The World Protected Areas Database

Since 1981 the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) WCMC, has been compiling information on protected areas and making it available to the global community through the World Protected Areas Database (WDPA). Currently, the WDPA is the most comprehensive global spatial dataset on marine and terrestrial protected areas available. Like PAD-US, the WDPA is a tool that provides the up to date information on protected areas that is essential to a wide range of conservation and land management planning activities. To enable inclusion of PAD-US into the WDPA, GAP applied IUCN classification designations to each parcel in the regional datasets provided by PAD-US partners.

The IUCN categories are:

• Strict Nature Reserve--set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphological features where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited;
• Wilderness Area-- large unmodified or slightly modified area managed to preserve their natural condition;
• National Park--managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation;
• Natural Monument-- set aside to protect a specific natural monument;
• Habitat/Species Management Area--area managed to protect particular species or habitats and in which management reflects this priority;
• Protected Landscape/Seascape-- protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation; and
• Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources-- protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural resources.

More information on the World Protected Areas Database.