{"id":18684,"date":"2024-01-18T17:55:36","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T16:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/?p=18684"},"modified":"2026-05-21T17:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T15:36:37","slug":"protected-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/updates\/protected-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"<span class='titolo_parte_1'>Protected areas: what are they, and why are they so important?<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1206.4px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element \" style=\"--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Biodiversity and the private sector in Italy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/01\/1440px-Parco_Naturale_Puez-Odle_02-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"img-responsive wp-image-20200\"\/><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1206.4px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><h2>What is a protected area?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.org\/\">IUCN<\/a> (International Union for Conservation of Nature) definition, a protected area is a \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This definition contains all the answers we seek: let us look at it in more detail, dividing it into three parts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1206.4px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><h2>What types of protected areas exist in the world?<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201ca clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/portals.iucn.org\/library\/sites\/library\/files\/documents\/pag-021.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> IUCN classification,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> protected areas can be divided into<\/span><b> different categories, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">each characterised by specific management objectives:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>IA. Strict nature reserve<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an area where human use, visitation, or impact is controlled and limited (except for environmental monitoring and education) to protect its biodiversity and possibly geological\/geomorphological features.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>IB. Wilderness area<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared to category IA, this area is typically larger with no marginal human presence.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>II. National park<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large, more permissive of human visitation and equipped with supporting infrastructure. It promotes educational and recreational tourism on a scale that does not reduce the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Regional or local parks belong to this category but generally cover less extensive areas.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>III. Natural monuments<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Natural or natural\/cultural feature of exceptional or unique value due to its intrinsic rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>IV. Habitat and species management areas\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on more specific conservation areas characterised by the presence of species and habitats requiring continuous protection. This category includes, for example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/environment.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/nature-and-biodiversity\/natura-2000_en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Natura 2000<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Network sites (where they are not already included and fall into the above categories).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>V. Protected landscape<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Covers an entire body of land or sea with an explicit natural conservation plan, allowing surrounding communities more significant interaction with the area.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>VI. Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large areas that already have a low level of human occupation or where local communities and their traditional practices have had a limited permanent impact on the region&#8217;s environmental health.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-4 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1206.4px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\"><h2>What (and who) are protected areas for?<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;&#8230; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to achieve the long-term conservation of nature<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although in different forms and types, globally, protected areas play an <\/span><b>essential role in the conservation of biodiversity <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(habitats and animal and plant species): within them, species richness is 10.6 per cent higher and abundance 14.5 per cent higher than in surrounding areas (Gray et al., 2016).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;&#8230;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inside the words &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/updates\/ecosystem-services-and-human-wellbeing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ecosystem services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;, the protagonists become us because we talk about the &#8220;multiple benefits provided by ecosystems to humankind&#8221; (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005) in terms of food and resource provision, climate and water cycle regulation and various cultural services such as aesthetic-landscape values, spiritual, recreational, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A protected area serves nature, and nature serves us: by the transitive property, it can be said not even so selfishly that <\/span><b>we are the ultimate beneficiaries of ecosystem conservation.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>How many protected areas are there worldwide, in Europe and Italy today? And how many will there be tomorrow?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of July 2023, the <\/span><b>global coverage of protected areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on land and inland waters is 16%, while that for marine areas is 8.2% (WDPA, 2023). These percentages are currently confirmed at the European level,<\/span><b> while in Italy, in 2022<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, terrestrial protected areas cover 21.7% of the territory and marine areas 13.4% of national territorial waters (ISPRA, 2023).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the coming years, an<\/span><b> increase in the coverage of protected areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be expected as a result of the recent approval of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/updates\/nature-restoration-law\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nature Restoration Law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which has set as its goal the<\/span><b> restoration of all natural environments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that have been damaged by man over the years (in particular, the law aims to restore at least 20% of terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030 and aims to reach 100% by 2050).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-5 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1206.4px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\"><h2><b>How can the EU objectives on nature restoration be achieved?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to achieve the EU objectives, it will be necessary to identify and include new areas that will benefit from ad hoc restoration and protection measures at the planning level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will also be necessary to structure the <\/span><b>governance of protected areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> smartly: Etifor can support defining effective strategies for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/services\/governance-of-protected-areas-and-stakeholder-engagement\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">managing protected areas <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and natural resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The success of the management will depend on the interaction between the local authorities and their ability to cooperate to seek and attract the necessary funding for operational and effective management. Etifor offers support in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/services\/fundraising-for-nature-conservation-and-eu-project-design\/\"><b>searching for European funding<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to meet the needs of your natural area, park or territory.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-image-element \" style=\"--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etifor.com\/en\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\" 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\/><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Protected areas are divided into different categories, all essential in biodiversity conservation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":18687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"goal":[],"funder":[],"market":[133,135],"area":[141],"class_list":["post-18684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-updates","market-forest-owners-managers","market-public-bodies-general-government","area-nature-governance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Protected areas: what are they, and why are they so important?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" 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