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Science 10 August 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5839, pp. 810 - 813
DOI: 10.1126/science.1146002
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Reports

International Conservation Policy Delivers Benefits for Birds in Europe

Paul F. Donald,1* Fiona J. Sanderson,1 Ian J. Burfield,2 Stijn M. Bierman,3 Richard D. Gregory,1 Zoltan Waliczky1

Conservation of the planet's biodiversity will depend on international policy intervention, yet evidence-based assessment of the success of such intervention is lacking. Poor understanding of the effectiveness of international policy instruments exposes them to criticism or abandonment and reduces opportunities to improve them. Comparative analyses of population trends provide strong evidence for a positive impact of one such instrument, the European Union's Birds Directive, and we identify positive associations between the rate of provision of certain conservation measures through the directive and the response of bird populations. The results suggest that supranational conservation policy can bring measurable conservation benefits, although future assessments will require the setting of quantitative objectives and an increase in the availability of data from monitoring schemes.

1 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK.
2 BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK.
3 Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: paul.donald{at}rspb.org.uk

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Comment on "International Conservation Policy Delivers Benefits for Birds in Europe".
R. Rodriguez-Munoz, A. F. Ojanguren, and T. Tregenza (2008)
Science 319, 1042b
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Response to Comment on "International Conservation Policy Delivers Benefits for Birds in Europe".
P. F. Donald, F. J. Sanderson, I. J. Burfield, S. M. Bierman, R. D. Gregory, and Z. Waliczky (2008)
Science 319, 1042c
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)