Protected areas

The Delos Initiative focuses on the sacred natural sites in developed countries throughout the world. Its main purpose is to help in maintaining both the sanctity and the biodiversity of these sites, through the understanding of the complex relationship between spiritual/cultural and natural values. This publication includes all presentations made at the Second Workshop of The Delos Initiative, which took place in Ouranoupolis in 2007.

In an era of climate change, deforestation and massive habitat loss, we can no longer rely on parks and protected areas as isolated 'islands of wilderness' to conserve and protect vital biodiversity. Increasing connections are being considered and made between protected areas and 'connectivity' thinking has started to expand to the regional and even the continental scale to match the challenges of conserving biodiversity in the face of global environmental change.

World Heritage properties are some of the most unique places on our planet because of the range of outstanding and unique natural or cultural features and values that they contain. Like anything precious these places need to be protected and cared for responsibly. The purpose of this manual is to help those responsible for managing World Heritage properties with natural values by suggesting what they need to think about when producing a management plan for their property.