Performance and potential of protected areas

Watson, J.E.M., Dudley, N., Segan, D.B. and M. Hockings (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515: 19-25.

James Watson and his colleagues have published a review of the performance and potential of protected areas in Nature. James discusses the paper in the video below.

The key message of the review is that the financial support for protected areas is dwarfed by the benefits that they provide, but these returns depend on effective management. A step change involving increased recognition, funding, planning and enforcement is urgently needed if protected areas are going to fulfill their potential.