Protected Area - The Need For Protected Areas, Kinds Of Protected Areas, Systems Of Protected Areas, Design Of Protected Areas
ecological activities values conserve
Protected areas are parks, ecological reserves, and other tracts set aside from intense development to conserve their natural ecological values. These areas protect the habitat of endangered species, threatened ecological communities, or representative examples of widespread ecosystems, referred to as indigenous (native) biodiversity values. Some protected areas are intended to conserve places of scenic beauty, or sites of historical or cultural importance. Most protected areas are terrestrial, but since the late 1980s, increasing attention has been paid to marine areas as well. Human activities that do not severely threaten the ecological values being conserved take place in some protected areas. Examples of theses activities include, research, education, ecotourism, spiritual activities, even hunting, fishing, and timber harvesting.
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The biodiversity of Earth is in a fragile state. An incredible number of plant and animal species are becoming endangered, while many others have recently become extinct. These devastating ecological changes result almost entirely from human activities. The primary cause of widespread endangerment and extinction of biodiversity is the conversion of natural ecosystems into city, industry, and agric…
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognizes six categories of protected areas: In 1997, there were about 10,400 protected areas covering a total of 2.1 billion acres (841 million hectares) worldwide (IUCN categories 1-5; World Resources Institute, 1998). Of this total area, about 4,500 sites, amounting to 1.2 billion acres (499 million ha), were fully conserved (IUCN c…
Ideally, the numbers and sizes of protected areas should be designed to sustain all native species and natural ecosystems occurring within a jurisdiction (a municipality, state, or entire country). This should include terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species and ecosystems, and the goal should be long-term protection. To ensure there is adequate representation of all elements of indigenous biod…
The design of protected areas is an important field of research in conservation biology. The essential questions involve criteria for the size, shape, and positioning of protected areas to optimize their ability to protect biodiversity, while using funding as efficiently as possible. Conservation biologists recommend that protected areas be as large and numerous as possible. Other design aspects, …
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