The IUCN system for classifying protected areas distinguishes six management categories (I-VI). This publication aims to further clarify how they can be interpreted within Europe, in order to help protected areas managers and others concerned with protected areas to apply the IUCN system more consistently to ensure reliable categorisation and data gathering
Four case studies of European protected areas are presented illustrating particular themes of management practice. The National Park of Abruzzo, Latium and Molise (Italy) serves as a model for zoning; the Bialowieza National Park (Poland) for monitoring; participatory management is exemplified in the Minorca Biosphere Reserve in Spain; and the Austrian Hohe Tauern National Park is a good example for visitor management.
Red Lists are valuable for informing species protection policy and are important as indicators as well as a tool for communication between all those involved in species protection. There are some 3,700 Red Lists in use across Europe, but the approach, aims and criteria used vary widely. A partial result of this is that Red List Species are rarely used for European ecological networks and play a modest role in the updating of the Wild Birds and Habitats directives.
The rationale for this three-volume work covering nearly 250 major sites for conservation of plant diversity worldwide is concern about rapid global loss and degradation of natural ecosystems. By highlighting areas of prime botanical importance, it is hoped that their conservation will be ensured by an adequate commitment of resources. Selection of the sites is based both on floristic statistics and on detailed first-hand knowledge of numerous botanists.
The IUCN system for classifying protected areas distinguishes six management categories (I-VI). This publication aims to further clarify how they can be interpreted within Europe, in order to help protected areas managers and others concerned with protected areas to apply the IUCN system more consistently to ensure reliable categorisation and data gathering.