GLOBE features a suite of freely available global variables, including percent protected area (above).

A recent PNAS Commentary by Arun Agrawal of the University of Michigan highlights the usefulness of applying global datasets available in GLOBE to matching-based techniques for studying protected area effectiveness.

Writing on data limitations for matching-based approaches, Agrawal notes:

“The issue of data gaps is characteristic of many matching studies of PAs, although additional global datasets on variables that likely influence PA outcomes and location are available than used in matching-based statistical analyses of PAs (e.g., the datasets available at globe.umbc.edu)” (Agrawal, 2014, pg. 3909).

Contact the GLOBE Team for help assessing your site or sites using global data- or give it a try yourself-  GLOBE is designed to make global datasets readily usable by researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.