Natural icons and threats: An approach to landscape conservation planning

Park management in complex landscapes spanning jurisdictions is often limited by the lack of shared management priorities and a common spatial information system. Furthermore, current approaches may lead to a reductionist approach by focusing on a narrow range of park features in isolation from their landscape context. The natural icons and threats framework is proposed as a complementary approach that can provide a more holist perspective to managing biodiversity and nature conservation features and their threats across large and multi-jurisdictional natural landscapes. The first step is to engage managers and stakeholders in helping define natural icons, that is, widely recognized, significant and characteristic natural landscape features, and to identify threats to their condition. A GIS database of the icons and threats is developed that can be interrogated by park managers to identify conservation management priorities utilizing a decision support system. The 1.6 million hectare Australian Alps national parks network, comprising 11 protected areas spanning three States, was selected as a case study. The Multi-Criteria Analysis Shell for Spatial Decision Support tool was used to visualize and interrogate the spatial information. Critical and high priority areas for management intervention were identified and compared to current protected area agency programmes.