Protected Area Planning in an Era of Turbulence and Complexity

In a world characterized by change, uncertainty and contentious, the future of protected areas as a cornerstone of conservation of natural heritage remains as uncertain as ever. Confronted by the needs of a growing human population, rising impacts of human activity on biodiversity and expanding expectations of protected area function, planning, including implementation, continues to be an essential ingredient in conservation. But what is planning, and why do we have so much faith in its potential? What principles and concepts underlie the formulation of approaches to planning? How can planning be more effective, efficient and equitable? In this course, we seek to address these questions and others by reviewing the historical roots of planning practice, suggest alternative perspectives, and provide a foundation for participants to engage planning and frame appropriate practice within their own cultural context.

Steve McCool is your instructor for this class. Steve serves as Professor Emeritus in the Department of Society and Conservation at the University of Montana, where he has been located for nearly 40 years. Steve has worked with protected area managers on a wide variety of challenges and opportuniies in his career and has authored many publications dealing with protected area management