Combing benefits and costs to prioritize the distribution of conservation resources: Evidence from Israel

Abstract Using a conservation index as a prioritization tool, we explore combining some protected areas and dividing others in order to optimally redistribute rangers when no additional financial resources are available. Then we explore splitting protected areas to achieve the optimal distribution of additional human resources if additional financial resources become available. We found that efficiencies can be achieved by combining ranger areas with low value indices and splitting ranger areas with high value indices thus freeing rangers to move from low valued areas to high valued areas. Another approach to prioritizing conservation resource distribution when budgets are limited is return on investment. Using the index of the ranger area divided by the cost of managing the ranger area, to prioritize where budgets are distributed could provide greater protection at different budget levels over other methods of prioritization. The ROI Index, which measured the per index cost, outperforms most other methods of prioritization for most of the conservation goals we study. ROI Index however only came in 4th as a method of prioritization when it came to protecting species abundance. The three analyses offered new methods to combine benefits and costs to prioritize the distribution of conservation resources.