NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

NATURE WORLDWIDE has 2000 pages on Birdlists, checklists of birds, mammals and other fauna of all countries of the world and information on national parks to promote biodiversity and nature conservation. NATURALEZA DEL MUNDO ENTERO: Listas de aves y mamíferos en 2000 páginas de todos los países del mundo. Información científica y responsable sobre la biodiversidad, la conservación y el manejo de la naturaleza y los parques nacionales y áreas protegidas y como llegar en ellos. NATUREZA DO MUNDO Listas de aves e mamíferos em 2000 páginas de todos os países do mundo. Informação científica y responsavel sobre a biodiversidad, a conservação e manejo / gestão da natureza e dos parques nacionais (PARNA) e áreas protegidas (unidades de conservação) e como chegar nelles NATURE DU MONDE ENTIER vous donne des listes d'oiseaux, mammifères, amphibies, dans 2000 pages de tous les pays du monde. D' information de base responsable sur la biodiversité, la conservation et gestion de la nature et de parcs nationaux et regionaux, pour encourager la conservation de la nature.  NATUR DER GANZEN WELT gibt checkliste von Vögeln, Säugetiere, Kriegetiere, aller Länder der Welt. Info über Nationalparke und Hege um Naturschutz zu fördern. NATUUR VAN DE HELE WERELD geeft u in 2000 paginas, checklists van vogels en zoogdieren, van alle landen van de wereld. Informatie over nationale parken om natuurbescherming, natuurbeheer en biodiversiteit om natuurbehoud te bevorderen.

Welcome to the national parks and reserves page. Much of our basic information comes from the UNEP-WCMC database, though for many countries updated with info from other sources. However, we are gradually expanding our info with travel info and biological info.  Please help us increase the quality of this information on any area(s) you know by filling out the little file in MS Excel "Areas List Table" at the bottom of this page and returning it to our email.

Bienvenue a ce page de parcs et réserves. Beaucoup de notre information est obtenue de la base de données du UNEP-WCMC, bien qu’actualisée avec des données des sources différentes.  Cependant, nous sommes en train d'étendre l'information avec des données biologiques et d'information de voyage. Veuillez-nous aider améliorer la qualité de quelconque parc ou réserve que vous connaissez en remplissant la table en MS Excel en bas de ce page "Areas list table" et retournant à notre email. 

Willkommen auf dieser Seite über Parken und Naturschutzgebieten. Viel unserer Grund Informationen kommt von der UNEP-WCMC Datenbank, obwohl für viele Länder aktualisiert mit Info von anderen Quellen. Außerdem werden wir unsere Information allmählich mit Reise-Info und biologischem Info ausbreiten. Helfen Sie uns bitte die Qualität dieser Informationen auf irgendeinem Gebiet(e) zu vergrößern durch den MS Excel File "Area list table" am Boden dieser Seite aus zu füllen und nach unseren email zurück zo schicken.

Bienvenido a esta página de parques y reservas naturales. Mucho de nuestra information básica está obtenida de la base de datos del UNEP-WCNC, aún actualizado de otras fuentes para muchos países. Sin embargo, estamos recopilando información de datos biológicos e información de viaje para cada área protegida.  Ud. puede contribuir a nuestro esfuerzo con datos adicionales sobre cualquier parque nacional o reserva biológica que Ud. conoce.  En un tal caso le rogamos tener la vondad de llenar el formulario al fondo de esta página y mandarlo a nuestro correo electrónico.

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The definition of a protected area adopted by IUCN is:

An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means

Although all protected areas meet the general purposes contained in this definition, in practice the precise purposes for which protected areas are managed differ greatly. The following are the main purposes of management:

• Scientific research
• Protection of nature and wilderness
• Preservation of species and genetic diversity
• Provision of environmental services
• Protection of specific natural and cultural features
• Tourism and recreation
• Education
• Sustainable use of resources from natural ecosystems
• Maintenance of cultural and traditional features

Categories of Protected Areas

The IUCN has defined a series of protected area management categories based on management objectives. Definitions of these categories, and examples of each, are provided in Guidelines for Protected Area Management Categories (IUCN, 1994). The six categories are: 

CATEGORY Ia: Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for science  

Definition: 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  

Definition: Large area of unmodified or slightly modified land, and/or sea, retaining its natural character and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural condition.

