Global Protected Areas Programme

Protected areas .... achieving quality

Introduction to the IUCN Categories:History, main elements and definitions

An introductory presentation toGuidelines for Applying Protected Area Management CategoriesEdited by Nigel Dudley

Including IUCN WCPA Best Practice Guidance on Recognising Protected Areas and Assigning Management Categories and Governance Types by Sue Stolton, Peter Shadie and Nigel Dudley Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines

Series No. 21ISBN 978-2-8317-1086-0Available at www.iucn.org/pa_categories

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This presentation provides a short history of the development as well as definitions of the IUCN management categories

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IUCN has spent the last two decades reviewing and to a certain extent rethinking the question of what defines a “protected area” and how and what protected areas contribute to human society

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In 1975 IUCN began to develop a categories system based on management objectives and this was eventually published as a set of six categories in 1994.

Add picture of 1994 version

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What started as simply a statistical tool soon began to influence planning, management, policy, laws and even the underlying philosophy of protected areas and conservation.

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From 2000-2004 an analysis of the scope and impact of categories, was carried out for IUCN. The results were published in the report Speaking a Common Language and a resolution at the 2004 World Conservation Congress called for a thorough review of the categories and production of new guidelines

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As a result IUCN published a new edition of guidelines to the IUCN protected area categories at the World Conservation Congress in October 2008 following a major global consultative process

replaced by the current Best Practice Guideline No 21

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The category guidelines have three main elements:

1. Definition of a protected area

2. Definition of six management categories for protected areas

3. Definition of four governance types for protected areas

Plus guidance on understanding, using and reporting these three elements.

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The IUCN definition of a protected area: A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values

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This definition was one of the major revisions in the 2008 guidelines – it reflects a wider view of nature, including geological diversity – but increases emphasis on nature conservation

The guidelines explain the definition phrase by phrase and provide principles to guide its use

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One key principle is: For IUCN, only those sites where the main goal or outcome is conserving nature should be considered protected areas. Note that this would include many sites which can have other goals as well, at the same level, such as cultural or spiritual, but in the case of conflict nature conservation has to be the priority

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Categories of protected areas

The categories were not changed in the 2008 edition but the guidance associated with them was clarified, harmonised and standardised.

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An important note: The names of the categories used by IUCN do not necessarily reflect the names used at national or sub-national levels

Snowdonia National Park (category V) UK

Serengeti National Park (category II) Tanzania

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Category Ia (strict nature reserve) set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphological features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values

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Category Ib (wilderness area) usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural character and influence, without permanent or significant human habitation, protected and managed to preserve their natural condition.

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Category II (national park) protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities

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Category III (natural monument or feature) protect a specific natural monument, which can be a landform, sea mount, submarine cavern, geological feature such as a cave or even a living feature, such as an ancient grove

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Category IV (habitat/species management area) protect particular species or habitats, where management reflects this priority. Many will need regular active interventions to address the requirements of particular species or to maintain habitats, but this is not a requirement of the category

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Category V (protected landscape) protected areas where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated values

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Category VI (protected areas with sustainable use of natural resources) protects ecosystems and habitats, and associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. Generally large areas, with most of the area in a natural condition, where a proportion is under sustainable natural resource management with low-level non-industrial use of natural resources compatible with nature conservation.

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GovernanceWho has responsibility and is held accountable for decisions about a given protected area?

A. the government (and its agencies at various levels)

B. various parties (shared governance)

C. owners of the concerned land and natural resources (private individuals, corporate actors…)

D. indigenous peoples and local communities

See also Best Practice Guidelines on Governance of Protected Areas www.iucn.org/pa_governance

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Protected Planet (powered by the World Database on Protected Areas) www.protectedplanet.net managed by UNEP-WCMC and IUCN uses the IUCN definition, protected area categories and governance types

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*Source: UNEP/IUCN World Database on Protected Areas – March and October 2013

14.6% of terrestrial area protected (excluding Antarctica)

2.8 % of marine area protected

Protected areas*

1962 1,0002013 ca. 200,000

(190.000 terrestrial, 9500 marine)

Global extent of protected areas

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Having the world of protected areas online means we should ensure the most accurate data on protected areas is available to all those interested

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Which means ensuring a good understanding of the protected area definition, categories and governance types

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Countries are also encouraged to use the IUCN categories and governance types as part of their commitments under the CBD’s Programme of Work on Protected Areas and the categories are used to plan and assess both global and national protected area systems

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IUCN continues to build capacity for the implementation of the categories from providing workshops and training in using the categories to developing additional specialist guidance on application; e.g. guidance on using the categories in marine protected areasSee also Guidelines for Applying the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Marine Protected Areashttp://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/gpap_home/gpap_capacity2/gpap_bpg/?11131/Guidelines-for-Applying-the-IUCN-Protected-Area-Management-Categories-to-Marine-Protected-Areas

Global Protected Areas Programme

Protected areas .... achieving quality

AcknowledgementsIUCN‘s Global Protected Areas Programme gratefully acknowledges the partnership that has provided leadership and voluntary support to develop these guidance materials

Regional Council for the Environment of Junta de Andalucía