The legal aspects of connectivity conservation: a concept paper

This publication aims to advance conceptual thinking and legal understanding about important law and policy tools and options for supporting the connectivity of protected area systems. The legal research and analyses reflected in this paper span international, regional, national and local levels. A range of legal instruments existing in most national legal systems, from conservation and sustainable use laws to land use planning, development control, voluntary conservation and economic instruments are explored. The paper is intended to offer concrete ideas of existing and potential legal tools and approaches that countries can use immediately to initiate priority connectivity conservation actions and to strengthen them progressively. It also is intended to provide a conceptual baseline for future research and case studies to continue to define and develop connectivity conservation law for supporting protected areas and for providing opportunities to address climate change as part of biodiversity conservation agendas.