Site pages
Current course
Participants
General
26 February - 4 March
5 March - 11 March
12 March - 18 March
19 March - 25 March
26 March - 1 April
2 April - 8 April
9 April - 15 April
16 April - 22 April
23 April - 29 April
30 April - 6 May
6.5. Protected area Management
Unit 6 - Laws and policies related to the environment
6.5. Protected area Management
There are two ways of conservation of the flora and fauna
Category Ia: Strict nature reserve/wilderness protection area managed mainly for science or wilderness protection - an area of land and/or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific research and/or environmental monitoring.
Category Ib: Wilderness area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection - large area of unmodified or slightly modified land and/or sea, retaining its natural characteristics and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is protected and managed to preserve its natural condition.
Category II: National park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation - natural area of land and/or sea designated to (a) protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations, (b) exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area and (c) provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible.
Category III: Natural monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features - area containing specific natural or natural/cultural feature(s) of outstanding or unique value because of their inherent rarity, representativeness or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.
Category IV: Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention - area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats to meet the requirements of specific species.
Category V: Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation or recreation - area of land, with coast or sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and evolution of such an area.
Category VI: Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural resources - area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long-term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while also providing a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are gaining attention in the world. In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) called for establishing a global system of MPA networks by 2012. This resolution was reaffirmed at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international meetings. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines an MPA as “any area of inter-tidal os sub-tidal terrain, together with its overlying waters, and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of enclosed environment”.
The role of protected areas has become as much about the protection of processes - such as supply of water, prevention of erosion and maintenance of human lifestyles - as about the protection of species. This has important implications for the land area needed within a protected areas system. The full use of these six categories allows a more inclusive and flexible approach to designing protected areas systems at the national level. Categories I-III covers a variety of "traditional" designations of protected area. Category IV recognises the need to set aside areas for restoration in many parts of the world, and the active management that this will entail. Categories V and VI recognize that maintenance of biodiversity is not always the primary reason for protection and that cultural values, environmental management, sustainable land use and recreational needs all help determine the choices made regarding a country's protected area network. Protected areas can in theory now cover land used for almost everything except industrial-scale activity such as intensive farming and forestry, large-scale mining or large settlements. A wider definition of protected areas has a number of advantages. Protected areas may be seen as less threatening because protection does not necessarily mean a complete block on human activity. They are likely to lead to new management options in a wide range of situations, and open up the possibility of innovative partnerships between conservationists and other interest groups, such as indigenous peoples, the tourism industry and small-scale agriculture. The design of a protected area system therefore has to take account of a range of interrelated social and biophysical factors, both inside and outside the protected areas themselves. This marks a step beyond fulfillment of targets for protected areas and requires consideration of conservation values, social issues and the biogeographical characteristics of the area.
Conservation values: • Ecosystems; • Species; • Intra-specific genetic variation; Environmental services; • Natural processes.
Social issues: • Land-use patterns inside and outside protected areas, • Land user groups and institutions, • Local peoples livelihood requirements, • Local patterns of access to resources
• Previous land-use in the protected area, • Role of people in biodiversity conservation and management, • Human population trends (demographic and migration patterns) within and near the area, • Cultural aspects of human populations within or near the area, • Equity issues, • Existing pressures on protected areas, Likely future threats to the protected area and surrounding landscape,• Likely visitor pressure, etc.
Bio-geographical characteristics: • Size, • Shape • Integrity/quality • Topography • Quality of the resource, etc.
Principles of sound governance for protected areas
The five principles UNDP principles are as follows:
There are two ways of conservation of the flora and fauna
- Ex-situ conservation: Keeping the organisms outside their natural habitat in place almost similar to their natural habitat. Eg: Zoo, germplasm conservation
- In-situ conservation: Keeping the organisms in their natural habitat where all animals and plants are in that area is protected. Eg: Turtle conservation, Tiger conservation etc. All types anthropogenic activities are prohibited in protected area.
Category Ia: Strict nature reserve/wilderness protection area managed mainly for science or wilderness protection - an area of land and/or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific research and/or environmental monitoring.
Category Ib: Wilderness area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection - large area of unmodified or slightly modified land and/or sea, retaining its natural characteristics and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is protected and managed to preserve its natural condition.
Category II: National park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation - natural area of land and/or sea designated to (a) protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations, (b) exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area and (c) provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible.
Category III: Natural monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features - area containing specific natural or natural/cultural feature(s) of outstanding or unique value because of their inherent rarity, representativeness or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.
Category IV: Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention - area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats to meet the requirements of specific species.
Category V: Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation or recreation - area of land, with coast or sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and evolution of such an area.
Category VI: Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural resources - area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long-term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while also providing a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are gaining attention in the world. In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) called for establishing a global system of MPA networks by 2012. This resolution was reaffirmed at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international meetings. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines an MPA as “any area of inter-tidal os sub-tidal terrain, together with its overlying waters, and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of enclosed environment”.
The role of protected areas has become as much about the protection of processes - such as supply of water, prevention of erosion and maintenance of human lifestyles - as about the protection of species. This has important implications for the land area needed within a protected areas system. The full use of these six categories allows a more inclusive and flexible approach to designing protected areas systems at the national level. Categories I-III covers a variety of "traditional" designations of protected area. Category IV recognises the need to set aside areas for restoration in many parts of the world, and the active management that this will entail. Categories V and VI recognize that maintenance of biodiversity is not always the primary reason for protection and that cultural values, environmental management, sustainable land use and recreational needs all help determine the choices made regarding a country's protected area network. Protected areas can in theory now cover land used for almost everything except industrial-scale activity such as intensive farming and forestry, large-scale mining or large settlements. A wider definition of protected areas has a number of advantages. Protected areas may be seen as less threatening because protection does not necessarily mean a complete block on human activity. They are likely to lead to new management options in a wide range of situations, and open up the possibility of innovative partnerships between conservationists and other interest groups, such as indigenous peoples, the tourism industry and small-scale agriculture. The design of a protected area system therefore has to take account of a range of interrelated social and biophysical factors, both inside and outside the protected areas themselves. This marks a step beyond fulfillment of targets for protected areas and requires consideration of conservation values, social issues and the biogeographical characteristics of the area.
Conservation values: • Ecosystems; • Species; • Intra-specific genetic variation; Environmental services; • Natural processes.
Social issues: • Land-use patterns inside and outside protected areas, • Land user groups and institutions, • Local peoples livelihood requirements, • Local patterns of access to resources
• Previous land-use in the protected area, • Role of people in biodiversity conservation and management, • Human population trends (demographic and migration patterns) within and near the area, • Cultural aspects of human populations within or near the area, • Equity issues, • Existing pressures on protected areas, Likely future threats to the protected area and surrounding landscape,• Likely visitor pressure, etc.
Bio-geographical characteristics: • Size, • Shape • Integrity/quality • Topography • Quality of the resource, etc.
Principles of sound governance for protected areas
The five principles UNDP principles are as follows:
- Legitimacy and voice- Participation and Consensus orientation
- Direction- Strategic vision, including human development, and historical, cultural and social complexities
- Performance-Responsiveness of institutions and processes to stakeholders Effectiveness and efficiency
- Accountability- Accountability to the public and to institutional stakeholders, transparency
- Fairness Equity- Rule of law
Last modified: Thursday, 5 January 2012, 7:05 AM