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Investing in protected productive areas
Knowledge Cafe Session 743
IUCN World Conservation Forum
Barcelona, Spain
1630-1800
Tuesday, 07 October 2008
This workshop aimed to find solutions to the challenges of managing productive landscapes sustainably that work for both people and nature. A possible key approach to this challenge is to expand the IUCN system of protected areas.
Can we expand the concept of protected areas beyond the roughly 10% of land cover currently classified under IUCN six categories of protected areas? Building on the CBD definition of protected areas – “a geographically defined area which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives” – we will explore possible new ways forward to identify and recognise efforts to conserve biodiversity in the context of productive landscapes.
For example, outside of protected areas, the Swiss forest policy prioritises biodiversity conservation in all Swiss forests and the French mining company Lafarge prioritises restoration of biodiversity in all its quarries.
This could lead to new IUCN protected area management categories – categories 7, 8 or 9 – which cover human activities to conserve biodiversity, use natural resources sustainably and ensure equitable sharing of benefits among the stakeholders in productive landscapes. These activities could include responsible production systems, ecological restoration schemes and climate change mitigation activities.
Hence the workshop will explores ways to categorise responses to biodiversity conservation and climate change and other environmental concerns in the broader context of managing productive landscapes sustainably.
Key questions
Can new ways of thinking about protected area management for sustainability managed productive landscapes be a way forward?
Would new protected area management categories for sustainably managed productive landscapes lead to a more sustainable future?
Presentations
Two small presentations, from France and Cameroon illustrated approaches being taken to challenges for a sustainable future.
Marie Connett Porceddu Ph.D, MBA, International Director and CEO of AROCHA International will talk about the Réhabilitation des zones humides - en partenariat avec le Parc naturel régional des Alpilles, A Rocha France anime un projet de concertation intitulé ‘Envisager l’Avenir des anciens marais des Baux.’
Camille Jepang, Chargée de Programme PACO - Programme Zones Humides et Ressources en Eau, UICN, will talk about her experience re mitigation: forestry and livelihoods in Cameroon.
Output
Perhaps a working group could be established to develop new protected area categories for sustainably managed productive landscapes (and seascapes!). These new protected productive area categories could lead to greater levels of investment, new partnerships and new alliances which will ensure that productive landscapes are managed sustainably to the benefit of both people and nature.
Contacts
 Sarah French
Francis Vorhies |