Protected Areas are important in conservation strategies.
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Protected Areas maintain (species) diversity, landscapes and Ecosystem Services.
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The Ecosystem Services approach is scarcely used in Protected Area management.
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Operationalising the Ecosystem Services approach in Protected Area management may prove difficult.
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The Ecosystem Services approach could be used in Protected Area management with some changes.
Abstract
For many years, Protected Areas (PA) have been an important tool for conserving nature. Recently, also societal aspects have been introduced into PA management via the introduction of the Ecosystem Services (ES) approach. This review discusses the historical background of PAs, PA management, and the ES approach. We then discuss the relevance and applicability of the ES approach for PA management, including the different definitions of ES, different classification methods, and the ways in which ES are measured. We conclude that there are still major challenges ahead in using the ES approach in PA management and so recommendations are given on the way in which the ES approach should be integrated into PA management.
