Estimating conservation effectiveness across protected areas in Limpopo Province, South Africa

As we enter what many scientists call the Earth’s six mass extinction (McCallum 2015; Pimm et al. 2014; Thomas et al. 2004), the importance of biodiversity conservation is more apparent than ever. Declines in biodiversity are associated with changes that are reducing or homogenising biological diversity at many levels, from genes to habitats and ecosystems (Gaston & Spicer 2004). Probably the most efficient and widespread tool developed in response to the biodiversity crisis is the establishment of protected areas (PAs). Today, there are 202 467 designated terrestrial and inland water PAs, covering 14.7% of the land surface (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN 2016). However, despite the increased number and extent of the protected area (PA) portfolio over recent decades (Chape et al. 2005), biodiversity loss continues (Bertzky et al. 2012) and, in some cases, even within PAs (Craigie et al. 2010; Françoso et al. 2015; Laurance et al. 2012). This has led to the growing recognition that effective management of PAs is at least as important as their size, number and physical characteristics (IUCN-WCPA 2009; Leverington et al. 2010).