New publication: Species-based or process-based conservation? Dealing with neophytes in core areas of German national parks

In the core areas of National Parks (NPs), there might be a conflict between the approaches of process-based conservation, i.e. allowing natural ecological processes to develop without intervention, and of species-based conservation, i.e. active management to protect specific aspects of biodiversity. To better understand this conflict and its consequences, we collected data on non-native plant species (neophytes) managed in 12 German terrestrial NPs and the measures implemented to control these in the period 2006–2016. Based on this, we developed a decision-making process to identify the criteria that should be considered when determining the appropriate management of neophytes.

The application of this decision-making process to existing neophyte control measures showed that 18 of these measures should be continued, six should be adapted and three terminated. Preventive measures against neophytes are only carried out in four of the 12 NPs investigated here. Given that NPs have the goal of protecting ecological processes, this lack of preventive measures is critical.

A conflict of objectives between process-based and species-based conservation approaches currently exists in more than half of the NPs investigated here. The decision-making process does not resolve this conflict, but it does make the decisions more transparent and thus more communicable. By collecting and analysing the individual species-specific measures, it will be possible to reduce the number of measures in the future, thereby at least reducing the existing conflict of objectives.

Source: Westermann J, von Oheimb G, 2021. Species-based or process-based conservation? Dealing with neophytes in the core areas of German national parks. Journal for Nature Conservation 59: 125924. DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125924

Further publications (in German):

Westermann J, von Oheimb G, 2020. Zum Umgang mit Neobiota und Zielarten in Naturdynamik- und Entwicklungszonen terrestrischer Nationalparks in Deutschland. BfN-Skripten 558: 1-71. Download link:
https://www.bfn.de/fileadmin/BfN/service/Dokumente/skripten/Skript558.pdf

Westermann J, Schmiedel D, Scherfose V, von Oheimb G, 2019. Umgang mit Neobiota und Zielarten in Naturdynamik- und Entwicklungszonen deutscher Nationalparks. Natur und Landschaft 94 (11): 472-483.