Marxan Manual Launch Developing better support materials for Marxan and its future developments The New Marxan Manual MEBM Tool Innovation Fund project, EBM Tools Network, 12 Feb 2008 (13 Feb in Australia) Jeff Ardron Vice-President Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association (PacMARA) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Applied Environmental Decision Analysis Commonwealth Environmental Research Facility The Ecology Centre The University of Queensland St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

Marxan Manual Launch The Team Writers: Eddie Game & Hedley Grantham Editors: Jeff Ardron, Carissa Klein, Dave Nicolson, Hugh Possingham, & Matt Watts New-user testers: Lindsay Kircher & Dan Segan Spanish translation supervisor: Jose (“Pepe”) L. Gerhartz Wiki development: Kyira Korrigan

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA History The plea for a Systematic Approach... Margules, C.R., and Pressey, R.L. (2000). Systematic conservation planning. Nature, 405: “A more systematic approach to locating and designing reserves has been evolving and this approach will need to be implemented if a large proportion of today’s biodiversity is to exist in a future of increasing numbers of people and their demands on natural resources.”

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Non-optimal Decisions in the past? --terrestrial Gonzales, E.K., Arcese, P., Schultz, R., & Bunnel, F. (2003). Strategic reserve design in the Central Coast of British Columbia: Integrating ecological and industrial goals. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 33,

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Non-optimal Decisions in the past? --marine Klein, C.J., Steinback, C., Scholz, A.J., Possingham, H.P. In review. Effectiveness of marine reserve networks in representing biodiversity and minimizing impact to fishermen: a comparison of two approaches used in California. California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Marxan Solutions MixedFishermenConservationistsSolution considered

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Where site selection tools fit into the larger picture... Software & systematic planning 1. Scope and cost 2. Identify and involve stakeholders 3. Identify goals 4. Compile data 5. Set conservation targets 6. Assess existing conservation areas 7. Select new conservation areas 8. Implement conservation action 9. Maintain and monitor Slide Courtesy Bob Pressey

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Developing Good Practices

Survey: P.I. Natalie Ban Results: 77 respondents 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Scientists Planners Technical operators Managers Senior decision- makers Slide: Natalie Ban

Users of Marxan (cont’d) Slide: Natalie Ban

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Strengths of Marxan Flexibility / variety of options (62%) Handling of large amounts of data (30%) Near-optimal solutions (25%) Repeatability/ transparency (19%) Summed solutions (17%) Reputation (13%) Speed (13%) Explicit targets (11%) Inclusion of costs (11%) Systematic approach (11%) Ability to create graphical outputs (9%) Ease of use (9%) Slide: Natalie Ban

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Weaknesses of Marxan Insufficient guidance for adjusting settings (43%) Errors/bugs (39%) Preparing the input files (37%) Steep learning curve (16%) Converting outputs to GIS (14%) Interpreting/explaining results (14%) User interface (12%) Determining input targets/features (10%) how parameters interact (10%) Defining cost parameter (8%) Slide: Natalie Ban

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Addressing the weaknesses: Developing Good Practices (Globally) Marxan Good Practices Workshop 2-5 April 07, UBC, Vancouver, Canada Part 1: linking EBM tools to decision-making (~110) Part 2: Marxan BP Handbook drafting groups (~24)

Jeff Ardron, PacMARA Outcomes: Revised Marxan Manual and Good Practices Handbook Baltic BALANCE-HELCOM Ecological Coherence Workshop, Helsinki, Oct 07 Gunter Forsterra, Chile Hugh Possingham, Australia Xinhai Li, China 1.Manual in partnership with U Queensland Ecology Centre, funded by Packard Foundation, thru Duke U. Feb Handbook relying on volunteer experts to write chapters. Some funding (Moore Foundation) to pull it all together. March Case studies: showcasing of regional projects (e.g. BALANCE) more funding needed...

Marxan Manual Launch Marxan, where next? --Hugh Possingham, FAA Marxan is incredibly well used Peer-reviewed science is critical Marxan costs us lots of money to service, maintain and develop Lots of new things on the horizon Great job Eddie and Hedley plus funders Next task is to write up user-friendly case studies - needs a year of $ plus travel

Marxan Manual Launch Software Development  Marxan optimised (v – free, online now)  Marxan with zones  Probabilistic treatments…threats, species distributions, etc.  Connectivity  Cluster analysis of Marxan solutions  Training courses, new website

Marxan Manual Launch Acknowledgements  Australian Department of Environment and Heritage  Australian Natural Heritage Trust  EcoTrust  New Zealand Department of Conservation  Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources  The Nature Conservancy  University of California  University of Queensland

Marxan Manual Launch The New Manual (talk by Eddie Game & Hedley Grantham) Free pdf download web sites: UQ Ecology Centre /marxan.htm (easier to just Google “Marxan”)...and PacMARA:

Marxan Manual Launch Wrap-up: Jeff Ardron 1.A new manual (at last!): download with software or at PacMARA site (pacmara.org) 2.Getting started: Ch. 2, Appendix C, & Marxan The PacMARA Wiki experiments: Manual (now) and Good Practices Handbook (~March) 4.Spanish translation: ~March 5.The Marxan Good Practices Handbook: being edited by Hugh and Jeff, due out in March… (Watch for it!)

Marxan Manual Launch Acknowledgements Thanks to our funders: MEBM Tool Innovation Fund (Packard Foundation, administered through Duke University) Thanks to the EBM Tools Network, esp. Sarah Carr, for hosting of the launch and finding a service that could take hundreds of participants... Thanks to Natalie Ban, Carissa Klein, and Bob Pressey for the use of their images / slides. Thanks to the whole team for making it happen across three continents and 18 hours in time zones...