Protected Areas

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Saadia Iqbal, You Think!, The World Bank,   "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 6) Youth and United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 6. Verbatim.

Protected areas are places that receive protection because of their environmental or cultural value. Theyhave many purposes, including the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Most countries have protected areas. There are over 100 000 protected sites around the world, covering around 12 percent of the Earth’s land surface.

Well-managed protected areas support healthy ecosystems, which in turn keep people healthy. Globally, protected areas meet millions of people’s most basic needs by providing essentials such as food, fresh water, fuel and medicines both for the people living in and around protected areas and even for people living hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away. They also benefit local communities by promoting rural development, research, conservation, education, recreation and tourism. Protected areas can also act as buffers against climate change and poverty, and, of course, they are reservoirs of biological richness for present and future generations.