Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact
Authors: Grace Molly K. , Akçakaya H. Resit , Bennett Elizabeth L. , Brooks Thomas M. , Heath Anna , Hedges Simon , Hilton‐Taylor Craig , Hoffmann Michael , Hochkirch Axel , Jenkins Richard , Keith David A. , Long Barney , Mallon David P. , Meijaard Erik , Milner‐Gulland E.J. , Rodriguez Jon Paul , Stephenson P.J. , Stuart Simon N. , Young Richard P. , Acebes Pablo , Alfaro‐Shigueto Joanna , Alvarez‐Clare Silvia , Andriantsimanarilafy Raphali Rodlis , Arbetman Marina , Azat Claudio , Bacchetta Gianluigi , Badola Ruchi , Barcelos Luís M.D. , Barreiros Joao Pedro , Basak Sayanti , Berger Danielle J. , Bhattacharyya Sabuj , Bino Gilad , Borges Paulo A.V. , Boughton Raoul K. , Brockmann H. Jane , Buckley Hannah L. , Burfield Ian J. , Burton James , Camacho‐Badani Teresa , Cano‐Alonso Luis Santiago , Carmichael Ruth H. , Carrero Christina , Carroll John P. , Catsadorakis Giorgos , Chapple David G. , Chapron Guillaume , Chowdhury Gawsia Wahidunnessa , Claassens Louw , Cogoni Donatella , Constantine Rochelle , Craig Christie Anne , Cunningham Andrew A. , Dahal Nishma , Daltry Jennifer C. , Das Goura Chandra , Dasgupta Niladri , Davey Alexandra , Davies Katharine , Develey Pedro , Elangovan Vanitha , Fairclough David , Febbraro Mirko Di , Fenu Giuseppe , Fernandes Fernando Moreira , Fernandez Eduardo Pinheiro , Finucci Brittany , Földesi Rita , Foley Catherine M. , Ford Matthew , Forstner Michael R.J. , García Néstor , Garcia‐Sandoval Ricardo , Gardner Penny C. , Garibay‐Orijel Roberto , Gatan‐Balbas Marites , Gauto Irene , Ghazi Mirza Ghazanfar Ullah , Godfrey Stephanie S. , Gollock Matthew , González Benito A. , Grant Tandora D. , Gray Thomas , Gregory Andrew J. , van Grunsven Roy H.A. , Gryzenhout Marieka , Guernsey Noelle C. , Gupta Garima , Hagen Christina , Hagen Christian A. , Hall Madison B. , Hallerman Eric , Hare Kelly , Hart Tom , Hartdegen Ruston , Harvey‐Brown Yvette , Hatfield Richard , Hawke Tahneal , Hermes Claudia , Hitchmough Rod , Hoffmann Pablo Melo , Howarth Charlie , Hudson Michael A. , Hussain Syed Ainul , Huveneers Charlie , Jacques Hélène , Jorgensen Dennis , Katdare Suyash , Katsis Lydia K.D. , Kaul Rahul , Kaunda‐Arara Boaz , Keith‐Diagne Lucy , Kraus Daniel T. , de Lima Thales Moreira , Lindeman Ken , Linsky Jean , Louis Edward , Loy Anna , Lughadha Eimear Nic , Mangel Jeffrey C. , Marinari Paul E. , Martin Gabriel M. , Martinelli Gustavo , McGowan Philip J.K. , McInnes Alistair , Teles Barbosa Mendes Eduardo , Millard Michael J. , Mirande Claire , Money Daniel , Monks Joanne M. , Morales Carolina Laura , Mumu Nazia Naoreen , Negrao Raquel , Nguyen Anh Ha , Niloy Md. Nazmul Hasan , Norbury Grant Leslie , Nordmeyer Cale , Norris Darren , O'Brien Mark , Oda Gabriela Akemi , Orsenigo Simone , Outerbridge Mark Evan , Pasachnik Stesha , Pérez‐Jiménez Juan Carlos , Pike Charlotte , Pilkington Fred , Plumb Glenn , Portela Rita de Cassia Quitete , Prohaska Ana , Quintana Manuel G. , Rakotondrasoa Eddie Fanantenana , Ranglack Dustin H. , Rankou Hassan , Rawat Ajay Prakash , Reardon James Thomas , Rheingantz Marcelo Lopes , Richter Stephen C. , Rivers Malin C. , Rogers Luke Rollie , da Rosa Patrícia , Rose Paul , Royer Emily , Ryan Catherine , de Mitcheson Yvonne J. Sadovy , Salmon Lily , Salvador Carlos Henrique , Samways Michael J. , Sanjuan Tatiana , Souza dos Santos Amanda , Sasaki Hiroshi , Schutz Emmanuel , Scott Heather Ann , Scott Robert Michael , Serena Fabrizio , Sharma Surya P. , Shuey John A. , Silva Carlos Julio Polo , Simaika John P. , Smith David R. , Spaet Julia L.Y. , Sultana Shanjida , Talukdar Bibhab Kumar , Tatayah Vikash , Thomas Philip , Tringali Angela , Trinh‐Dinh Hoang , Tuboi Chongpi , Usmani Aftab Alam , Vasco‐Palacios Aída M. , Vié Jean‐Christophe , Virens Evelyn , Walker Alan , Wallace Bryan , Waller Lauren J. , Wang Hongfeng , Wearn Oliver R. , van Weerd Merlijn , Weigmann Simon , Willcox Daniel , Woinarski John , Yong Jean W.H. , Young Stuart 
Published: July 2021

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species’ recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty‐nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard.