Protected area

{ "text": "Some places on Earth are kept safe. [IMAGE:File:Elephant

Some places on Earth are kept safe. These are called protected areas. They are spots of land or water with special rules. These rules limit how people use natural things. For example, people might not be able to hunt there. They might not be able to cut wood.

There are many types of protected areas. Some are on land. Others are in the ocean. We call these marine protected areas. As of 2016, there were over 161,000 land areas under protection. This covers about 17 percent of the world's land.

These areas help many living things. They give animals a safe home. They also help fight climate change. This is the way our planet warms up. Protected areas keep carbon in the ground. This helps keep the air cleaner.

Many people work to manage these lands. This includes governments and local groups. Some groups have protected sacred sites for a long time. In 2030, leaders want to protect 30 percent of land and ocean. This is called the 30 by 30 goal.

Protected areas are special places on Earth. They are spots of land or water that get extra care. These areas have rules to keep nature safe. These rules might limit how people use things like wood or water.

People might not be allowed to hunt or mine there. Some places are even kept safe from farming or logging. This helps keep the natural world healthy for a long time. These areas protect both nature and important cultural values.

These areas work in many helpful ways. They provide a safe home for animals and plants. This is called a habitat.

Protection helps species that are threatened or endangered. It also helps keep natural processes going. For example, they help fight climate change. Protected areas can store carbon in the ground. This keeps greenhouse gases out of the air.

This helps stop the world from warming up too fast. They also help clean our water by protecting tiny organisms.

Humans have protected special places for a very long time. Over 2,000 years ago, royal decrees in India protected certain areas. In Europe, powerful people protected hunting grounds for a thousand years. Many communities in Africa and the Pacific have sacred sites.

The oldest legal reserve was made in 1776. Yellowstone in the United States became a protected area in 1872. Mongolia has the Bogd Khan Mountain, which is very old. It was protected by local nomads for many centuries.

There are many different protected areas today. As of 2016, there were over 161,000 land areas under protection. This covers about 17 percent of the world's land.

There are also 14,688 Marine Protected Areas in the ocean. These cover about 10.2 percent of coastal and marine areas. In South America, protected areas hold 27 percent of the world's carbon stock. Mountains are also important, covering 14.3 percent of the world's mountain areas.

Many different groups work together to manage these lands. Governments and ministries often lead the way. Indigenous peoples and local communities are also very important. They often have special rights to these lands.

Leaders want to do even more in the future. There is a new goal called the 30 by 30 initiative. This goal aims to protect 30 percent of land and ocean by the year 2030. This plan was discussed at the COP15 Summit. It helps make sure our planet stays healthy for everyone.

A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space. It is recognized, dedicated, and managed through legal or other effective means. The main goal is to achieve long-term conservation of nature. This includes protecting ecosystem services and cultural values. In these areas, human presence or the use of natural resources is limited. This might mean restricting firewood, water, or non-timber forest products.

Protected areas function by prohibiting or reducing certain activities. By stopping activities like fishing, hunting, mining, or logging, these areas preserve habitats. This protection is vital for threatened and endangered species. It also allows ecological processes to continue without intense human management. These areas can also act as a defense against climate change. For example, they help reduce shifts in species distribution and the intensity of storms.

There are several ways these areas support the planet's health. They help combat ocean acidification by maintaining coastal primary producers. They also increase natural carbon sequestration, which is the process of capturing and storing carbon. This is part of what scientists call the biological pump. By protecting carbon stocks, these areas reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a key strategy in the struggle against global warming.

Different types of areas exist based on their specific goals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) uses six management categories. Category Ia is a strict nature reserve. Category Ib is a wilderness area. Category II includes national parks. Category III covers natural monuments or features. Category IV focuses on habitat or species management areas. Category V is for protected landscapes or seascapes. Category VI allows for the sustainable use of natural resources.

Protecting special places is an ancient human tradition. Over 2,000 years ago, royal decrees in India protected certain lands. In Europe, powerful people maintained hunting grounds for a thousand years. Many cultures have used sacred sites, such as "tapu" areas in the Pacific. The oldest legally protected reserve was the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, established in 1776. In 1872, Yellowstone became the second official protected area after Mongolia's Bogd Khan Mountain.

Today, the scale of protection is massive but still growing. As of 2016, there were over 161,000 protected areas on land. This represents about 17 percent of the world's land surface. In the ocean, there are 14,688 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These cover about 10.2 percent of coastal and marine areas. However, only 0.25 percent of the high seas are covered by MPAs.

Specific regions show the incredible value of these zones. South America holds 27 percent of the world's carbon stock within its protected areas. This is the highest percentage of any continent. In the mountains, protected areas cover 14.3 percent of the world's mountain regions. Globally, vertebrate populations decline much slower in protected areas. On average, they decline at a rate of only 0.4 percent per year. This is five times slower than in unprotected sites.

Managing these areas involves many different stakeholders. Governance can be handled by government agencies, ministries, or elected authorities. Indigenous peoples and local communities are also vital participants. Many institutions now work to recognize the rights of these communities. There is a global push to increase protection through the "30 by 30" initiative. This goal aims to protect 30 percent of land and ocean territory by 2030. This initiative was supported by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.