INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM OF WORK ON PROTECTED AREAS

In February of 2004, 188 countries committed to the Convention on Biological Diversity's “Program of Work on Protected Areas,” an ambitious set of 92 activities aimed at establishing and maintaining comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional terrestrial protected area systems by 2010 and marine systems by 2012.  As part of their commitment to this Program of Work, signatory countries are undertaking a variety of ecological, management, policy and financial assessments within their protected area systems.  This website is intended to provide the tools, methods, materials and case studies needed to conduct the assessments included in the Program of Work on Protected Areas, and to help provide guidance on how to implement the results.  

MAJOR THEMES AND CORRESPONDING ACTIONS IN THE PROGRAM OF WORK

There are 4 elements, 16 targets and 92 actions in the Program of Work on Protected Areas.  Each of these actions can be organized into a set of key themes.  The list below shows these key themes, and the corresponding action of the Program of Work.  Click on each link to find an overview description of the theme and related resources, including articles, tools, manuals, presentations and case studies. For an overview summary of all of the actions of the Program of Work, .

IMPROVING THE PROTECTED AREA NETWORK

                                         (1.1.1), (1.1.2), (1.1.3), (1.1.5),

Landscape/seascape linkages       resources             (1.2.1), (1.2.3), (1.2.4),(1.3.1)

Transboundary protected areas    resources             (1.3.2), (1.3.3), (1.3.4), (3.1.11)

Restoration                                  resources             (1.2.5), (1.5.3), (1.5.4), (1.5.5), (1.5.6)

IMPROVING PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT

                              (1.4.3), (1.4.5), (1.5.1), (1.5.2)

Management planning                    resources             (1.4.2), (1.4.4)

                          (4.1.3), (4.3.1), (4.3.2), (4.3.3), (4.3.5)

                         (1.4.6), (4.2.1), (4.1.1), (4.2.2), (4.2.3), (4.2.4)

                                                    (3.2.1), (3.2.2), (3.2.3),

Participatory planning                    resources             (1.4.1), (2.1.5), (2.2.1), (2.2.2), (2.2.3), (2.2.5)

Communication and education       resources             (3.5.1), (3.5.2), (3.5.3), (3.5.4), (3.5.5), (3.5.6)

IMPROVING THE PROTECTED AREA ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

                                       (1.2.2), (2.2.4), (3.1.1), (3.1.3), (3.1.5), (3.1.6), (3.1.7), (3.1.8), (3.2.4)

                                       (3.1.9), (3.1.10), (3.2.5), (3.4.1), (3.4.2), (3.4.3), (3.4.4), (3.4.6)

                           (1.1.4), (1.1.7), (2.1.2), (2.1.3), (3.1.4)

                                (2.1.1), (2.1.4), (2.1.6), (3.1.2)

  

ABOUT PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM MASTER PLANNING

 One overall theme that binds all of the elements together is the theme of Protected Area System Master Planning.  This concept, which may be called a variety of different names in different countries (e.g., “National Protected Area System Planning” or “National Protected Area Strategic Planning”), is a sub-theme not expressly in the Program of Work, but one that binds all of the different elements together into a cohesive whole. 

Protected area system master planning

Quick Guide in , , Russian

Case studies on master planning

QUICK GUIDES:

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USEFUL WEBSITES:

World Database on Protected Areas (www.wdpa.org) 

This website, which is under construction, is part of the Conservation Commons, an open consortium of non-governmental organizations, international and multi-lateral organizations, governments, academia, and the private sector, working together to ensure open access to data, information, expertise and knowledge related to the conservation of biodiversity.  If you are interested in posting your documents, tools, case studies or materials to this site, please send an email to Jamison Ervin, at jervin@sover.net.