Protected Areas

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to protected areas, their classification, management, and planning.

Protected Area Definition

A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated, and managed through legal and other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values

Category I Protected Area

Protect biodiversity, maintain evolutionary and ecosystem processes intact, managed for scientific purposes, reference areas, limited mechanized access, recreation excluded.

Category II Protected Area

Managed for ecosystem protection and human enjoyment or recreation, scientific, education, and recreation

Category III Protected Area

Managed for conservation of specific resource or feature (e.g. waterfalls, caves, geologic features)

Category IV Protected Area

Conservation with intervention, scientific research and monitoring are of prime importance

Category V Protected Area

Protect the historical interaction of people and the environment, usually has both natural and cultural resources.

Category VI Protected Area

Unmodified ecosystems, protection of biological diversity, allows sustainable resource use.

GAP analysis

Identifies under-representation (or lack of protection) by comparing distribution of PAs with distribution of species, vegetation types, or other types of biodiversity

Areas of high priority for protection

Areas of irreplaceability (high endemism) AND of high threat

Exposure (PA vulnerability)

Probability of a threatening process affecting an area, or the expected time until an area is affected

Impact (PA vulnerability)

The effect of a threatening process on distribution of a species, their abundance, or persistence

Intensity of a threat (PA vulnerability)

Can take many forms, ex: volume of extraction, density of invasives

Systematic conservation planning (SCP)

Design effective reserve systems as cheaply as possible based on the following principles: comprehensive, representative, adequate, efficient, flexible, irreplaceable, and connected.

Bioreserves

Areas recognized internationally within the framework of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme; combining biodiversity conservation with sustainable development.

Reserve Systems

Networks of protected areas designed to collectively conserve biodiversity at a regional or national scale.

Management Effectiveness

Assessing how well protected areas are achieving their goals and objectives, including ecological, social, and economic outcomes.

Spatial Analysis in Reserve Design

A method to analyze and visualize spatial data to assess the representation of biodiversity features within a protected area network.

Comprehensiveness in Reserve Design

The degree to which a reserve system captures the full range of biodiversity, including species, ecosystems, and ecological processes.

Representation in Reserve Design

The extent to which protected areas reflect the natural distribution and abundance of biodiversity within a region.

Adequacy in Reserve Design

The conservation of the necessary habitat and resources to maintain viable populations of species within protected areas.

Efficiency in Reserve Design

Designing reserve systems to minimize costs and maximize conservation benefits, considering factors such as land acquisition and management expenses.

Flexibility in Reserve Design

Planning protected area networks that can adapt to changing environmental conditions and new information.

Irreplaceability in Reserve Design

Areas that are unique and cannot be replaced if lost, often harboring endemic species or critical habitats.

Connectivity in Reserve Design

Linking protected areas to facilitate species movement and gene flow, enhancing the resilience of the overall reserve system.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Designated areas in oceans or coastal regions providing protection to marine species and habitats.

Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP)

A structured, science-based approach to identify and prioritize areas for conservation action.

Shape and Design (Reserve Design)

Considerations of the size, shape, and spatial arrangement of protected areas to maximize conservation effectiveness.

Ecosystem Services in MPAs

Benefits provided by marine ecosystems within MPAs, such as fisheries support, tourism, and coastal protection.

Connectivity in Conservation

The degree to which protected areas are linked, allowing for species movement and genetic exchange.

Buffer Zones

Areas surrounding protected areas that provide a transition zone and reduce external impacts.

Adaptive Management

A flexible approach to protected area management that allows for adjustments based on monitoring and evaluation.

Stakeholder Involvement

Engaging local communities, governments, and other stakeholders in the planning and management of protected areas.

Climate Change Resilience

Designing protected areas to withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Enforcement and Compliance

Measures to ensure that regulations within protected areas are followed and enforced.