Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Adapting conservation to climate change: a case study on feasibility and implementation in Brandenburg, Germany

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Regional Environmental Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Conservation actions need to account for global climate change and adapt to it. The body of the literature on adaptation options is growing rapidly, but their feasibility and current state of implementation are rarely assessed. We discussed the practicability of adaptation options with conservation managers analysing three fields of action: reducing the vulnerability of conservation management, reducing the vulnerability of conservation targets (i.e. biodiversity) and climate change mitigation. For all options, feasibility, current state of implementation and existing obstacles to implementation were analysed, using the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany, as a case study. Practitioners considered a large number of options useful, most of which have already been implemented at least in part. Those options considered broadly implemented resemble mainly conventional measures of conservation without direct relation to climate change. Managers are facing several obstacles for adapting to climate change, including political reluctance to change, financial and staff shortages in conservation administrations and conflictive EU funding schemes in agriculture. A certain reluctance to act, due to the high degree of uncertainty with regard to climate change scenarios and impacts, is widespread. A lack of knowledge of appropriate methods such as adaptive management often inhibits the implementation of adaptation options in the field of planning and management. Based on the findings for Brandenburg, we generally conclude that it is necessary to focus in particular on options that help to reduce vulnerability of conservation management itself, i.e. those that enhance management effectiveness. For instance, adaptive and proactive risk management can be applied as a no-regrets option, independently from specific climate change scenarios or impacts, strengthening action under uncertainty.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adger WN, Agrawala S, Mirza MMQ, Conde C, O’Brien K, Pulhin J, Pulwarty R, Smit B, Takahashi K (2007) Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 717–743

    Google Scholar 

  • Arlettaz R, Schaub M, Fournier J, Reichlin TS, Sierro A, Watson JEM, Braunisch V (2010) From publications to public actions: when conservation biologists bridge the gap between research and implementation. Bioscience 60:835–842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aschenbrenner D, Welsch M, Opfermann S, Peters J, Ibisch PL (2012) Anwendung des systemisch-adaptiven Managementansatzes Offene Standards für die Naturschutzpraxis in der Landschaftsrahmenplanung am Beispiel des Landkreises Barnim. In: Ibisch PL, Kreft S, Luthardt V (eds) Regionale Anpassung des Naturschutzes an den Klimawandel: Strategien und methodische Ansätze zur Erhaltung der Biodiversität und Ökosystemdienstleistungen in Brandenburg. Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, Eberswalde, pp 168–185

    Google Scholar 

  • ASSBB (Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg) (2010) Statistisches Jahrbuch 2010 Brandenburg. Kulturbuch, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • BfN (Bundesamt für Naturschutz) (2008) Nature Data 2008. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Germany, Bonn

    Google Scholar 

  • Biggs D, Abel N, Knight AT, Leitch A, Langston A, Ban NC (2011) The implementation crisis in conservation planning: could “mental models” help? Conserv Lett 4:169–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooker R, Young JC, Watt AD (2007) Climate change and biodiversity: impacts and policy development challenges—a European case study. Int J Biodivers Sci Manag 3:12–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) (2000) COP 5 Decision V/6. Ecosystem Approach, Nairobi

    Google Scholar 

  • CMP (Conservation Measures Partnership) (2007) Open standards for the practice of conservation. Version 2.0. http://www.conservationmeasures.org/CMP/Site_Docs/CMP_Open_Standards_Version_2.0.pdf. Accessed 21 June 2007

  • CMP (Conservation Measures Partnership) (2010) The conservation measures partnership. http://www.conservationmeasures.org. Accessed 21 June 2010

