Abstract Conservation resource allocation involves a complex set of considerations including species, habitats, connectivity, local to global biodiversity objectives, alternative protection and restoration actions, while requiring cost-efficiency and effective implementation. We present a national scale spatial conservation prioritization analysis for complementing the network of protected mires in Finland. We show how spatial prioritization coupled with regional targets and expert knowledge can facilitate structured decision-making. In our application, discussion between experts was structured around the prioritization model enabling integration of quantitative analysis with expert knowledge. The used approach balances requirements of many biodiversity features over large landscapes, while aiming at a cost-effective solution. As a special analytical feature, mire complexes were defined prior to prioritization to form hydrologically functional planning units, including also their drained parts that require restoration for the planning unit to remain or potentially increase in value. This enabled selection of mires where restoration effort is supporting and benefitting from the core mire areas of high conservation value. We found that a key to successful implementation was early on structured co-producing between analysts, mire experts, and decision-makers. This allowed effective multidirectional knowledge transfer and evaluation of trade-offs related to the focal conservation decisions. Quantitative trade-off information was seen especially helpful by the stakeholders to decide how to follow the analysis results. Overall, we illustrate a realistic and applicable spatial conservation prioritization case supporting real world conservation decision-making. The introduced approach can be applied globally to increase effectiveness of large-scale protection and management planning of the diverse wetland ecosystem complexes.

中文翻译：

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将空间优先级和专业知识相结合，提高芬兰大规模泥水保护过程的有效性

摘要 保护资源分配涉及一系列复杂的考虑因素，包括物种、栖息地、连通性、本地到全球生物多样性目标、替代保护和恢复行动，同时需要成本效益和有效实施。我们提出了一个国家尺度的空间保护优先级分析，以补充芬兰受保护的沼泽网络。我们展示了空间优先级与区域目标和专家知识相结合如何促进结构化决策。在我们的应用程序中，专家之间的讨论是围绕优先级模型构建的，从而能够将定量分析与专家知识相结合。所使用的方法平衡了大型景观中许多生物多样性特征的要求，同时旨在提供具有成本效益的解决方案。作为一个特殊的分析特征，泥沼复合体是在确定优先级以形成水文功能规划单元之前定义的，还包括需要恢复规划单元以保持或潜在增加价值的排水部分。这使得能够选择恢复工作支持并受益于具有高保护价值的核心泥沼区域的泥沼。我们发现，成功实施的一个关键是早期分析师、专家和决策者之间的结构化联合制作。这允许有效的多方向知识转移和与焦点保护决策相关的权衡评估。利益相关者认为定量权衡信息特别有助于决定如何跟踪分析结果。全面的，我们举例说明了支持现实世界保护决策的现实和适用的空间保护优先级案例。引入的方法可以在全球范围内应用，以提高多样化湿地生态系统综合体的大规模保护和管理规划的有效性。