connect2earth - your green online community

Protected areas - the last refuge? by moderator

Join in the discussion to win a mobile phone solar charger and share your experience.

Protected areas are essential to our future

A refuge for species, safeguarding our food and water, and improving our well being. Protected areas are essential. We’ve all been to protected areas and have stories of their beauty.

Protected areas are not only the last refuge for some species such as the orangutan in Sumatra, or th...

Join in the discussion to win a mobile phone solar charger and share your experience.

Protected areas are essential to our future

A refuge for species, safeguarding our food and water, and improving our well being. Protected areas are essential. We’ve all been to protected areas and have stories of their beauty.

Protected areas are not only the last refuge for some species such as the orangutan in Sumatra, or the Panda in Sichuan. They are also essential in providing clean water and other ecosystem services to society. They can help people deal with health issues, providing solace in case of mental problems such as depression or reducing cardiac diseases by motivating people to exercise. When people ski, climb, hike or dive it is often in a protected area.

What is a protected area?

A protected area is considered as “A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values” (IUCN, 2008). Protected areas include reserves, parks and sanctuaries.

To put it simply… a protected area is a refuge for species and can be reserves, parks or sanctuaries.

Protected areas for biodiversity conservation

You often can see many species during visits to protected areas. Protected areas are essential for biodiversity conservation, whether it be marine protected areas, which help maintain and replenish fish stocks, or forest protected areas that harbour leopards or orang-utans, or grassland protected areas providing habitat for deer and lions. Large undisturbed areas where species can breed, grow and prosper are critical to the survival of predators and other large wild animals.

Protected areas for health

On your last visit to a protected area did you think about how it benefits your health? Many researchers have come to the conclusion that humans are dependent on nature not only for material needs (food, water, shelter, etc) but perhaps more importantly for psychological, emotional and spiritual needs. With a high percentage of the human population living in cities, their main contact with nature would be through protected areas.

Obesity is considered to be one of the main causes of death in the developed world in the last few years. It costs millions of dollars in health care and the percentage of obese people is rising fast. The Healthy Parks Healthy People project brings together conservationists and doctors. The project argues that access to nature is essential for well-being. Parks are used for physical activities and also as a tranquilliser, calming the mind and helping it focus. Increasing the time people spend in protected areas has in a number of countries proven to reduce the need for costly medication and treatment and lessen depression and stress-related problems.

Read more

Protected Areas contributing to food security

Many protected areas cover watersheds ensuring clean and reliable water downstream. Clean and regular water is not only essential for drinking but also for agriculture. Irrigated crops produce five times more than rain fed crops. In a very short time, marine protected areas, not only double the amount of fish in the area, but increase their size as well, thus ensuring a regular supply of fish.

Protected Areas for Sport or Leisure

Without realising it, you are probably in a protected area, when skiing, scuba-diving or simply hiking. For local communities and local governments tourism and ecotourism are important sources of income for local economy.

Share your stories, photos and videos of protected areas! These magical places can then be shared by everyone.

Hide all

show all images/video

What do you think?

Species need peace and undisturbed areas to prosper; should more and larger protected areas be created?
Are protected areas really important for health or is the Healthy Parks Healthy People project just another way of promoting them?
Should there be more protected areas or should there be fewer of them, leaving more land for human development?
What is the limit to tourism and recreation in protected areas?
What is your favourite protected area?

Discussion guidelines

Threads | By time | Videos/images

« Previous 1 2 3 Next »

NikkiRose

0 0

Protected Areas - Education and Experiential Learning

Posted on 02 Sep 2010 14:29

If conservation advocacy groups actively supported local sustainable tourism programs, that would be a crucial step to educate both local communities and tourists about ways to actively protect our precious and fragile natural areas. Reporting after the damage is done means what? Collaboration. Live it.

We organize education...

More...

animalsrock

0 0

Protected Areas-the last refuge?

Posted on 02 Sep 2010 06:29

It is very essential for one country to have a protected area so as to save the wildlife and natural condition of the country.As per the ongoing time life is becoming tough for everything in and around us and we need to have at least one protected area per country,so as to bring back the wonderful world we had and we are supposed to have by t...

More...

arnold10

1 0

scarce species

Posted on 30 Aug 2010 21:01

very much often this protected arears are dispositions of scarce some times, protected areas are filled with the scent of wild flowers. it smells nice.

Ajith_chan..

3 0

Protected areas - the last refuge?

Posted on 25 Aug 2010 14:01

Yes it is essential to make more and more protected areas but it should be natural and we can also convert our forest's into protected areas.If we do not commit ourselves in saving endangered species, it might vanish form the forest forever! A healthy forest means protecting the natural homes of many animals. A refuge for species, safeguardi...

More...

Susana Mar..

0 0

Protected areas - the last refuge?

Posted on 23 Aug 2010 22:33

I believe that we should protect the areas that already exist and, if possible, enlarge them so that fauna and flora have more space to prosper and dont become extinct. There should be more protected areas, so that people could interact more with nature and by doing so, learn how to care for it. I believe there should be limits for tourism, y...

More...

« Previous 1 2 3 Next »

Please login to participate