Revising the IUCN categories to protected areas – implications for protected landscapesNigel Dudley, May 1st 2008: North York Moors N.P.

IUCN has a definition and six categories of protected areas, defined by their management objective – the details of these and guidelines to their application are both being revised

IUCN has spent the last two decades wrestling with the question of what defines a “protected area” from its perspective and how and what protected areas contribute to human society

Arguments for Protection: WWF and The World Bank

The world’s protected area network contains a host of values to society – the protected area categories seek to reflect these while focusing on the core mission of IUCN.

Drinking water

Faiths and religions

Crop genetic diversity

Poverty reduction

Disaster mitigation

Now heavily influenced by the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Programme of Work on Protected Areas

The IUCN categories are mentioned in the CBD Programme and there is a desire that any protected area “recognised” by IUCN should help fulfil the CBD commitments

“Rethinking protected area categories and the new paradigm”

Locke and Deardon

“Change the IUCN Protected Area Categories to reflect biodiversity outcomes”

Boitani et al

Categories summit

The term “protected area” can either be interpreted inclusively or exclusively…

Inclusively as a broad classification for management systems that consciously or unconsciously maintain a range of landscape, natural and cultural values – could include e.g. military training land, well-managed forest and pasture, sacred sites, broad landscape designations, archaeological sites…

Exclusively as a narrow classification system for management that aims explicitly and primarily to protect a particular set of values – in this case biodiversity – could include e.g. national parks such as Yellowstone and strict nature reserves

IUCN seeks a balance

IUCN cannot “impose” its views on a nation, but its guidance is influential

These changes cut across philosophical approaches to conservation

The trend within IUCN members is towards a slightly more exclusive approach in terms of management objectives…

… but a more inclusive approach in terms of governance types

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

Managed mainly for science or wilderness protection IaManaged mainly for wilderness protection IbManaged mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation IIManaged mainly for conservation of specific natural features IIIManaged mainly for conserving species and habitats IVManaged mainly for landscape/seascape conservation or recreation VManaged mainly for the sustainable use of natural resources VI

Principles

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

Category is chosen to match main management objectives. A diversity of management objectives and governance types is encouraged: any combination is possible but not all options are equally useful in every situation. Level of naturalness should generally be maintained or increased. Management actions inimical to the objectives are to be eliminated.

What does this mean for Category V?

How does Category V work in different countries and cultures?

What is not a cultural landscape?

What to do when traditions change?

What can the UK teach and learn?

Category V series

Thank you