  • Cross MS, McCarthy PD, Garfin G, Gori D, Enquist CAF (2012) Accelerating adaptation of natural resource management to address climate change. Conserv Biol 27:4–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cybulla F, Strixner L, Aschenbrenner D, Boenisch N, Unselt C, Grohe S, Ibisch PL (2012) Kohärente Planung im Naturschutz auf drei Managementebenen—FFH-Gebiet Biesenthaler Becken, Naturpark Barnim und Landkreis Barnim. In: Ibisch PL, Kreft S, Luthardt V (eds) Regionale Anpassung des Naturschutzes an den Klimawandel: Strategien und methodische Ansätze zur Erhaltung der Biodiversität und Ökosystemdienstleistungen in Brandenburg. Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, Eberswalde, pp 194–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Drechsler M, Eppink FV, Wätzold F (2011) Does proactive biodiversity conservation save costs? Biodivers Conserv 20:1045–1055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fee E, Gerber K, Rust J, Haggenmueller K, Korn H, Ibisch P (2009) Stuck in the clouds: bringing the CBD’s ecosystem approach for conservation management down to Earth in Canada and Germany. J Nat Conserv 17:212–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger L, Hobson PR, Schluck M, Ibisch PL (2012a) A global map of the functionality of terrestrial ecosystems. Ecol Complex 12:13–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger L, Schluck M, Ibisch PL (2012b) Bewertung der Funktionstüchtigkeit von Ökosystemen im Klimawandel—neuartige Prioritätensetzung auf der Grundlage aktueller Ökosystemforschung. In: Ibisch PL, Kreft S, Luthardt V (eds) Regionale Anpassung des Naturschutzes an den Klimawandel: Strategien und methodische Ansätze zur Erhaltung der Biodiversität und Ökosystemdienstleistungen in Brandenburg. Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, Eberswalde, pp 144–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger L, Hobson PR, Rupic S, Pe’er G, Schluck M, Sauermann J, Kreft S, Selva N, Ibisch PL (2013) Spatial Road Disturbance Index (SPROADI) for conservation planning: a novel landscape index, demonstrated for the State of Brandenburg, Germany. Landscape Ecol. doi:10.1007/s10980-013-9887-8

  • Füssel H-M, Klein RJT (2006) Climate change vulnerability assessments: an evolution of conceptual thinking. Clim Chang 75:301–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galatowitsch S, Frelich L, Phillips-Mao L (2009) Regional climate change adaptation strategies for biodiversity conservation in a midcontinental region of North America. Biol Conserv 142:2012–2022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallopin GC (2006) Linkages between vulnerability, resilience, and adaptive capacity. Glob Environ Chang 16:293–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geiger L, Kreft S, Ibisch PL (2012) Reducing blindspots: MARISCO, a planning approach that integrates risk management into biodiversity conservation. In: Ibisch PL, Geiger L, Cybulla F (eds) Global change management: knowledge gaps, blindspots and unknowables. Series for econics and ecosystem management, vol 1. Nomos, Baden-Baden, pp 153–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Geyer J, Kiefer I, Chavez V, Kreft S, Salafsky N, Jeltsch F, Ibisch PL (2011) Classification of climate-changed-induced stresses of biological diversity. Conserv Biol 25:708–715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallegatte S (2009) Strategies to adapt to an uncertain climate change. Glob Environ Chang 19:240–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpin PN (1997) Global climate change and natural-area protection: management responses and research directions. Ecol Appl 7:828–843

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannah L (2010) A global conservation system for climate-change adaptation. Conserv Biol 24:70–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannah L, Midgley GF, Millar D (2002) Climate change-integrated conservation strategies. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 11:485–495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heller NE, Zavaleta ES (2009) Biodiversity management in the face of climate change: a review of 22 years of recommendations. Biol Conserv 142:14–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobson PR, Ibisch PL (2012) Learning from nature for sustainability: an econical approach to (non-) knowledge management. In: Ibisch PL, Geiger L, Cybulla F (eds) Global change management: knowledge gaps, blindspots and unknowables, vol 1., Series for econics and ecosystem managementNomos, Baden-Baden, pp 223–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Hole DG, Willis SG, Pain DJ, Fishpool LD, Butchart SHM, Collingham YC, Rahbek C, Huntley B (2009) Projected impacts of climate change on a continent-wide protected area network. Ecol Lett 12:420–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hole DG, Huntley B, Arinaitwe J, Butchart SHM, Collingham YC, Fishpool LDC, Pain DJ, Willis SG (2011) Toward a management framework for networks of protected areas in the face of climate change. Conserv Biol 25:305–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter M, Dinerstein E, Hoekstra J, Lindenmayer D (2010) A call to action for conserving biological diversity in the face of climate change. Conserv Biol 24:1169–1171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibisch PL, Hobson PR (eds) (2014) MARISCO—adaptive management of vulnerability and risk at conservation sites. A guidebook for risk-robust, adaptive and ecosystem-based conservation of biodiversity. Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, Eberswalde

