tool can be modified and adapted to the specific needs and context within which it is being applied. It is not always necessary to apply each and every step

A Guide for participatory mapping of ecosystem services in multiuse agricultural landscapes: How to conduct a rapid spatial assessment of ecosystem services

This guide presents a step-by-step approach in using a participatory mapping method with community members to rapidly identify and map ecosystem services and changes in their supply across multiuse agricultural landscapes. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies and researchers can use this approach to learn from communities about how they use and access natural resources. This activity uses a landscape approach to help land management practitioners understand the ways in which people depend on and access ecosystem services and how changes in their availability impact livelihoods across the landscape. The mapping exercise involves using free, high resolution satellite imagery from Google Earth Pro, which presents an aerial view of the community in fine detail. Participants from the community in question identify key features on the map, which help them to understand the extent of the area the map represents. They are then led through a discussion on their resources such as water, livestock, cultivated land and uncultivated land. Through the discussion participants identify: (1) where resources are located on the landscape and how they are used; (2) changes in the supply of resources and how these changes are impacting livelihoods; and (3) restrictions to access, conflicts over use and management of each resource in question. Mapping with different groups, such as men, women and youth can show which resources are most important to different groups as well as differences in access and perceptions of change. The mapping exercise is intended to take between two and a half and three hours: including introductory and concluding discussions can add on another two hours. This guide presents examples and tips from mapping exercises that tested this approach in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. We outline how this mapping exercise could be used in research, development and planning. Additionally, this guide includes appendices that contain: (1) a detailed explanation of how to create maps for each activity; (2) a set of materials that have been developed to accompany the mapping exercise; (3) steps for digitizing the maps (4) case study examples; and (5) additional sources of information

Habitat fragmentation intensifies trade-offs between biodiversity and ecosystem services in a heathland ecosystem in southern England

While habitat fragmentation represents a major threat to global biodiversity, its impacts on provision of ecosystem services are largely unknown. We analysed biodiversity value and provision of multiple ecosystem services in 110 fragments of lowland heathland ecosystems in southern England, in which vegetation dynamics have been monitored for over 30 years. Decreasing fragment size was found to be associated with a decrease in biodiversity and recreational values, but an increase in relative carbon storage, aesthetic value and timber value. The trade-off between either biodiversity or recreational values with the other ecosystem services therefore became more pronounced as heathland size decreased. This was attributed to a higher rate of woody succession in smaller heathland fragments over the past three decades, and contrasting values of different successional vegetation types for biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services. These results suggest that habitat fragmentation can reduce the potential for developing “win win” solutions that contribute to biodiversity conservation while also supporting socio-economic development. Approaches to multi-purpose management of fragmented landscapes should therefore consider the potential trade-offs in ecosystem services and biodiversity associated with fragmentation, in order to make an effective contribution to sustainable development