Article

The conservation of species in situ is one of the least understood issues of biodiversity conservation and probably the least addressed. The main general aim and long-term goal of in situ conservation of target species is to protect, manage and monitor selected populations in their natural habitats so that the natural evolutionary processes can be maintained, thus allowing new variation to be generated in the gene pool that will allow the species to adapt to changing environmental conditions. In situ species conservation covers a broad spectrum of activities ranging from the preparation and implementation of detailed single-species recovery plans in the case of species that are critically endangered (which the CBD includes under ex situ conservation), through vigilance and monitoring for those species that are rare, not threatened or only vulnerable, to various forms and degrees of management intervention which affect either the species populations concerned or the habitats/areas in which they occur or both. In situ species conservation is usually contrasted with ex situ conservation but various types of intermediate situations exist which make a transition between the two. An approach that has gained widespread acceptance in some parts of Europe is the establishment of micro-reserves. Globally, most countries have put little if any effort into species conservation although in Europe several countries (including some in the Mediterranean region), as well as North America and Australia have considerable experience of recovery/conservation plans for highly endangered species. Only a small number of management, conservation plans or recovery plans have been published. On the other hand, conservation of forest species in situ is a long-standing tradition and there are lessons to be learnt from this area. As in other parts of the world, it is time to treat in situ species conservation in the Mediterranean as a serious issue that demands an informed, coherent and costed strategy