Letter from the Editor: Building a new ‘normal’ for MPAs after COVID-19
It is natural to want to return to normal from this pandemic. But before COVID-19, most MPAs lacked adequate funding to meet their goals, and way too many MPAs were paper parks. That was our normal. We need to build a new one.
“Life after the pandemic will not be the same as before”: How the revenue-savvy Brijuni National Park has navigated COVID-19 and is planning for the future
MPA News reported on Brijuni in 2014 and said it might be the most revenue-savvy MPA in the world, with multiple income streams. When COVID-19 happened and tourism slowed, Brijuni’s budget took a hit. MPA News returns to Brijuni to see how the MPA has responded, and what lessons it could provide on lowering costs, securing revenues, and rebuilding a tourism base.
Charting a new course for MPA finance: Practitioners explore new concepts like public-private partnerships, the use of financial technology, and more
Even before COVID, the MPA field was in need of new ideas and tools for financing. We highlight three new concepts, and how practitioners are exploring their possibilities.
Resources on MPAs and COVID-19: Biodiversity conservation during COVID – Impacts on the marine environment and economy – Grants
This year amid the ongoing pandemic, MPA News has been compiling related resources for our readers. Here is our latest collection: