In-situ Conservation Strategies

There are many practical in situ conservation strategies. Most aim either to protect habitat or to reduce a specific threat.Protected areas. Land or sea is legally protected, for example national parks, nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and Marine Conservation Zones. Development, hunting or fishing may be restricted inside them.Legal protection. Laws make it illegal to kill, collect or trade endangered species. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is an international agreement that controls or bans trade in endangered species and their products, such as ivory.Habitat management. Many habitats would change naturally by succession. Grazing, mowing, coppicing or controlled burning holds a habitat at a particular stage, such as heathland or meadow.Removing invasive species. Non-native invasive species, such as rhododendron or grey squirrels, are controlled so native species can recover.Wildlife corridors. Strips of habitat, such as hedgerows, link isolated fragments. Animals can move between populations, which increases gene flow and genetic diversity and lets species shift range as the climate changes.Controlling harvesting. Fishing quotas, closed seasons and hunting limits stop populations being overexploited.Restoration and community support. Damaged habitats can be replanted or rewetted, anti-poaching patrols protect key species, and schemes pay farmers or local people to manage land in wildlife-friendly ways, so conservation also benefits them.