Site Prioritization

Prioritizing sites for protection or special management is a fundamental task in conservation practice. But even simple prioritization schemes can be complicated by other (sometimes competing) objectives. Here we begin with the task of assembling a system or reserves to represent the full set of targets as parsimoniously as possible (the minimum representation problem), as a way to illustrate various approaches to this task. The focus in this is on the greedy heuristic algorithm. We then extend this approach to consider additional objectives: species rarity, habitat quality or patch geometry, and connectivity. These alternative objectives invite structured decision-making in the form of multi-attribute decision analysis. Conservation practice often targets ecosystem services, which can be complicated by the engagement of a heterogeneous and spatially distributed set of stakeholders. The workflow for structured decision-making for these applications begins with goal-setting and works through the definition of objectives, empirical indicators for these objectives, a model of how the objectives might be attained, and a decision process that is as inclusive, deliberate, and transparent as possible.