Protected Areas and World Heritage

A protected area is defined as an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources, managed through legal or other effective means. Since 1981 UNEP-WCMC has been identifying and compiling information on the protected areas of the world to produce comprehensive global dataset and maps.

UNEP-WCMC's work on protected areas is carried out in close collaboration with the World Commission on Protected Areas and the IUCN Programme on Protected Areas. All three organizations have been involved in defining and categorizing protected areas.

Ngerukewid Islands Wildlife Sanctuary in Palau,also known as Seventy Islands - Photograph: Peter Valentine

Latest News and Products
July 06
The Protected Areas programme completed an EC funded project in July 2006 'UNEP-WCMC Support to development of 2010 Indicators'. The project provided an opportunity for detailed strategic planning for the future of the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA). The WDPA is maintained by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of the World Conservation Union, in collaboration with a consortium of organisations. The activities included consultations with key stakeholders, planning and development of the associated processes required for the collation of regional and thematic data sets. Central to these consultations has been the development of processes to support data delivery and indicators in support of the CBD programme of work on protected areas (and other major international organizations and processes). Specifically this project has enabled: An analysis of the key technical and organizational challenges in maintaining the WDPA. This has been realized through a series of consultations with protected area specialists, stakeholders, and a range of internal and external users. Development of a strategic plan to restructuring the database and implement data quality control processes. These have been elaborated in consultations with selected national (Russia) and international (EEA, ETC/BD) entities Incorporation of thematic data Development of appropriate indicators and dissemination of information through a proposed annual report. Please click on the PDF icon on the right to access the prototype protected area report. Electronic versions of the technical report on the strategic planning for the WDPA and the three thematic reports on marine protected areas, coverage of key biodiversity and management effectiveness data are available on request. Please contact for copies of these reports or information on any aspect of the work of the Protected Areas programme.
Measuring Extent and Effectiveness of Protected Areas - Indicator for meeting Global Biodiversity Targets
May 05
World Database on Protected Area CD-ROM 2005 launched at IUCN World Conservation Congress
Nov 04
Gesäuse National Park in Austria officially designated IUCN PA Management Category II

World Heritage Thematic Study for Central Asia: A Regional Overview
Aug 04
Review of the World Heritage Network: Biogeography, Habitats and Biodiversity
July 04
ASTER Protected Areas Archive - Remote Sensing Data and Technology

Information Resources & Services

World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) - The World Database on Protected Areas is the result of a collaboration between UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). It is compiled and managed with the support of a wide range of national and international organizations, including protected area agencies in most countries.
UN List of Protected Areas - The UN List is the definitive list of the world's protected areas, compiled by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of UNEP and IUCN. Access is available to the 1993, 1997 and 2003 UN List.
Maps - Access to demonstrations on some of the mapping work on protected areas carried out by UNEP-WCMC. Part of a new information service under development based on the UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Map Library built over the past 10 years.
World Heritage Sites - Standard format information sheets on all sites inscribed on the World Heritage List for natural or mixed natural and cultural reasons. These information sheets are compiled and maintained by UNEP-WCMC on behalf of UNESCO.
Protected Areas of the World - Interactive access to Protected Areas of the World published for the World Parks Congress in 1992, with country by country descriptions of protected area systems. Some of the information is now fairly dated.
Protected Areas of the Pacific Islands - Based on the IUCN Directory of Protected Areas in Oceania, compiled by UNEP-WCMC in collaboration with IUCN and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Update of this information by those familiar with the region is actively encouraged.
Transboundary Protected Areas - Information on transboundary protected areas and Peace Parks with links to relevant online information.
Archive - A list of the information and services UNEP-WCMC has provided over the past few years.

Key Links

"Speaking a Common Language" - A research project to assess the ways in which the IUCN protected area management categories can be used to further conservation action on the ground. The project is being carried out jointly by Cardiff University and Equilibrium in partnership with IUCN (The World Conservation Union) and its World Commission on Protected Areas and the UNEP-WCMC.
ASTER Protected Areas Archive - Remote Sensing Data and Technology
World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
WCPA Collaboration Portal
UNESCO World Heritage
IUCN Protected Areas Learning Network