CATEGORIES AND MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES OF PROTECTED AREAS
by Antonio C. Antonio
January 1, 2015
In order to set the parameters in monitoring protected areas
all over the world, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) came up with a system of classifying them. The IUCN is now popularly called the World
Conservation Union which is the umbrella organization of conservation agencies
and institutions.
In 1978, the IUCN, through the IUCN General Assembly,
developed and ratified a system of categories and management objectives of
protected areas which encompassed a wide range of protected/conservation areas. These categories are as follows:
Category I: Strict Nature Reserve and Scientific Reserve –
To protect nature and maintain natural processes in an undisturbed state in
order to have ecologically representative examples of the natural environment
available for scientific study, environmental monitoring, education, and for
the maintenance of genetic resources in a dynamic and evolutionary state.
Category II: National Park – To protect outstanding natural
and scenic areas of national and international significance for scientific,
educational and recreational use. These
are relatively large natural areas and materially altered by human activity
where extractive resource uses are not allowed.
Category III: Natural Monument and Natural Landmark – To
protect and preserve nationally significant natural features because of their
special interest or unique characteristics.
These are relatively small areas focused on protection of specific
features.
Category IV: Managed Nature Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary –
To assure the natural conditions necessary to protect nationally significant
species, groups of species, biotic communities, or physical features of the
environment where these may require specific human manipulation for their
perpetuation. Controlled harvesting of
some resources can be permitted.
Category V: Protected Landscape and Seascapes – To maintain
nationally significant natural landscapes which are characteristic of the
harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public
enjoyment through recreation and tourism within the normal life cycle and
economic activity of those areas. These
are mixed cultural/natural landscapes of high scenic value where traditional
land uses are maintained.
Category VI: Resource Reserve – To protect the natural
resources of the area for future use and prevent or contain development
activities that could affect the resource pending the establishment of
objectives which are based upon appropriate knowledge and planning. This is a holding category used until a
permanent classification can be determined.
Category VII: Anthropological Reserve – To allow the way of
life of societies living in harmony with the environment to continue
undisturbed by modern technology. This
category is appropriate where resource extraction by indigenous people is
conducted in a traditional manner.
Category VIII: Multiple Use Management Area and Managed
Resource Area – To provide for the sustained production of water, timber,
wildlife, pasture and tourism, with the conservation of the nature primarily
oriented to the support of economic activities (although specific zones may
also be designated within these areas to achieve specific conservation
objectives).
Category IX: Biosphere Reserve – To conserve for present and
future use the diversity and integrity of the biotic communities of plants and
animals within natural ecosystems, and to safeguard the genetic diversity of
species on which their continuing evolution depends. These are internationally designated sites
managed for research, education and training.
Category X: World
Heritage Site – To protect the natural features for which the area is considered
to be of outstanding universal significance.
This is a select list of the world’s unique natural and cultural sites
nominated by countries that are party to the World Heritage Convention.
These categories are important to know so we have a good
idea why specific sites are designated and declared as protected/conservation
areas… these are the categories and management objectives of protected areas.
Just my little
thoughts…
(Please visit,
like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders and Landscape Ecology UPOU on Facebook or
follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/.)
No comments:
Post a Comment