World national parks congress
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OTHER INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS World National Parks Congress The Third World National Parks Congress met in Bali, Indonesia, from 11 to 23 October 1982 with the major objective of defining the role of na- tional parks and other protected areas in the process of social and economic development. Based on the philosophy of the World Conservation Strategy.* this approach sought ways and means for protected areas to contribute to development by helping to maintain genetic diversity, conserve ecological processes and life support systems. and ensure that any use of renewable resources is sustainable. The Bali Declaration (see page 62) provides the broad policy framework to guide future action to these ends and informs the general public of IUCN's air,as. (In drafting the Declaration. note was taken of the WCS and the Charter for Nature.**) The major point: when designed and managed appropriately, protected areas can bring major sustainable benefits to society, playing a central role in the social and economic development or rural environments and contributing to the economic well-being of urban cen- tres and the quality of life of their inhabitants. Participants included scientists. planners, managers and supporters of protected areas from 68 countries. The Congress showed that as options are decreased for choosing how the natural environment will be conserved, the sctenttfic i'oundation of conservation has become much more sophisticated. Island biogeographic theory, centres of endemism, minimum critical size, optimal design of reserves, population genetics, population dynamics, "the • *. See Enviromnental Policy and Law, Vol. 6 (1980). 2. pages 77 & 102. ** See Environmental Policy and Law, Vol. 10 (1983), 1 page 30 and this issue page 44. new economics", and other advances relevant to conservation have allowed those charged with the task of planning and establishing protected areas to determine much more precisely the requirements of design and manage- merit. A major problem which must be addressed is that most protected areas were selected Ibr objectives other than those for which they are now man- aged, or were established before the scientific tools now at hand became available. A first priority in this regard is to ensure that, to the extent possible, existing protected areas are capable of sustaining living resources; where the existing areas fall short of this basic objective, planners and managers must take the appropriate steps while op- tions remain open. Congress considered principles and policies to guide the establishment and management of national parks and other types of protected areas in the light of the broad principles governing the interrelationships among popula- tion, resources, environment, and de- velopment formulated by the series of inter-governmental conferences that began at Stockholm in 1972. To establish priorities for the com- ing critical years, the Congress pre- pared a series of 20 Recommendations (see page 63); in addition, working groups fi'om each of the world's eight biogeographic reahns presented re- ports on priorities for their realm and many of tile case studies and other presentations provided examples which should be emulated. Based on this material, the major points of an Action Plan were' presented to the closing session of the Congress. Fur- ther work on the plan, intended to carry it to the project level, was done at the IUCN Secretariat. The Bali Action Plan (see page 69), is the result. The Action Plan has ten Objec- tives. Under each objective is a series of Activities, and under each activity is a series of Priority Projects (not reprinted in the journal for reasons of space); the lists of projects are far from exhaustive, but they indicate the sorts of projects that will be necessary for the activity to be carried out. Each project has an approximate budget, the optimal timing is proposed and the primary executive responsibility for the project is suggested. UNEP, UNESCO, FAO and WWF all contributed to the substance of the Congress and their further (promised) cooperation in implementing the Ac- tion Plan is essential for its success. [] Extracts from Statements The Vice-President of Indonesia It is for the first time that such a congress is being held in the Third World and, as such, it represents an important milestone. As we all know, the two previous Congresses were held in the developed world. The first was held in the United States as was greatly appropriate be- cause American naturalists and envi- ronmentalists do indeed deserve the greatest of credits for having pioneered and initiated the establishment of na- tional parks. American scientists must also be credited for having amassed and devel- oped the great body of knowledge 0378-777X/83/$3.00 © 1983 North-Holland
Transcript of World national parks congress
OTHER INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
World National Parks Congress
The Third World National Parks Congress met in Bali, Indonesia, from 11 to 23 October 1982 with the major objective of defining the role of na- tional parks and other protected areas in the process of social and economic development. Based on the philosophy of the World Conservation Strategy.* this approach sought ways and means for protected areas to contribute to development by helping to maintain genetic diversity, conserve ecological processes and life support systems. and ensure that any use of renewable resources is sustainable.
The Bali Declaration (see page 62) provides the broad policy framework to guide future action to these ends and informs the general public of IUCN's air,as. (In drafting the Declaration. note was taken of the WCS and the Charter for Nature.**) The major point: when designed and managed appropriately, protected areas can bring major sustainable benefits to society, playing a central role in the social and economic development or rural environments and contributing to the economic well-being of urban cen- tres and the quality of life of their inhabitants.
Participants included scientists. planners, managers and supporters of protected areas from 68 countries. The Congress showed that as options are decreased for choosing how the natural environment will be conserved, the sctenttfic i'oundation of conservation has become much more sophisticated. Island biogeographic theory, centres of endemism, minimum critical size, optimal design of reserves, population genetics, population dynamics, "the
• *. See Enviromnental Policy and Law, Vol. 6 (1980). 2. pages 77 & 102.
** See Environmental Policy and Law, Vol. 10 (1983), 1 page 30 and this issue page 44.
new economics", and other advances relevant to conservation have allowed those charged with the task of planning and establishing protected areas to determine much more precisely the requirements of design and manage- merit.
A major problem which must be addressed is that most protected areas were selected Ibr objectives other than those for which they are now man- aged, or were established before the scientific tools now at hand became available. A first priority in this regard is to ensure that, to the extent possible, existing protected areas are capable of sustaining living resources; where the existing areas fall short of this basic objective, planners and managers must take the appropriate steps while op- tions remain open.
Congress considered principles and policies to guide the establishment and management of national parks and other types of protected areas in the light of the broad principles governing the interrelationships among popula- tion, resources, environment, and de- velopment formulated by the series of inter-governmental conferences that began at Stockholm in 1972.
To establish priorities for the com- ing critical years, the Congress pre-
pared a series of 20 Recommendations (see page 63); in addition, working groups fi'om each of the world's eight biogeographic reahns presented re- ports on priorities for their realm and many of tile case studies and other presentations provided examples which should be emulated. Based on this material, the major points of an Action Plan were' presented to the closing session of the Congress. Fur- ther work on the plan, intended to carry it to the project level, was done at the IUCN Secretariat. The Bali Action Plan (see page 69), is the result. The Action Plan has ten Objec- tives. Under each objective is a series of Activities, and under each activity is a series of Priority Projects (not reprinted in the journal for reasons of space); the lists of projects are far from exhaustive, but they indicate the sorts of projects that will be necessary for the activity to be carried out. Each project has an approximate budget, the optimal timing is proposed and the primary executive responsibility for the project is suggested.
UNEP, UNESCO, FAO and WWF all contributed to the substance of the Congress and their further (promised) cooperation in implementing the Ac- tion Plan is essential for its success. [ ]
Extracts from Statements
The Vice-President of Indonesia
It is for the first time that such a congress is being held in the Third World and, as such, it represents an important milestone.
As we all know, the two previous Congresses were held in the developed world. The first was held in the United
States as was greatly appropriate be- cause American naturalists and envi- ronmentalists do indeed deserve the greatest of credits for having pioneered and initiated the establishment of na- tional parks.
American scientists must also be credited for having amassed and devel- oped the great body of knowledge
0378-777X/83/$3.00 © 1983 North-Holland
