Ecosystem Services and Key Biodiversity Areas
The Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) working group on Ecosystem Services and Key Biodiversity Areas, co-led by Penny Langhammer and Leah Gerber of the ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, hosted an international science workshop with the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas on November 7-10, 2017 in Quebec City, Canada.
The workshop brought together international and Canadian scientists, Canadian federal, provincial and territorial protected area and conservation agencies, experts in Aboriginal and community land-use planning, national and international non-governmental conservation experts and land stewardship experts.
Participants explored the potential applications of the global Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Standard for achieving Canada’s 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets, in particular for increasing coverage of land and water by protected areas and developed a plan for a national coordination body to complete the identification of KBAs in Canada.
The workshop also reviewed and tested approaches for assessing the ecosystem service values of KBAs and protected areas in Canada, as part of determining and promoting the values of these sites for human well-being.