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In Europe, ponds are an exceptionally numerous and widely distributed landscape feature forming a major part of the continental freshwater resource and contributing significantly to freshwater biodiversity conservation. This has been reflected by a growing scientific concern over the first few years of the twenty-first century and is evidenced by an increasing number of academic publications on pond related topics, particularly those relating to biodiversity. It is essential, however, that this expanding scientific knowledge is widely disseminated to those involved with pond management and is then rapidly translated into action. Inevitably, the task of transferring science to practice remains a significant challenge. As a first step towards meeting this challenge the European Pond Conservation Network (EPCN), at its biennial meeting in 2008 in Valencia (Spain), made this the main theme of the conference together with two special workshops further encouraging exchanges between scientists, practitioners and policy makers. The papers selected for this special issue of Hydrobiologia (from over 120 communications presented) are all from the conference. They represent a diverse collection of themes from across the continent and North Africa and present new and original insights into topics as wide ranging as: pond biodiversity; human disturbance; landscape ecology; ecological assessment and monitoring; practical management measures; ecological restoration; hydrology and climate change; invasive species and threatened species. In all cases, the papers demonstrate an overriding need for the development of a tight link between scientific knowledge and management. Furthermore, scientific advances have to be beneficial for on the ground management and, vitally, have to be disseminated, communicated and implemented into local, national and international policy. As such, national and international networks (such as the EPCN) have a central role to play and have to develop a robust information and communication strategy which will enable the dissemination of best practice materials and advice across the continent and beyond. The work contained in this volume represents a step in the right direction and will help to ensure that ponds remain a characteristic and highly visible feature of the European landscape in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supra-national level has become increasingly important in educational policy formulation. This paper describes and compares two settings in which growth in these supra-national policies is evident—in Europe and in Africa. Key themes arising in policy documents in each context are examined. A distinction is drawn in analysis between themes classified as ‘global means’, such as qualification frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms, which are becoming international norms and which show close similarity across contexts, and regional goals or ‘themes’ in supra-national policy. The paper argues that although there are apparent similarities between the policy goals espoused in ‘regional themes’, context plays an important part in understanding the meanings of these policy goals. In closer analysis, there are differences both in the underlying problems which the policy goals are intended to address, and in the prioritisation given to these goals. This finding is examined in the light of debates regarding policy convergence, specifically drawing on Vaira’s () framework for institutional analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the impact of protected areas on land-cover clearing, using a metadata analysis of information on 49 locations from 22 countries. Protected areas had significantly lower rates of clearing in comparison to their surroundings. In addition, protected areas had also significantly lowered rates of clearing within their boundary following initiation of protection. Thus, protected areas do appear to be effective at limiting overall land-cover clearing. There was some variation in the rates of clearing across regions, where most protected areas from North America and Europe showed positive rates of land-cover change, while protected areas from Asia had the highest rates of land-cover clearing. While most protected areas from North America and Europe involved a relatively smaller number of actors, a greater number of actors and drivers of clearing was implicated in protected areas from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, indicating the increased difficulties faced by park management in these regions. In contrast, country income levels and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources category of protection did not appear to impact the likelihood of land-cover clearing in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]