Tropical areas

Coastal management is a prominent topic of concern to the world, and an understanding of the ecological processes in mangrove ecosystems is essential. These ecosystems are a distinctive feature in the tropical and subtropical coastlines of the Americas and the Caribbean, with great scientific, economic and cultural value. The scientific contributions in this monograph are focused on resource management and the policy decisions that are required for mangrove management.

This is a new editon of the classic textbook on marine protected area (MPA) management in the tropics, originally produced as an output of the Bali World Parks Congress in 1982. Approaches to planning and managing MPAs have evolved considerably. Major advances include innovative financing mechanisms, partnerships with the private sector and NGOs, and collaborative management between government and coastal communities.

This study makes use of extensive spatial datasets, not previously available, to provide for the first time a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of biodiversity in the terrestrial tropics. The extent to which potential habitats and closed moist forests are represented in protected areas is assessed. Priorities for conservation action are identified on the basis of a country's relative importance for a given habitat and the extent to which it is protected.

Examines the environmental impact of mining and the mineral industry, with a special emphasis on tropical forests. Two cases are described in detail, the Carajás area in Brazil and the Mt Nimba iron ore project on the border of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa. The report also looks into the environmental cost of Dutch mineral trading and the Dutch involvement in mineral project in rainforest areas.

This work forms part of a preparatory phase leading to a handbook providing guidelines for the sustainable utlization and integrated management of tropical peatlands. The papers cover the resource and its conservation; social cultural and economic factors affecting utlization; forestry management approaches; case studies; and concludes with a summary of the workshop sessions focusing on future directions.

This well-illustrated traininig manual for wetland managers summarises the ecology of freshwater and coastal wetlands in West Africa. It provides an overview of the main tools for ensuring that their values and functions are adequately maintained for the benefit of local communities and wildlife. The technical appendices offer detailed guidance on designing and implementing management plans and monitoring programmes for protected wetlands.

Based on thorough bibliographic research of a highly controversial topic, this report, jointly sponsored by IUCN, UNEP and WWF, shows the potential of plantations, while also exposing problems which may arise if massive tree plantations proposed for the tropics are to be established.