Last of the Wild
Encyclopedia
Last of the Wild is an initiative created in 2002 on behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS) and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University
to identify the last remaining 'wild' areas on the earth's land surface, measured by human influence. By mapping and measuring the extent of human ecological footprints, and using an overlaying method to determine the Human Influence Index
(HII), WCS and CIESIN are able to establish the areas that have been least affected by human activities (places with Human Footprint grid values less than or equal to 10) which has currently determined a Last of the Wild status for 569 places globally.
By understanding where the earth's wildest areas still remain, conservation organisations are able to maximise on the best opportunities for conservation which, as of 2002, lied within 87% of the terrestrial
planet. The conservation of areas identified as 'The Last of the Wild' are less likely to be obscured by conflicts and proposals of human infrastructure and as a result may obtain this status for a prolonged period of time.
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
(WCS) and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
to identify the last remaining 'wild' areas on the earth's land surface, measured by human influence. By mapping and measuring the extent of human ecological footprints, and using an overlaying method to determine the Human Influence Index
Human Influence Index
The Human Influence Index is a measure showing directhuman influence on ecosystems using using 8 measures of human presence.-Measures used:The eight measures used in computing the HII are:*Population Density/km2 *Score of Railroads...
(HII), WCS and CIESIN are able to establish the areas that have been least affected by human activities (places with Human Footprint grid values less than or equal to 10) which has currently determined a Last of the Wild status for 569 places globally.
By understanding where the earth's wildest areas still remain, conservation organisations are able to maximise on the best opportunities for conservation which, as of 2002, lied within 87% of the terrestrial
Terrestrial
Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth.Terrestrial may also refer to:* Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to in trees etc.** A fishing fly that simulates the...
planet. The conservation of areas identified as 'The Last of the Wild' are less likely to be obscured by conflicts and proposals of human infrastructure and as a result may obtain this status for a prolonged period of time.
See also
- High-Biodiversity Wilderness AreasHigh-Biodiversity Wilderness AreasHigh-Biodiversity Wilderness Areas is an elaboration on the IUCN Protected Area classification of a Wilderness Area , which outlines five vast wilderness areas of particularly dense and important levels of biodiversity...
- Biodiversity Hotspots
- Biosphere Reserves
- Protected Areas
- Conservation movementConservation movementThe conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
- Ecoregions
- Crisis EcoregionsCrisis EcoregionsCrisis ecoregions are terrestrial biomes facing significant threat to their biodiversity and requiring well directed conservation efforts in order to curb the irreversible loss of plant and animal species and their surrounding habitats...