Nature conservation today is in transition from the "fire-brigade" period, when action meant mainly reaction, to a new era of planned conservation as an integral part of land-use activities. We argue that, in practice, there is little difference between nature and biodiversity conservation. Hence, the mandate from the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro 1992) to prepare and implement national biodiversity strategies should be taken by the member countries as an opportunity to develop comprehensive plans for nature conservation. Using Switzerland as an example of the many countries which have not yet embarked on preparing such a strategy, we argue that monitoring schemes, no matter how good they are, cannot substitute for genuine conservation strategies, but should be seen as instruments for measuring their success. As conservation biologists, we feel that our science should play a stronger role in the process leading towards a comprehensive national conservation plan, and we define what we believe to be central elements of any national biodiversity strategy. These elements are:
• To define the national role in conserving biodiversity, both internally and internationally.
• To state the main goal of the strategy (for example, conservation of net species numbers: it is important not to adopt too static an approach which neglects the dynamic nature of ecosystems).
• To define target entities of the strategy at different levels (genetic, species, and ecosystems) and the criteria for their measurement (for example, size of minimum viable populations, minimum size and distribution patterns of biotopes, et cetera). These should be defined in terms of both (i) species or groups of species, and (ii) the appropriate areas of habitat necessary to conserve the species.
• To set priorities according to the country's responsibility for species and biotopes (indicated by the percentage of the total population/area size held by the country, or by special qualities, such as keystone, indicator, umbrella or flagship values of species).
• To quantify goals separately for each biogeographical region (for example, determine minimal population sizes or habitat areas that are to be conserved in the various regions).
• To develop ideas of how not only populations and biotopes, but also ecological processes can be conserved, and evaluate where alternative management options (managing the cultural landscape versus letting wilderness develop) are appropriate.
Finally, we call on all interested groups in Switzerland to join efforts in developing an innovative national biodiversity strategy.