OMSLAG 5.indd - IUCN

There is not one single approach to conservation: each protected area
has its own management objectives. There are many different levels of
protection and management, ranging from strictly controlled reserves,
where only a handful of scientists are allowed, to cultural landscapes
with thousands of inhabitants. Figure 3 explains the various categories
of protected areas distinguished by management objective. Apart from
category Ia and Ib where the main objective is protection, all the categories
have tourism and recreation as management objectives; sometimes these are
even primary objectives.
Protected Area Categories
Ia: Strict Nature Reserve:
managed mainly for science
Ib: Wilderness Area:
managed mainly for
wilderness protection
II: National Park: managed mainly
for ecosystem protection and
recreation
III: Natural Monument/Landmark:
managed mainly for
conservation of specific
natural features
IV: Managed Nature Reserve/
Wildlife Sanctuary: managed
mainly for conservation
through management
intervention
V: Protected Landscape/Seascape:
managed mainly for
landscape/seascape
conservation and recreation
VI: Resource Reserve:
managed mainly for the
sustainable use of natural
ecosystems
Main objective Eco tourism Other forms
of tourism
Strict protection no no
Strict protection limited no
Ecosystem
conservation and
tourism
Conservation
of natural features
Conservation
through active
management
Landscape/
Seascape
Conservation
and Recreation
Sustainable Use of
Natural Ecosystems
yes
yes
yes
no
no
no
yes yes
Figure 3. Protected area categories, compiled from Eagles et al 2002 and IUCN WCPA
yes
no
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Tourism is a management objective for conservation because this economic
opportunity is more sustainable than consumptive use like mining, logging,
fishing or hunting. Success depends on a number of factors. Protected areas
do not deliver immediate economic benefits, and therefore all stakeholders
have to agree on long-term planning. Winning the support of the people
living in and around the protected area is another important factor.
Sometimes protection means that the traditional use of the area is limited,
leading to a negative perception in the communities affected. The success
of tourism as a tool for conservation also depends on the organization that
manages a protected area.
Who is
managing?
Establishing and managing a protected area is expensive. In most
industrialized countries, the management of protected areas is financed by
the government. This means that biodiversity is protected and that tourism
facilities and services can be provided. In many developing countries,
however, the financial resources for management of protected areas are
limited at best. Governments of developing countries find it very hard to
implement protection and conservation strategies on their own. This is
the reason why they try to stimulate conservation on privately held lands
or invite private investors to manage public lands. Very often governments
offer advantageous fiscal regulations and technical support.
In 2002 the president of Gabon created 13 National Parks, covering about
10% of the country’s total land area (3 million hectares). Now that the
main resource, oil, is running out, Gabon is trying to create a tourism
attraction to provide a new source of national income. The national park
system is promising thanks to Gabon’s abundance of wilderness and
wildlife, including gorillas, hippos, buffaloes and elephants. There is one
problem: Gabon is not able to make the national park system work. The
parks have a legally protected status, but in practice they are not being
protected accordingly. The possibilities of tourism development are not at
all exploited to their full potential, and management plans and investment
guidelines, if any, are yet to be enforced. If the parks do not contribute to
the national economy within the foreseeable future, the pressure to go back
to logging will rise. NGOs, national and regional authorities and private
investors have now joined hands to make the park management effective
and the tourism developments attractive. The government of Gabon is
inviting foreign investors to start ecotourism businesses under attractive
conditions.