In the February 2018 issue of Scientific American, Olive Heffernan critically examines the growth of large marine reserves across the world, the influence of biodiversity targets on this conservation process, and the importance of science in marine planning. Among the scientists profiled in this article is EIUI team member, Elizabeth De Santo, drawing on her research examining the marine protected area (MPA) networking planning in the UK and California. Heffernan’s key messages include (1) calling on nations to not overlook protecting the waters close to shore in lieu of large MPAs offshore, (2) ensuring that MPAs are in areas with the most biodiversity, not just easy political “wins,” and (3) the importance of following a science-driven and evidence-based decision-making process in the decisions about marine protection.
Reference
Heffernan, O. (2018). Troubled waters. Scientific American, 318(2), 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0218-44
