Global Protected Areas Programme Protected areas.... Achieving quality

Developing systems to assign the IUCN categories Sue Stolton, Equilibrium Research and IUCN WCPA

An introductory presentation to Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories Edited by Nigel Dudley Including IUCN WCPA Best Practice Guidance on Recognising Protected Areas and Assigning Management Categories and Governance Types by Sue Stolton, Peter Shadie and Nigel Dudley Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 21 ISBN Available at

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5 A few key best practices Collecting information about protected areas 2008 Guidelines for Applying IUCN Protected Area Categories. All possible protected areas, including those managed by NGOs, individuals and communities, should be examined A broad-based consensus confirming management categories and governance types should be sought among all stakeholders and rights holders involved in the process Translating and interpreting IUCN’s guidance Accurate and consistent interpretation of the 2008 Guidelines, Permission should be sought from IUCN for translation and final documents sent to IUCN for wider circulation

6 Confirming management categories and governance types Assignment processes should be evidence based and documented as thoroughly as possible to ensure transparency of decision making Reporting management categories and governance types Data should include all the information required by UNEP-WCMC’s data standards and processes Verification processes carried out by IUCN WCPA should be agreed through the development of a TOR with the IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme

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Global Protected Areas Programme Protected areas.... Achieving quality

Acknowledgements IUCN‘s Global Protected Areas Programme gratefully acknowledges the partnership that has provided leadership and voluntary support to develop these guidance materials Regional Council for the Environment of Junta de Andalucía