UNEP

Outlines approaches to assessment of the status and sustainability of national biodiversity. Methods are introduced for biodiversity survey, assessment of the status of species and habitats, and identification of local users of biological resources and the importance and impacts of such use.

Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development, and cultures from ancient times to the present day have exploited biodiversity. With the advent of scientific breeding, new plant varieties have been developed. Plant breeders are dependent upon the availability of a large pool of diverse genetic material represented by local races and wild relatives. Without the ability to draw from a diverse genetic reservoir, further improvement may not be possible.

This directory provides details of measures taken to date to establish a system of protected areas in the region, which includes Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Pakistan, India, Burma, China and the former USSR. Each national system is reviewed and accompanied by a list and a map of protected areas. Over 100 individual properties are described in more detail.