Advancing conservation science and practice through a geographic approach: Platforms, personnel, and partnerships

Abstract Rapid declines in biodiversity necessitate global action and spatial tools that can inform how to set and implement action for new conservation targets. GIScience (the science of geographic information systems, or GIS) has proven useful for conservation decision‐making, driving the development of new data, tools, and mapping solutions. Combined with urgent conservation needs, it is an ideal time to examine additional opportunities to advance a geographic approach to conservation. Here, we outline a hierarchy of needs that should be prioritized to ensure that GIScience and geography can support the new, and growing, wave of global conservation targets. Based on a participatory workshop involving conservation and GIS researchers and practitioners, we recommend six actions organized around three themes: platforms, personnel, and partnerships. Those six actions include: (1) build standard platforms for data sharing and maintenance; (2) design predictive models for decision support; (3) develop open educational materials that stress problem solving; (4) infuse co‐design into courses and learning materials; (5) support a GIS Conservation Corp and culture; and (6) sustain engagement across academia and practice. Implementing this agenda will lead to bridged knowledge systems, greater trust in spatial evidence, new funding pathways, and durable connections between spatial scientists, conservationists, and decision‐makers translating geospatial innovation into measurable biodiversity gains.

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Publication Details

Journal
Conservation Science and Practice
Published
2026-09-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70410
Primary Topic
Species Distribution and Climate Change
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Advancing conservation science and practice through a geographic approach: Platforms, personnel, and partnerships

Steffen Zuther, Amy E. Frazier, Hannah V. Herrero, Jennifer A. Miller et al.
Conservation Science and Practice
Species Distribution and Climate Change
article

Advancing conservation science and practice through a geographic approach: Platforms, personnel, and partnerships

Steffen Zuther, Amy E. Frazier, Hannah V. Herrero, Jennifer A. Miller, Miranda Brooke Rose, Kelly Easterday, Daniel Kinka, Dipto Sarkar, Monica Papeş, Teal B. Wyckoff, Trisalyn Nelson, Yolonda Youngs, Adam J. M. Devenish, Alexandra D. Syphard, David Gadsden, Somayeh Dodge, Janet Franklin, Lei Song, Jelena Vukomanovic, Daniel G. Brown, Peter Kedron, Susan Meerdink, F. Antonio Medrano, Alan T. Murray, Patrick R. Roehrdanz, Vanessa Rathbone, Sophia Leiker, Cullen D. Molitor, Nickolas McManus, Rishi Singh, Susana Rodríguez‐Buriticá
article en

Abstract

Abstract Rapid declines in biodiversity necessitate global action and spatial tools that can inform how to set and implement action for new conservation targets. GIScience (the science of geographic information systems, or GIS) has proven useful for conservation decision‐making, driving the development of new data, tools, and mapping solutions. Combined with urgent conservation needs, it is an ideal time to examine additional opportunities to advance a geographic approach to conservation. Here, we outline a hierarchy of needs that should be prioritized to ensure that GIScience and geography can support the new, and growing, wave of global conservation targets. Based on a participatory workshop involving conservation and GIS researchers and practitioners, we recommend six actions organized around three themes: platforms, personnel, and partnerships. Those six actions include: (1) build standard platforms for data sharing and maintenance; (2) design predictive models for decision support; (3) develop open educational materials that stress problem solving; (4) infuse co‐design into courses and learning materials; (5) support a GIS Conservation Corp and culture; and (6) sustain engagement across academia and practice. Implementing this agenda will lead to bridged knowledge systems, greater trust in spatial evidence, new funding pathways, and durable connections between spatial scientists, conservationists, and decision‐makers translating geospatial innovation into measurable biodiversity gains.

Conservation Science and Practice
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US), University of Iowa (US), The Nature Conservancy (US), Environmental Systems Research Institute (United States) (US), Clark University (US), Conservation International (US), Wildlife Conservation Society (US), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (GB), North Carolina State University (US), University of California, Santa Barbara (US), Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (GB), University of Washington (US), Montana State University (US), San Diego State University (US), Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute (CO), Marine Conservation Institute (US), The Nature Conservancy (CO), Geospatial Research (United Kingdom) (GB), Center for Effective Global Action (US), Astana Medical University (KZ), California State University, San Bernardino (US), Carleton University (CA), University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US), Frankfurt Zoological Society (DE), The University of Texas at Austin (US), Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi (US)
Partnerships for the goals
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Species Distribution and Climate Change
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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