In “Species on the Move: Environmental Change, Displacement and Conservation,” Blum Center faculty director Richard Matthew and his co-authors Elaine (Lan Yin) Hsiao, Philippe Le Billon, and Galeo Saintz discuss how climate change is forcing humans to reshape traditional approaches to the conservation and protection of non-human animal species. Historically, species have been protected in set geographic spaces such as national parks. However, climate change is forcing protected species to follow new migration patterns. There is a need for more flexible forms of conservation that account for this migration while also protecting the rights and needs of humans who live along new migration paths.
Professor Matthew and his co-authors outline four potential approaches to reshaping conservation efforts in light of the effects of climate change. The research article (published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers) and a companion article in The Conversation explain approaches such as mobile protected areas, wildlife corridors, Territories of Life, and ex situ conservation. To learn more about these approaches and some of the key issues surrounding this work, read the full research article or the online piece published by The Conversation.