Conservation areas have been one of the most successful methods for the modern world to ensure we preserve biodiversity. By declaring areas as protected, the biodiversity (both flora and fauna) is safe from hunting. Even in these areas, however, the problem of illegal hunting and poaching exists. Protected and conservation areas are the best attempt we currently have to keep the world's biodiversity alive. Campaign for Nature mentions that the wealthiest nations of the G7 agreed to the establishment of the 30 x 30 movement, aimed at preserving 30% of the world's biodiversity by 2030. However, regular conservation areas may not manage that 30% marker in the next ten years. The solution, as outlined by a recent paper in Nature authored by Georgina Gurney, et al, is that there might be in other effective area-based conservation measures or OECMs.

What Is an OECM?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an OECM is any area outside of a protected zone that manages to preserve biodiversity in-situ. The coming Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD) scheduled for later this year may see a few more areas be designated as OECMs. The designation is a vital part of the 30 x 30 movement. With the current OECM areas, less than 1% of the globe's land and freshwater environments, as well as less than 0.1% of the world's marine ecosystems, are covered. Many areas qualify to be OECM protected zones, but it will take the CBD to ratify those areas and add them to the list. The CBD's main aim should be to strengthen the way OECMs work with local legislation rather than replace local governance.

A Necessary Shot to the Arm of Conservation

The world's conservation efforts have seen a massive expansion in protected areas over the last decade. Unfortunately, despite the increased interest in setting up these areas, a lack of alignment with local governance and values has led to poor biodiversity outcomes and inequalities in the final setup. OECMs come to the rescue by providing a massive support role. With OECM recognition, over 50% of the world's lands, as well as Key Biodiversity Areas, become eligible for protection. However, to do so, the alignment with local values and governance must be on point. Replacing the indigenous population or riding roughshod over their values and culture will do more harm than good.

It would be folly to believe that managed areas always serve to safeguard biodiversity automatically. A paper in Scientific Reports mentions that indigenous regions of the Peruvian Amazon were far more competent at preserving biodiversity than manages areas. This report supports the suggestion that sites managed and run by local authorities that are more in tune with the region's values stand a better chance at conserving biodiversity. The potential for these areas may lie in them being recognized as OECMs by the CBD.

Equity in Preservation

Conservation has the problem of scope more often than not. In many situations, local conservation bears the brunt of the costs of an action while the global community benefits from the successes. Again, these outcomes are due to a failure of appreciation for local values and governance. However, it's not solely the fault of the conservationists that are trying to bring back biodiversity. Their goals are clear and concise. Unfortunately, their approaches are based on a "big-picture" view of the situation. This view neglects the fact that the region has to deal with the fallout of the actions. In the West, we see humans as separate and distinct from nature. Yet many of the OECM-compatible sites have local values that are entirely different. Local culture and conception of humans' place in the world may differ from how we see it in The West. The IUCN's definition of conservation attaches a western-value-based slant. Maybe this is the reason the conservation efforts tend to fail.

The Effectiveness of OECMs in Saving Biodiversity

The success of OECMs hinges on their ability to appeal to the local populace. Traditional conservation efforts may implement unenforceable or tone-deaf restrictions that lead to non-compliance. With an OECM, with the local governance being the key, there's less chance of non-compliance. Locals understand that the conservation benefits their local biodiversity and industries and are more likely to comply.

OECMs also serve as valuable support systems for conservation areas. They create a well-connected network of locations that don't restrict the movement of biodiversity, not limit it to particular locales. By doing so, they maintain the interplay of ecological forces and ensure that biodiversity remains constant in its area of effect. With a global threat like climate change on the horizon, OECMs give conservation efforts an edge in dealing with massive biophysical shifts. OECMs are somewhat resilient to shifts in local policies, with the areas maintaining an inner management system that goes beyond legislation.

Finally, OECMs can focus on the results and outcomes. The members of a populace within an OECM depend upon the continued existence of the area for their well-being. With this on the line, there's less chance of destroying the area or letting it come to harm through misuse or wanton disregard for biodiversity. Unfortunately, while this is true of the indigenous population, most times, the threats to these areas come from outside. That's where conservationists come in. By establishing areas that can be adequately guarded, they can benefit from the in-situ presence of the local population while providing backup in the form of a protected declaration.

The OECM can be a powerful tool for conservation if appropriately used, but significant challenges need to be overcome first. Luckily, there are ways to do this, such as:

1)      Show they work: Use the CBD's definition for OECM's and provide clear guidelines for managing these areas, including the local populace in its administration, to preserve their values.

2)      Strengthen the local governance: Powers granted to indigenous populations in these areas may be weakened through legislation. To ensure these areas persevere, the local authority must be backed up with the full support of the law behind them, without compromise.

3)      Secure funding for these regions:" Setting up protected areas may need extra funding. The private sector may be an excellent area to look at for this added funding.

4)      Decide on metrics for goals: Conservation is not just about protecting biodiversity. Some areas have sustainable harvesting as their primary goal, leading to misreporting. Deciding on what counts as conservation at the start helps to deal with problems in reporting.

5)      Include OECMs as part of environment agreements: At the moment, OECMs only appear in CBD policy, but they have so much more scope than this. Policymakers should add them to their tally of protected areas, alongside traditionally declared conservation zones.

With this support, OECMs may help conservationists meet their goals for the 30 x 30 movement.