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From wildlife to cultural heritage: What are the multiple roles of protected areas?
A protected area, or nature reserve, is protected for its recognized natural or cultural values. These areas typically restrict human activity and extraction of natural resources to protect unique ecosystems and cultural assets. As of 2016, there are more than 161,000 protected areas worldwide, covering 17% of the world’s land area. Protected areas include not only terrestrial exclusion zones, but also marine and transnational protected areas, and efforts to address the global ecological crisis are becoming increasingly prominent.
“The existence of protected areas is not only to protect wild animals and plants, but also to preserve the cultural heritage that has withstood the test of time.”
The effectiveness of protected areas in addressing climate change is also gradually being recognized. These areas mitigate the effects of climate change by prohibiting destructive activities such as fishing, hunting and development. In addition, protected areas can reduce changes in species distribution and the intensity of storms, and help maintain ecological processes, thus playing a key role in the conservation of biodiversity and ecological services.
Importance of protecting natural resourcesA major objective of the protected area is to conserve biodiversity, and it includes a number of sub-areas identified as having significant conservation value, such as Important Bird Areas and Key Biodiversity Areas. These areas are managed at a high level for their specific ecological needs. Multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities and private organizations, participate in the governance and management of protected areas. This diverse governance approach can promote better protection results.
“Protected areas can preserve not only wildlife but also precious cultural resources.”
According to the definition of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a protected area is a geographical area clearly demarcated by law or other effective means, the purpose of which is to protect nature and its ecological services and cultural values in the long term. In the face of the crises of global warming and biodiversity loss, the role of protected areas becomes increasingly important.
Protect biodiversity
Protected areas, like areas of biodiversity conservation, help monitor changes in plant and animal populations. Studies have shown that in protected areas, the richness of vertebrates is declining at only one-fifth the rate of decline in unprotected areas, demonstrating a significant conservation effect. Well-managed protected areas can provide ecological services such as water quality regulation, carbon sequestration and climate control, which are essential for the sustainable development of human society.
"The protection of biodiversity is not only for the present, but also for the future."
As the demonstration effect of protected areas expands, countries are gradually paying attention to the support these protected areas provide to ecosystems. In addition, it is worth noting that the effective operation of protected areas often faces many challenges, such as conflicts of interest with local residents. Sometimes policy changes may threaten the way of life of indigenous peoples, thus causing social controversy.
Community participation and challenges
In the process of establishing and managing protected areas, how to balance environmental protection and community needs has become a core issue currently being discussed. In the past, the design of protected areas was mostly a unilateral decision made by the government, resulting in a lack of participation by local residents. Today, all parties are beginning to embrace a more inclusive governance approach to promote the integration of the interests of all parties.
“Changes in governance can lead to lasting improvements in protected areas.”
Successful examples in some countries in West Africa show that engaging local communities can strengthen protected area governance and biodiversity restoration, a view that is gaining traction in the Amazon and elsewhere. Community-focused conservation efforts have the potential not only to reduce biodiversity loss but also to promote social justice.
Future Outlook
In the face of challenges such as climate change, resource extraction and habitat destruction, the future of protected areas needs to be based on ongoing scientific assessments and flexible policy frameworks. The establishment of protected areas must take into account the multiple values of ecology, society and culture, and promote harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Therefore, the role of protected areas is not limited to protecting wildlife, but is also an important part of human cultural heritage, which is worth our consideration.
How will future protected areas strike a balance between protecting natural resources and promoting human well-being?
