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To create strong, well-funded protected areas around the world requires the consistent support of the international community, national governments and society. The Nature Conservancy is working at all levels to help people understand the benefits of protected areas for both themselves and for nature and to increase support from governments to strengthening their protected areas.
Working from the Ground Up
Protected areas need support from the communities around them. In the United States, we have worked across many states to educate and inform people about the benefits of investing to conserve their lands and waters. By working with strong coalitions of local organizations, we have helped generate community support for ballot initiatives that direct funds to parks and protected areas. In other parts of the world, we have worked to ensure the involvement of local people in the creation of protected areas. For example, we helped to establish the Arnavon Islands Marine Conservation Area—one of the first community-managed marine conservation project in the South Pacific. We have also supported community focused campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment
Assisting National Commitments
The commitments made by 188 governments in 2004 to strengthening and creating protected areas created the opportunity to massively accelerate the conservation of unique habitats around the world. Together with other conservation organizations, The Conservancy signed partnerships with national governments to provide the technical and financial assistance required to help them implement the commitments they have made. So far, we have signed partnerships with more than 20 countries and are helping to develop and implement plans that address the financial, ecological and technical issues facing protected areas.
Creating a Regional Impact
There can be considerable wins for conservation when governments across a region come together to make a commitment to securing their natural resources through protected areas. Rather than focusing on isolated sites, governments can work together to share resources to achieve impacts on a huge scale. In 2006 five Micronesian governments announced a shared goal to protect 30 percent of their near shore marine areas and 20 percent of their terrestrial areas by 2020. The Micronesian islands cover a Pacific seascape almost as big as the United States and contain more rare, endangered, threatened and endemic species that anywhere else in the world. The Conservancy is working as part of a group of local and international organizations to provide the support these governments need to turn their vision a reality.
Supporting an International Framework
The international community has an important role to play in catalyzing national government actions by providing both leadership and funding. The Conservancy is supporting international momentum for strengthening protected areas by working closely with international organizations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and UNESCO. By partnering with these organizations we can help spread our conservation knowledge and expertise beyond the boundaries of the countries where we have an on the ground presence.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Jez O'Hare (Micronesia); Photo © Andy Drumm (Cofan wearing headresses, Ecuador); Photo © Deng Jia (Pride Campaign, Laojun Mountain, China).
