Conservation Biology​​​ in the Boreal
HOW DOES NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR COMPARE??​
Conservation Outside Protected Areas
​With over 7 billion people now living on our planet, the rate in which we use resources and develop land is ever increasing. Utilizing these resources often cause major impacts on the earth’s surface by removing critical habitats for a vast array of living organisms. With this increased habitat loss and fragmentation we are seeing extinction rates steadily rising.
One of the most effective solutions to combat the effect of humans on the environment is to create protected areas. These are areas that involve restrictions on human activity in order to maintain its natural state. These protected areas can include both terrestrial and marine systems, and restrict things like logging, hunting, mining, construction, and fishing.
So if protected areas are are a solution, why is conservation outside of these protected areas so important?
The truth is, only about 13% of the earth’s surface is protected (map above). Worse still, the majority of the protected area is found in polar latitudes, which means there is less species diversity, and less human impact than temperate or tropical regions. This leaves a MASSIVE, and extremely important 87% of the planet vulnerable to human activity and industry. Some of these activities include deforestation, hunting and fishing, creation of hydroelectric dams, and of course petroleum development. Conservation of species outside protected areas is essential for maintaining species diversity, including right here in Newfoundland.

* Protected Areas Shaded in Red