Adaptation: The role of protected areas
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Wetlands, Dyfi Biosphere Reserve, Wales Š Sue Stolton
SOLUTIONS Protected areas can be established to protect forests, wetlands and other ecosystems that provide essential water services and to use adaptive management practices to counter the impacts of climate change on these services. Protected area solutions should be considered and implemented within the context of integrated national adaptation strategies and actions addressing water security under conditions of climate change. Cloud forests: a global focus on conservation of remaining cloud forests is urgently required, in particular with a view to securing water supplies. Eucalyptus forests: research is needed on how to balance the water supply benefits of old-growth eucalyptus with added fire danger under conditions of climate change, to work out optimal management strategies. Freshwaters: the generally under-represented freshwater biome should get special attention in plans to increase protected area coverage.