  • Ibisch PL, Kreft S (2008) Anpassung an den Klimawandel: eine systematische Analyse von Handlungsoptionen für den Naturschutz. ANLiegen Natur 32:3–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibisch PL, Kreft S (2009) Natura 2000 im Klimawandel. In: Bundesverband Beruflicher Naturschutz (ed) Stimmt das Klima? Naturschutz im Umbruch, vol 57. Bundesverband Beruflicher Naturschutz e.V., Bonn, pp 51–64

  • Ibisch PL, Nowicki C (2011) Análisis de la vulnerabilidad y estrategias para la adaptación al cambio climático en la Reserva Comunal El Sira—Perú. Experiencias con la metodología en el Proyecto “El Sira—GIZ”, Perú. Aplicación del método: Manejo Adaptativo de RIesgo y vulnerabilidad en Sitios de Conservación (MARISCO) en la Amazonia peruana. Lima, Peru

  • Ibisch PL, Hobson P, Vega AE (2010) Mutual mainstreaming of biodiversity and human development: towards a more radical ecosystem approach. In: Ibisch PL, Hobson P, Vega AE (eds) Interdependence of biodiversity and development under global change. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, pp 15–34

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (2007) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, editors. Cambridge, UK

  • Jeltsch F, Moloney KA, Schwager M, Körner K, Blaum N (2011) Consequences of correlations between habitat modifications and negative impact of climate change for regional species survival. Agr Ecosyst Environ 145:49–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight AT, Cowling RM, Campbell BM (2006) An operational model for implementing conservation action. Conserv Biol 20:739–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight AT, Cowling RM, Rouget M, Balmford A, Lombard AT, Campbell BM (2008) Knowing but not doing: selecting priority conservation areas and the research-implementation gap. Conserv Biol 22:610–617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kreft S, Strixner L, Ibisch PL (2013a) MARISCO—adaptives management von Risiken und Vulnerabilität in Naturschutzprojekten. In: Luthardt V, Ibisch PL (eds) Naturschutz-Handeln im Klimawandel: Risikoabschätzungen und adaptives Management in Brandenburg. Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Eberswalde, pp 70–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreft S, Tucci F, Schluck M, Strixner L, van Ahee I, Bienek M, Linke N, Ibisch PL (2013b) Indexbasierte Vulnerabilitätsabschätzung für Schutzgebiete und Ableitung von Handlungsoptionen. In: Vohland K, Badeck F, Böhning-Gaese K et al (eds) Schutzgebiete Deutschlands im Klimawandel—Risiken und Handlungsoptionen. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt, vol 129. Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn, pp 177–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunze B, Kreft S, Ibisch PL (2013) Naturschutz im Klimawandel: Risiken und generische Handlungsoptionen für einen integrativen Naturschutz. In: Vohland K, Badeck F, Böhning-Gaese K et al (eds) Schutzgebiete Deutschlands im Klimawandel—Risiken und Handlungsoptionen. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt, vol 129. Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn, pp 123–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawler JJ (2009) Climate change adaptation strategies for resource management and conservation planning. Ann NY Acad Sci 1162:79–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawler JJ, Tear TH, Pyke C, Shaw MR, Gonzalez P, Kareiva P, Hansen L, Hannah L, Klausmeyer K, Aldous A, Bienz C, Pearsall S (2010) Resource management in a changing and uncertain climate. Front Ecol Environ 8:35–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemieux CJ, Scott D (2011) Changing climate, challenging choices: identifying and evaluating climate change adaptation options for protected areas management in Ontario, Canada. Environ Manag 48:675–690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemieux CJ, Beechey TJ, Scott DJ, Gray PA (2010) Protected areas and climate change in Canada: opportunities and challenges for adaptation. Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA). Technical report no. 19 Canadian Council on Ecological Areas. vol technical report no. 19. Ottawa, Canada

