Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment
Creators: name: Etingüe, Amancio Motove
name: Spaan, Denise
name: Donati, Giuseppe
name: de la Torre, Stella
name: McGraw, W. Scott
name: Wittig, Roman M.
name: Queiroz, Helder L.
name: Hartel, Jessica A.
name: Loría, Luz I.
name: Cheyne, Susan M.
name: Nekaris, K. Anne‐Isola
name: Setiawan, Arif
name: Kaplin, Beth A.
name: Butynski, Thomas M.
name: Estrada, Alejandro
name: Dempsey, Andrea
name: Bitariho, Robert
name: Wright, Patricia C.
name: Reuter, Kim E.
name: Sarkar, Dipto
name: Ratsimbazafy, Jonah
name: Heymann, Eckhard W.
name: Lormie, Menladi M.
name: Méndez‐Carvajal, Pedro G.
name: Otali, Emily
name: Smith, Rebecca L.
name: Hoeks, Selwyn
name: Fashing, Peter J.
name: Schreier, Amy L.
name: Andriantsaralaza, Seheno
name: Gnanaolivu, Smitha D.
name: Kowalewski, Martin M.
name: Benítez, Marcela E.
name: Chapman, Colin A.
name: Kivai, Stanislaus M.
name: Cords, Marina
name: Surbeck, Martin
name: Abwe, Ekwoge
name: Ratsirarson, Joelisoa
name: Lin, Aung Ko
name: Tédonzong, Luc Roscelin
name: Seyjagat, John
name: Kappeler, Peter M.
name: Cornejo, Fanny M.
name: Knott, Cheryl D.
name: Dadjo, Alvine
name: Oktaviani, Rahayu
name: Hill, Russell A.
name: Perry, Susan E.
name: Ndiaye, Papa Ibnou
name: Danquah, Emmanuel
name: Cronin, Drew T.
name: Guayasamin, Juan M.
name: Beehner, Jacinta C.
name: Bezerra, Bruna M.
name: Morgan, Bethan J.
name: Boesch, Christophe
name: Davenport, Tim R. B.
name: Talebi, Mauricio
name: Malaivijitnond, Suchinda
name: Savage, Anne
name: Guzmán‐Caro, Diana C.
name: Kalema‐Zikusoka, Gladys
name: Dimalibot, Judeline C.
name: Huffman, Michael A.
name: da Silva, Maria J. Ferreira
name: Link, Andrés
name: Urbani, Bernardo
name: Santini, Luca
name: Valsecchi, João
name: Fernandez‐Duque, Eduardo
name: Imong, Inaoyom
name: Hon, Naven
name: Bolt, Laura M.
name: Lewis, Rebecca J.
name: Reynolds, Vernon
name: Norconk, Marilyn A.
name: Fischer, Julia
name: Bicca‐Marques, Júlio César
name: Ramos, Eduardo J. Pinel
name: Serio‐Silva, Juan Carlos
name: Irwin, Mitchell T.
name: Houngbédji, Mariano G.
name: Gordo, Marcelo
name: Pruetz, Jill D.
name: Kumar, Ajith
name: Rosales‐Meda, Marleny
name: Oklander, Luciana I.
name: Segniagbeto, Gabriel H.
name: Nguyen, Nga
name: Vogel, Erin R.
name: Kolasartsanee, Intanon
name: Morgan, David
name: Jerusalinsky, Leandro
name: Gonder, Mary Katherine
name: Coudrat, Camille N. Z.
name: Waters, Siân
name: Stewart, Fiona A.
name: Bikaba, Dominique
name: Chetry, Dilip
name: Mekonnen, Addisu
name: Ahmed, Tanvir
name: Silva, Felipe E.
name: McCabe, Gráinne M.
name: Ganzhorn, Jörg U.
name: Ramírez, Mónica A.
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
name: Schülke, Oliver
name: Di Fiore, Anthony
name: Farassi, Rassina A.
name: Dakpogan, S. Chrystelle
name: Sanz, Crickette M.
name: Izar, Patrícia
name: Minhós, Tânia
name: Rasoanaivo, Hoby
name: Porter, Leila M.
name: Eppley, Timothy M.
name: Razafindramanana, Josia
name: Kujirakwinja, Deo
name: Garber, Paul A.
name: Vasey, Natalie
name: Randriatahina, Guy Hermas
name: Svensson, Magdalena S.
name: Halloran, Andrew R.
name: Crofoot, Margaret C.
name: Sefczek, Timothy M.
name: Strier, Karen B.
name: Abanyam, Peter A.
name: Wrangham, Richard W.
name: Andriantsimanarilafy, Raphali R.
name: Montgomery, David M.
name: Ostner, Julia
name: Nishuli, Radar
name: Hockings, Kimberley J.
name: Lwin, Ngwe
name: Tinsman, Jen
name: Nijman, Vincent
name: Flores‐Negrón, César F.
name: Ancrenaz, Marc
name: Louis, Edward E.
name: Morelos‐Juárez, Citlalli
name: Boonratana, Ramesh
name: Razafindratsima, Onja H.
name: Gamalo, Lief Erikson
name: Koops, Kathelijne
name: Maisels, Fiona
name: Bi, Sery Ernest Gonedelé
name: Strum, Shirley C.
name: Sinclair, Elizabeth M.
name: Canale, Gustavo R.
name: Wallis, Janette
name: Marisa, Lesley
name: de Jong, Yvonne A.
name: Hohmann, Gottfried
name: Le, Quyet K.
name: Goossens, Benoit
name: Dolch, Rainer
name: Fruth, Barbara
name: Ikemeh, Rachel A.
name: Carvalho, Susana
name: Rizaldi, Rizaldi
name: Robbins, Martha M.
name: Barrett, Louise
name: Cortés‐Ortiz, Liliana
name: Pusey, Anne E.
name: Aureli, Filippo
name: Neba, Terence Fuh
name: Setchell, Joanna M.
name: Mutalib, Aini Hasanah Abd
name: Rodríguez, Melissa E.
name: Shanee, Sam
name: Wallace, Robert B.
name: Ang, Andie
Publisher: name: Wiley
Year: 2024

description: Conservation funding is currently limited; cost‐effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID‐19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km 2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly.