Disgrifiad o Effaith
Collaborative research involves expeditions to a remote region, providing a rare opportunity to assess a naturally functioning ecosystem in the absence of human impact, to understand how resilient ecosystems are capable of responding to climate change.We provide the knowledge base for UK Government and conservation organisations to justify and manage the Marine Reserve in response to international challenges. There is pressure to allow resettlement in Chagos, and our work with the Chagos Conservation Trust helps inform UK Government policy on environmental aspects of such plans. We have engaged with Chagossian communities through an outreach programme to involve them in conservation, and we raise awareness of the importance of very large marine reserves in protecting ocean wealth for future generations.
The UK is responsible for the fifth largest area of ocean of any nation and has a duty to protect it. UK Overseas Territories contain 94% of the UK’s biodiversity, and Government is called upon to select and declare fully protected zones. The World’s largest Marine Reserve of 640,000km2 (equal to the area of France) currently surrounds the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean*, a wilderness uninhabited for ~60 years and containing significant populations of 76 IUCN Red List species, including sharks, turtles and seabirds. Declared in 2010, the Reserve is threatened by illegal fishing and poaching; the potential impact of resettlement of people (‘Chagossians’) who originally worked coconut palm plantations closed in the 1960s and who now mostly live in Mauritius, UK and Seychelles; and is subject to sovereignty claims.
The near pristine waters and undamaged coral reefs of the Chagos Marine Reserve serve as a global reference site, providing a benchmark for reversing damaged ecosystems elsewhere, and serves as a refuge for species that reseed degraded parts of an ocean on which millions of people depend.
The main objectives/outputs were to:
• Create a permanent monitoring strategy for coral reefs and island systems to establish condition on commencement of protection against which the magnitude and significance of change/impact can be assessed. Achieved by 3 ship-based expeditions undertaking 17 sub-projects to assess biodiversity and productivity at 34 reef sites and ~50 islands on 6 atolls (including 10 IBAS- Important Bird Areas).
• Engage Chagossians through ‘Connect Chagos’ outreach programme. Activities aimed at different generations to raise awareness of value of biodiversity and importance of conservation. 13 community meetings in UK and Mauritius; 5 family days (965 Chagossians (~50% of UK Chagossian population); 42 ‘Chagossian Ambassador’ graduates from Environmental Training courses; 12 received advanced training in swimming, SCUBA diving, habitat restoration; and 5 awarded places on scientific expeditions.
• Highlight the significance of Chagos Marine Reserve internationally as a major step in conserving marine ecosystems. Achieved through organisation of 3 Chagos Conservation Trust conferences; 21 international conference presentations (including keynote at International Marine Conservation Congress); 17 publications; 6 MSc/ 4 PhD; 3 expedition reports; 7 expedition blogs; 15 news items; 4 films (inc Blue Ocean Film Festival Monaco Finalist; 150 biodiversity videoclips; 57 quadcopter aerial videos,1 London Zoo exhibit; planned BBC production.
The 2014 World Parks Congress reaffirmed that if marine reserves are to have a meaningful effect in reducing the decline of the ocean’s vital life-support systems, at least 30% of the oceans need strict protection. The Chagos Archipelago is now recognised world-wide as a flagship for such conservation, whose value is further enhanced by being part of a global network (Big Ocean Network of largest MPAs), despite being highly controversial (eg.MPA deemed illegal by UN Tribunal). Chagos is entirely constructed from coral reefs, and reefs are responsible for a disproportionately high proportion of the world’s biodiversity and productivity, but at present an insufficient fraction of them are protected.
Our scientific findings have:
• Shaped FCO BIOT’s Interim Chagos Management Plan
• Informed consultations with KPMG on the Feasibility of Chagossian Resettlement and Environmental Impact Assessment
• Guided the FCO BIOT Policy Review on Resettlement and need for Environmental Impact Assessment
• Advised Government: PIs gave evidence in Westminster to the Chagos Islands All Parliamentary Group on aspects of conservation and science.
Disgrifiad o'r ymchwil sylfaenol
The project ‘To Strengthen the World’s Largest Marine Reserve, Chagos Archipelago’ was funded by the UK Government’s DEFRA Darwin Initiative (2013-15). Led by Bangor in collaboration with University of Warwick and Zoological Society of London, the project involved an international team of 37 (inc UK, USA, Australia, Africa), and significantly, involved the direct end users of the research as partners: FCO BIOT Administration, and Chagos Conservation Trust, supported by the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum and the ‘President of the Provisional Government of Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands’.The goal was to strengthen the Reserve by providing scientific knowledge for effective management, and to engage stakeholders. The legacy is sound management and international recognition of the World’s largest no-take Marine Protected Area as a globally important reference site.
Original paper:
Sheppard et al incl. Turner, (2012). Reefs and islands of the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean: Why it is the world’s largest no-take marine protected area. Aquatic. Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Research. 22:232–261.
Nodiadau Cyffredinol
5. Sources to corroborate the impact (indicative maximum of 10 references) • The Chagos conservation initiative was selected by the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (a grouping of UK government departments and research funders, including DEFRA) as ‘one of the most important elements for international development emanating from the UK’. http://www.ukcds.org.uk/the-global-impact-of-uk-research and http://www.ukcds.org.uk/the-global-impact-of-uk-research/conserving-marine-environments. • MPA Management: Validation letter from BIOT • Chagossian outreach: Congratulatory letter from Henry Bellingham (FCO Minister) • Darwin Initiative Independent reviewer reports (x3): ‘project fulfils a clear need and has completed a remarkable number of achievements. Its contribution towards Marine Science and improved management of the MPA and global biodiversity are significant’ • Global legacy: Letter & paper, Big Ocean Network • Winner, 2015 Bangor University Impact and Innovation Awards: Best Impact on Public Policy and or Public Services • $2.25 m further funds for reef research & monitoring (Bangor, Exeter, Lancaster, AIMS, CCT) as part of a $25m 5yr consortium bid to a philanthropic foundation.| Statws effaith | Cyfredol |
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| Categori effaith | Amgylchedd, Polisi a Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus, Cymdeithasol, Economegol |