Our paper provides a novel rigorous test of the effectiveness of national parks, one of the principal conservation strategies used in the tropics today. Park effectiveness has been widely questioned, but the doubts expressed have been based on little actual data. Our study provides a timely empirical contribution to this important conservation issue.

Our findings have important implications for the way that conservation funds are invested.  If protected areas are an ineffective means to protect tropical biodiversity, then their funding should be redirected to alternative approaches. On the other hand, if tropical protected areas are effective, support for them should be maintained or increased.  Our study shows that tropical protected areas have been surprisingly effective, especially given how little funding they have received, and that their ongoing support should therefore be a priority when considering how to invest conservation funds.

The paper demonstrates the important role that protected areas play in conserving tropical biodiversity.  Although establishing and maintaining parks is not cheap, with sufficient support they can be highly effective, and an adequately funded network of protected areas should be the foundation for all tropical conservation efforts.