World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) 2007 web-download
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is compiled from multiple sources and is the most comprehensive global dataset on marine and terrestrial protected areas available. It is a joint venture of UNEP and IUCN, produced by UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) working with governments and collaborating NGOs.
The World Database on Protected Areas has been made available to download in the public domain under the principals of Conservation Commons. The overarching goal of these principles is to make data more freely available to improve conservation.
As part of our commitment to the global conservation community and on behalf of our partners, we are pleased to present our yearly published dataset of the world's parks and protected areas. The 'WDPA 2007 web-download', contains the December 2007 version of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA). It is provided as a series of Geographic Information System (GIS) layers (shapefiles) with related site information.
Conditions of Use: World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) 2007 web-download is available for research, educational purposes and specifically for non-commercial use only. Any use of WDPA materials by an individual or entity operating within or on behalf of any organisation other than a not-for-profit organisation will be deemed to be for a commercial purpose and therefore prohibited. The contents of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) 2007 web download may not be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed, in whole or in part, for any commercial purpose without prior permission.
Data Size: The download process may be quite lengthy depending on the size of your selected file and your bandwidth capabilities.
(Note: To aid download and maximise compression, data are provided in WinZip.
Software Requirements: In order to visualize the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), you need to first install ArcExplorer™ 2, ArcReader or any other Geographic Information System (GIS) software capable of managing shapefiles.
Commercial Use: Please contact protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org for information on versions which are available for commercial use and for other analytical purposes.
Contact Details: For help with the download process, contact wdpa_questions@unep-wcmc.org
IMPORTANT NOTE: THE WDPA IS CHANGING IN 2008
Over the last 12 months UNEP-WCMC, supported by the Proteus Partnership, has been redeveloping the World Database on Protected Areas. Using the latest GIS, web and database technologies the WDPA has been extensively redesigned into a web-enabled spatial database platform with custom data editing, downloading and analysis facilities. Over the course of the next 16 months, the opportunities to interact with the spatial data will be slowly unveiled - SO WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!