caa a22 4500 605526427 CHVBK 20210128100803.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150601xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10531-015-0861-4 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10531-015-0861-4 Integrating quantitative and qualitative data in assessing the cost-effectiveness of biodiversity conservation programmes [Elektronische Daten] [Zoё Austin, Alistair McVittie, Davy McCracken, Andrew Moxey, Dominic Moran, Piran White] Globally, most biodiversity conservation programmes are not currently evaluated in terms of their costs and benefits, or their rate of return on the original investment. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of such schemes is challenging as the relationship between spending and the effectiveness of conservation is dependent on many biological and socio-economic factors. Here, we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a selection of species and habitat conservation schemes undertaken through the Scotland Rural Development Programme. We use a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, based on expert knowledge, to estimate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different schemes and understand variations in the results. Our findings highlight a lack of geographical targeting in terms of where the funding might achieve the most conservation benefit, which may be contributing to high costs per unit of effectiveness. Recommendations include the need for improved advice on appropriate management and monitoring programmes that are linked closely to objectives. Conservation schemes within Scotland were used as the focus of the study, but the approaches used, interpretations drawn and improvements identified could be applied to any regional, national or international biodiversity conservation programmes. Cost and effectiveness data can be subject to a high degree of uncertainty and hence any cost-effectiveness estimate is subject to a number of caveats. There is therefore a need to focus not only on improving the cost-effectiveness of biodiversity conservation programmes, but also to improve the robustness of cost-effectiveness assessments, in terms of data availability and accuracy and improved monitoring of the outcomes of interventions. The Author(s), 2015 Agri-environment schemes nationallicence Conservation monitoring nationallicence Conservation objectives nationallicence Conservation planning nationallicence Expert knowledge nationallicence Scotland Rural Development Programme nationallicence Stakeholder engagement nationallicence Austin Zoё Environment Department, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK aut McVittie Alistair Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Land Economy, Environment & Society, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK aut McCracken Davy Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Future Farming Systems, Auchincruive, KA6 5HW, Ayr, UK aut Moxey Andrew Pareto Consulting, 29 Redford Avenue, EH13 0BX, Edinburgh, UK aut Moran Dominic Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Land Economy, Environment & Society, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK aut White Piran Environment Department, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK aut Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/6(2015-06-01), 1359-1375 0960-3115 24:6<1359 2015 24 10531 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0861-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0861-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Austin Zoё Environment Department, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- McVittie Alistair Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Land Economy, Environment & Society, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- McCracken Davy Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Future Farming Systems, Auchincruive, KA6 5HW, Ayr, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Moxey Andrew Pareto Consulting, 29 Redford Avenue, EH13 0BX, Edinburgh, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Moran Dominic Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Land Economy, Environment & Society, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- White Piran Environment Department, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/6(2015-06-01), 1359-1375 0960-3115 24:6<1359 2015 24 10531