  • Lempert RJ, Groves DG, Popper SW, Bankes SC (2006) A general analytic method for generating robust strategies and narrative scenarios. Manag Sci 52:514–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mawdsley JR, O’Malley R, Ojima DS (2009) A review of climate-change adaptation strategies for wildlife management and biodiversity conservation. Conserv Biol 23:1080–1089

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morecroft MD (2012) Adapting conservation to a changing climate. J Appl Ecol 49:546. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02147.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morecroft MD, Crick HQP, Duffield SJ, Macgregor NA (2012) Resilience to climate change: translating principles into practice. J Appl Ecol 49:547–551. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02136.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MUGV (2010) Biomassestrategie des Landes Brandenburg Ministry for Environment. Health and Consumer Protection, Potsdam

    Google Scholar 

  • MUGV (2011a) National Natural Landscapes in Brandenburg. Ministry for Environment, Health and Consumer Protection. http://www.mugv.brandenburg.de/. Accessed 13 Dec 2011

  • MUGV (2011b) Natura 2000: European Protection Areas in Brandenburg. Ministry for Environment, Health and Consumer Protection. http://www.mugv.brandenburg.de/. Accessed 13 Dec 2011

  • MUGV (2013) Landschaftsplanung/Landschaftspflege. Ministry for Environment, Health and Consumer Protection. http://www.mugv.brandenburg.de/. Accessed 30 April 2013

  • Nolte C, Leverington F, Kettner A, Marr M, Nielsen G, Bomhard B, Stolton S, Stoll-Kleemann S, Hockings M (2010) Protected area management effectiveness assessments in Europe—a review of application, methods and results. BfN-Skripten 271a. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogden AE, Innes JL (2009) Application of structured decision making to an assessment of climate change vulnerabilities and adaptation options for sustainable forest management. Ecol Soc 14:11

    Google Scholar 

  • Parmesan C (2006) Ecological and evolutionary responses to recent climate change. Ann Rev Ecol Evol Syst 37:637–669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters RL, Darling JDS (1985) The greenhouse-effect and nature reserves. Bioscience 35:707–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer J, Sutton RI (1999) Knowing “what” to do is not enough: turning knowledge into action. Calif Manag Rev 42:83–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pielke R, Prins G, Rayner S, Sarewitz D (2007) Climate change 2007: lifting the taboo on adaptation. Nature 445:597–598

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pimm SL (2008) Biodiversity: climate change or habitat loss—which will kill more species? Curr Biol 18:117–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poiani KA, Goldman RL, Hobson J, Hoekstra JM, Nelson KS (2011) Redesigning biodiversity conservation projects for climate change: examples from the field. Biodivers Conserv 20:185–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reyer C, Bachinger J, Bloch R, Hattermann F, Ibisch P, Kreft S, Lasch P, Lucht W, Nowicki C, Spathelf P, Stock M, Welp M (2012) Climate change adaptation and sustainable regional development: a case study for the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany. Reg Environ Chang 12:523–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sala OE, Chapin FS, Armesto JJ, Berlow E, Bloomfield J, Dirzo R, Huber-Sanwald E, Huenneke LF, Jackson RB, Kinzig A, Leemans R, Lodge DM, Mooney HA, Oesterheld M, Poff NL, Sykes MT, Walker BH, Walker M, Wall DH (2000) Biodiversity—global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100. Science 287:1770–1774