CATEGORY II : National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation  

Definition: 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

Definition: Area containing one, or more, specific natural or natural/cultural feature which is of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.

CATEGORY IV : Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention

requirements of specific species.

CATEGORY V : Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation

Definition: Area of land, with coast and 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 ecosystems  

Definition: Area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while providing at the same time a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs. 

National protected area systems
At the national level, a variety of designations is used, and will continue to be used. Because of this, it is inevitable that the same designation may mean different things in different countries; and different designations in different countries may be used to describe the same category of protected area. This is one of the key reasons for defining and using at the international level a system of categories identified by management objectives in a system which does not depend on titles. This category system is intended to operate in the same way in all countries so as to facilitate the collection and handling of comparable data, and to improve communication between countries. 

Regional Variation
The conditions for the establishment and management of protected areas vary greatly from region to region, and from country to country. For example, regions like Europe with long-settled, long-managed landscapes in multiple ownership are not, on the whole, as suited to the establishment of Category II areas - but on the other hand, their circumstances are more conducive to the establishment of Category IV and V areas. The IUCN does not favour different standards being used in the application of these categories in different parts of the world, as this would counter the value of having a defined standard. However, the flexibility which is inherent in these guidelines should help in their application to the conditions in different regions and countries 

Size of Protected Areas
The size of an area should reflect the extent of land or water needed to accomplish the purposes of management. For example, for a Category I area, the size should be that needed to ensure the integrity of the area to accomplish the management objective of strict protection, either as a baseline area or research site, or for wilderness protection. For a Category II area, the boundaries should be drawn sufficiently widely that they contain one, or more, entire ecosystems which are not subject to material modification by human exploitation or occupation. 

are classified by law as having different management objectives are discussed under the heading of multiple classifications. 

Multiple Classifications
Protected areas of different categories are often contiguous; sometimes one category 'nests' within another. Thus many Category V areas contain within them Category I and IV areas; some will adjoin Category II areas. Again, some Category II areas contain Category Ia and Ib areas. This is entirely consistent with the application of the system, providing such areas are identified separately for accounting and reporting purposes. Although there are obvious benefits in having the entire area within the responsibility of one management authority, this may not always be possible; in such cases, close cooperation between authorities will be essential. 

Management Responsibility
Governments have a fundamental responsibility for the existence and well being of national systems of protected areas. They should regard such areas as important components of national strategies for conservation and sustainable development. However, the actual responsibility for management of individual protected areas may rest with central, regional or local government, non governmental organisations, the private sector or the local community. The test is whether the designated authority is capable of achieving the management objectives. In practice, protected area Categories I-III will usually be the responsibility of some form of governmental body, while responsibility for categories IV and V may rest with local administrations, albeit usually working within the framework of national legislation. 

Ownership of Land
As with the question of the managing authority, the key test is whether the type of ownership is compatible with the achievement of the management objectives. In many countries ownership by some form of public body (whether nationally or locally based), or an appropriately constituted non-governmental body with conservation objectives, facilitates management and is therefore to be favoured in Categories I-III in particular. However, this is not universally true, and - in the remaining categories - private ownership will be much more common, often being the predominant form of land ownership. 

Local communities
Whatever the ownership, experience shows that the success of management depends greatly on the good will and support of local communities. In such cases, the managing authority will need to have good consultative and communications systems, and effective mechanisms which may include incentives, to secure compliance with management objectives. 

The information given above is extracted from:
IUCN (1994). Guidelines for Protected Areas Management Categories. IUCN, Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland. 261pp.