The aim of WCMC's Protected Areas Programme is:
The goal is:
Objectives are:
The above objectives are in line with WCMC's mission and aims, in particular its strategic objectives to assess the status of species and habitats at global level, and to assess management for conservation, including protected areas and their effectiveness.
WCMC's Programme on Protected Areas is closely integrated with the IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas, which set up a protected areas unit in 1981, now an integral part of WCMC.
WCMC is engaged in a range of initiatives in support of its Protected Areas Programme, some of which are outlined below.
Protected Areas Database
WCMC has developed a unique global database of over 50,000 protected areas, representing an investment of approximately 100 person-years. This database is linked to information on national protected area systems and individual sites. It is also linked to the WCMC Biodiversity Map Library, a Geographic Information System containing spatial data on habitats, species and protected areas.
Protected Areas Resource Centre (PARC).
Information on protected areas will be provided through the establishment of PARC, in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas. PARC will form an integral part of the Biodiversity Conservation Information System, which is being developed by a consortium of international conservation bodies, including WCMC and IUCN.
The WCMC Protected Areas Database will provide the foundation to PARC. This database will be linked to WCMC's Biodiversity Map Library, and its bibliographic and contact databases.
United Nations List of Protected Areas Production of the UN List of Protected Areas every three years, in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas, provides a vehicle for regularly monitoring the status of the world's protected areas. The next edition is being prepared for publication in 1997, partly funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. It will include information on the extent and distribution of national protected area systems, and investments in them.
Gap analysis. WCMC uses its Geographic Information System to identify gaps in habitat and species protection. Emphasis is given to global and regional analyses, providing the context for identifying international priorities for conservation action at the national level. Recent studies include an assessment of habitat and forest protection in the tropics, a review of the Indo-Malayan region in collaboration with the Asian Bureau for Conservation and, as a contribution to the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Programme, a preliminary analysis of the circumpolar protected areas network. Future priorities include gaps analyses for temperate forests and grasslands.
Investments in Biodiversity Conservation. WCMC has recently completed a study of investments in biodiversity in tropical countries for the European Commission, focusing on bilateral and multi-lateral aid as well as national investments in protected areas.
Critical Natural Habitats in Latin America & Caribbean. WCMC is preparing a five-volume directory of critical natural habitats for this region. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Agriconsulting and the World Bank.
This part of the programme is closely aligned with WCMC's Capacity Building Programme. It includes provision of guidelines and tools to help protected area agencies manage their information. Examples include the production of stand-alone versions of the WCMC Protected Areas Database and a Biodiversity Information Management System, developed by the Asian Bureau for Conservation as part of the World Bank-funded Indo-Malayan protected areas review of protected areas.
WCMC services the World Heritage Convention, providing information on natural and mixed natural/cultural sites that are listed under the Convention. It has a leading role in setting up a World Heritage Information Network on the Internet. Information on natural areas designated under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme is managed by WCMC in collaboration with the responsible authorities. A recent initiative is the establishment of a common European database of protected areas, in cooperation with the European Environment Agency, its Topic Centre for Nature Conservation and the Council of Europe.