Protected areas

An increasing number of land reform projects are taking place in conservation areas. Many of these are concerned with the restitution of land rights to people dispossessed of their land, and others are more generally concerned with effecting tenure reform and redistributing land to the disadvantaged and the poor.

The link between protected areas and tourism is as old as the history of protected areas. Though the relationship is complex and sometimes adversarial, tourism is always a critical component to consider in the establishment and management of protected areas. These guidelines aim to build an understanding of protected area tourism, and its management. They provide both a theoretical structure and practical guidelines for managers.

Communication and co-operation among all conservation bodies and concerned individuals are vital to effective conservation and to securing the funding and other resources needed. Only by forming productive links among all protected area organisations and initiatives in the region can the aim of the East Asia Action Plan be realised.

In 1990, the Bundala lagoons of Sri Lanka became the country's first Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance for migratory waterfowl. In 1992, Bundala was upgraded to a National Park. This guide to the habitats, animals and plant species currently present in Bundala National Park stems from a survey on the status of the park's biodiversity conducted by IUCN's Country Office in Sri Lanka. It is hoped that this guide will raise awareness of this important protected area.