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schliep R, Bertzky M, Hirschnitz M, Stoll-Kleemann S (2008) Changing climate in protected areas? Risk perception of climate change by biosphere reserve managers. GAIA 17:116–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider S, Sarukhan J, Adejuwon J, Azar C, Baethgen W, Hope C, Moss R, Leary N, Richels R, van Ypersele J-P (2001) Overview of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability to climate change. In: McCarthy JJ, Canziani OF, Leary NA, Dokken DJ, White KS (eds) Climate change 2001: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the third assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 75–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit B, Wandel J (2006) Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Glob Environ Chang 16:282–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (2011) ConPro. The Nature Conservancy. http://conpro.tnc.org/. Accessed 29 April 2013

  • Thomas CD, Cameron A, Green RE, Bakkenes M, Beaumont LJ, Collingham YC, Erasmus BFN, de Siqueira MF, Grainger A, Hannah L, Hughes L, Huntley B, van Jaarsveld AS, Midgley GF, Miles L, Ortega-Huerta MA, Peterson AT, Phillips OL, Williams SE (2004) Extinction risk from climate change. Nature 427:145–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trouwborst A (2009) International nature conservation law and the adaptation of biodiversity to climate change: a mismatch? J Environ Law 21:419–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verschuuren J (2010) Climate change: rethinking restoration in the European Union’s Birds and Habitats Directives. Ecol Restor 28:431–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch D (2005) What should protected areas managers do in the face of climate change? George Wright Forum 22:75–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Welp M, Frost I (2012) Non-knowledge and organisational learning. In: Ibisch PL, Geiger L, Cybulla F (eds) Global change management: knowledge gaps, blindspots and unknowables, vol 1., Series for econics and ecosystem managementNomos, Baden-Baden, pp 213–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitten T, Holmes D, MacKinnon K (2001) Conservation biology: a displacement behavior for academia? Conserv Biol 15:1–3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilby RL, Dessai S (2010) Robust adaptation to climate change. Weather 65:180–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu A, Liu Y (2012) Management strategies for biodiversity protection in light of global climate change. Case studies from nature reserves in Jiangxi. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany and Jiangxi Development and Reform Commission

  • Zebisch M, Grothmann T, Schröter D, Hasse C, Fritsch U, Cramer W (2005) Climate change in Germany. Vulnerability and adaptation of climate sensitive sectors/Klimawandel in Deutschland: Vulnerabilität und Anpassungsstrategien klimasensitiver Systeme. Report 20141253. Federal Environmental Agency Germany/Umweltbundesamt. Dessau

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the Faculty of Forest and Environment of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development Lincoln University (New Zealand), the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz (“Biodiversity in Change” Program, W. Barthlott), the Landesagentur für Struktur und Arbeit (LASA) Brandenburg, the European Social Fund, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (project “Germany’s protected areas under climate change —risks and policy options”) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (INKA BB project) for partial funding of the underlying research. We cordially thank all interviewees for their participation. We are also grateful to C. Norris for language revision and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management, Faculty of Forest and Environment, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Alfred-Möller-Str. 1, 16225, Eberswalde, Germany

    Juliane Geyer, Lena Strixner, Stefan Kreft & Pierre L. Ibisch

  2. Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 2, 14469, Potsdam, Germany

    Florian Jeltsch

  3. ZALF, Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany

    Florian Jeltsch

  4. Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Florian Jeltsch

Authors
  1. Juliane Geyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lena Strixner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stefan Kreft
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Florian Jeltsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pierre L. Ibisch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juliane Geyer.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 64 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Geyer, J., Strixner, L., Kreft, S. et al. Adapting conservation to climate change: a case study on feasibility and implementation in Brandenburg, Germany. Reg Environ Change 15, 139–153 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-014-0609-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-014-0609-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation