Conservation and Sustainability in a Human-Dominated World

The human influence on natural ecosystems is already ubiquitous, and will increase in the foreseeable future. The traditional response of conservationists, to establish parks and protected areas and seek to exclude human influences, is unlikely to socially and economically sustainable.  Conservation efforts will have to focus on helping manage larger landscapes and seascapes.  The challenge of this approach is that it requires consideration of and tradeoffs among a variety of different management goals across the landscape:  from biodiversity conservation, through the maintenance of cultural and social diversity, the alleviation of poverty, and the generation of economic benefits.