UQ programs a new era of conservation planning

Researchers at The University of Queensland have developed software to help make the job of conservation planners a bit easier.

Developed by Matthew Watts, Dr Ian Ball and Professor Hugh Possingham from UQ’s Ecology Centre through financial support from Ecotrust, USA, Marxan with Zones attempts to ease planning challenges by addressing the general lack of data – whether use or habitat data – that inhibits successful land and marine planning.

“Conservation planners often work in a black and white world where they are asked to determine whether an area should be set aside for protection or left open for business-as-usual,” Mr Watts said.

“This either-or scenario can leave planners in a no-win situation in ocean planning, for example, where they are asked to balance the competing needs of commercial and recreational fishermen, offshore aquaculture, wave parks, wind parks, marine protected areas, shipping lanes and developers laying internet cable.

“The technology is expected to greatly reduce the local economic impacts stemming from the implementation of zones such as Marine Protected Areas.”

Mr Watts said the technology was built upon Marxan, the world’s most widely-used conservation software-planning tool, and works by allowing several use scenarios to be considered at once.

“It finds ‘zones’ where competing interests can co-exist and identify areas suitable for fishing, marine protection, recreation, and energy. The new use “zones” often exist between what would have previously been “open” and “reserve” areas,” he said.

Ecology Centre director Professor Hugh Possignham said the software was part of an emerging class of social learning tools that combined scientific rigor with social pragmatism.

“The tools seek to build transparency and data parity into ecosystem management, to advance a common understanding of best management practices, to connect regional and sustainable product markets, and to facilitate inquiry into social-ecological relationships,” Professor Possingham said.

“It is expected that Marxan with Zones will facilitate more informed conversations between fishermen, policy makers and others, and better management planning for the benefit of marine environments and communities.”

Marxan with Zones was commissioned by Ecotrust, an American conservation organisation, and is available to download for free at www.uq.edu.au/marxan

Media: Professor Hugh Possingham (07 3365 9766).