Strategic Planning for Species Conservation: A Handbook - IUCN

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3. When should a SCS be developed?
Although the concept of a SCS is typically focused on one or a few species, much of the
fundamental SCS framework can be applied to the spectrum of taxonomic groupings, from
single or few species to more speciose groups. SCSs can also be applied across the
spatial range, from taxa having wide geographic distributions across many countries, to
those with extremely restricted geographic ranges. SCSs may be prepared for single
species or closely related groups of species, or for larger numbers of different species that
share a common habitat type or geographic area, or for sets of species which face similar
threats or are involved in interacting ecological relationships (e.g., predators and prey).
It will often be useful to include several species within one SCS if it is expected that the
threats and Objectives will be similar, even when the specific Goals and Actions may be
somewhat different. In some instances, a SCS may cover a multitude of species and still
appropriately have species-focused Goals, Objectives, and Actions, if groups of species
require similar conservation responses (see Table 2.1). For example, conserving some
invertebrate groups may require planning for thousands of poorly known species;
developing individual species-by-species strategies would be impossible for such groups.
However, under such circumstances it might be valuable to conduct Status Reviews that
consider geographic range, habitat requirements, threats, and changes in abundance and
distribution (and possibly species richness) for a group of similar species within an area.
Additionally, stakeholders might agree to a common Vision and Goals for the set of species,
Objectives might define what needed to be accomplished to ensure protection of the suite of
species, and Actions could be determined that would result in meeting those Objectives. An
example of a strategic planning approach that applies many of the concepts of a SCS to a
group containing a very large number of species can be found in the European Strategy for
the Conservation of Invertebrates (Haslett 2007); more detail is provided in Box 3.2.
Regardless of the species for which planning is being conducted, we suggest that all the
components of a SCS, as outlined in this document, should be considered for inclusion.
However, the details of conservation planning and the emphasis, nature, and level of detail
for the various components of the SCS may be quite different from SCS to SCS. For
example, a single-species plan might be able to provide documentation of estimated
numbers of individuals, extent of occurrence, detailed threats to each population, and indepth
risk assessment using a tool such as PVA, and might recommend Actions focused on
each population considered within the Vision to be an essential component of the species.
In contrast, a SCS for a large number of species will necessarily take a higher level view of
each of these components. Such a multi-species strategy might tally species richness,
trends in abundance of multiple-species guilds, and changes in the extent and quality of
habitats utilized by the group, and might have relatively more emphasis on setting a broad
Vision and Goals, and determining Objectives, with Actions more broadly defined than
those in a single-species strategy.
Factors or species characteristics that would indicate that a single species could be the
appropriate focus for a SCS include:
• The species has a high risk of extinction (as indicated by Red List status).
• Data are available on the species’ distribution, status, and threats.
• The species has a major ecological role, such as being a keystone species.
• Conservation of the species will require protection and management of large areas of
habitat, thereby serving as an umbrella for protecting biodiversity.
• The species faces unique threats.