Landscape-scale conservation

Landscape-scale conservation is a holistic approach to conservation, concerned with biodiversity and local economies, agriculture, eco-tourism, geodiversity and the health and social benefits of the environment. Landscape-scale conservation has arisen in response to the challenges of climate change and a perceived excessive focus on site based conservation. Landscape-scale conservation is a holistic approach to conservation, concerned with biodiversity and local economies, agriculture, eco-tourism, geodiversity and the health and social benefits of the environment. Landscape-scale conservation has arisen in response to the challenges of climate change and a perceived excessive focus on site based conservation. From an ecological perspective the principles of the approach owe much to the application of island biogeography. Key reservoirs of biodiversity in the landscape are identified (including designated sites). Opportunities to link, complement or expand these sites are sought with the emphasis on the role of natural processes in their management. Among the leading exponents of UK landscape scale conservation are the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). There are 49 AONB in the UK. They have championed the 'Protected Landscape Approach' that is a standard for all category 5 protected areas in the international hierarchy of protected areas as defined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).