Do Natura 2000 protected areas support ecosystem services and biodiversity? An example from Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region (NE-Italy).

Protected areas, established to preserve ecosystems and protect biodiversity, are essential for a stable and long-term provision of multiple ecosystem services (ESs). Nevertheless, there is not a decisive agreement on the effectiveness of conservation strategies in maintaining or enhancing ESs and preserve biodiversity. The aims of this study were to: 1) assess the effectiveness of protected areas in providing multiple ESs and maintain biodiversity in comparison with nearby unprotected areas and 2) identify possible hotspots of ESs provision and conservation status inside and outside the protected areas. For such purpose we mapped, quantified, and analysed data on ESs, biodiversity and conservation status of Natura 2000 sites that falls within the forest ecosystem in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy). Carbon storage, recreation and wood provision ESs, representative of all the CICES classes, were considered. The InVEST carbon model was used to quantify and map the carbon stocked while the ARIES recreation model was customized and employed to model nature-based recreation ES. Data for ESs quantification, woody plant biodiversity, and conservation variables were retrieved from regional and literature sources and an index accounting for environmental heterogeneity, as indicator of biodiversity, was computed from remote-sensing data. Such study will clarify the effectiveness of protected areas and will reveal whether hotspot areas for ESs and biodiversity conservation coincide and if these are located inside or outside the protected areas. In a context of climate change and biodiversity loss, these data will provide useful information to address effective strategies for regional planning and conservation. 27