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Closing the Knowledge-Implementation Gap in Conservation Science pp 287–321Cite as

Conservation Science in Africa: Mainstreaming Biodiversity Information into Policy and Decision-Making

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Part of the book series: Wildlife Research Monographs ((WIREMO,volume 4))

Abstract

In this chapter, we identify the cross-sectoral decisions that require biodiversity data, then summarize key challenges in Africa around the availability, usability and quality of data, willingness to use data, and capacity. A series of case studies highlight issues and lessons, including:

  • Data often inform protected area creation but are rarely used in monitoring established protected areas.

  • Companies have a key role in making data more accessible for decision-making.

  • Simple, replicable schemes can fill taxonomic and geographic data gaps.

  • Efforts to monitor coral reefs demonstrate what is possible when conservation scientists and practitioners collaborate.

  • Threat monitoring tools should be applied in community-based natural resource management schemes, as well as protected areas.

  • The UN Sustainable Development Goals and environment agreements stimulate the development of national capacity for data collection and use.

Solutions to help information users across Africa and Madagascar access high quality data in the right format at the right time include: scaling up efforts for using standard indicators and common tools; building capacity in key institutions; using partnerships and credible science-policy interfaces. Only by sharing and upscaling the solutions to data collection and use will we be able to mainstream biodiversity into decision-making and ultimately stop biodiversity loss.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group, c/o IUCN, Gland and Ecosystem Management Group, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    P. J. Stephenson

  2. Global Environment Facility, Washington, DC, USA

    Mohamed Bakarr

  3. UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK

    Nadine Bowles-Newark & Abisha Mapendembe

  4. Ecosystem Management Group, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Fritz Kleinschroth

  5. Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science and Centre for African Wetlands, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana

    Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu

  6. CORDIO East Africa, Mombasa, Kenya

    David Obura

  7. WWF-Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana

  8. Department of Water Science and Engineering, IHE Delft, Delft, The Netherlands

    John Simaika

  9. Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    John Simaika

  10. WWF Tanzania Country Office, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Noah Sitati

  11. Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Peter Sumbi

  12. TRAFFIC International, c/o IUCN-EARO, Nairobi, Kenya

    Taye Teferi

Authors
  1. P. J. Stephenson
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  2. Mohamed Bakarr
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  3. Nadine Bowles-Newark
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  4. Fritz Kleinschroth
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  5. Abisha Mapendembe
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  6. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu
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  7. David Obura
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  8. Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana
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  9. John Simaika
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  10. Noah Sitati
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  11. Peter Sumbi
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  12. Taye Teferi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. J. Stephenson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Catarina C. Ferreira

  2. Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Svanvik, Norway

    Cornelya F. C. Klütsch

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Stephenson, P.J. et al. (2021). Conservation Science in Africa: Mainstreaming Biodiversity Information into Policy and Decision-Making. In: Ferreira, C.C., Klütsch, C.F.C. (eds) Closing the Knowledge-Implementation Gap in Conservation Science. Wildlife Research Monographs, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81085-6_11

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