Page 1 of 140
Guidelines for conserving connectivity
through ecological networks and corridors
Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 30
Jodi Hilty, Graeme L. Worboys, Annika Keeley, Stephen Woodley, Barbara Lausche,
Harvey Locke, Mark Carr, Ian Pulsford, James Pittock, J. Wilson White, David M. Theobald,
Jessica Levine, Melly Reuling, James E.M. Watson, Rob Ament and Gary M. Tabor
Craig Groves, Series Editor
Developing capacity for a protected planet
Page 2 of 140
IUCN WCPA’s BEST PRACTICE PROTECTED AREA GUIDELINES SERIES
IUCN-WCPA’s Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines are the world’s authoritative resource for protected area managers. Involving
collaboration among specialist practitioners dedicated to supporting better implementation of ideas in the field, the Guidelines distil
learning and advice drawn from across IUCN. Applied in the field, they build institutional and individual capacity to manage
protected area systems effectively, equitably and sustainably, and to cope with the myriad of challenges faced in practice. The
Guidelines also assist national governments, protected area agencies, non-governmental organisations, communities and private
sector partners in meeting their commitments and goals, and especially the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Programme of Work
on Protected Areas.
A full set of guidelines is available at: www.iucn.org/pa_guidelines
Complementary resources are available at: www.cbd.int/protected/tools/
Contribute to developing capacity for a Protected Planet at: www.protectedplanet.net/
IUCN PROTECTED AREA DEFINITION, MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES AND GOVERNANCE TYPES
IUCN defines a protected area 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.
The definition is expanded by six management categories (one with a sub-division), summarized below.
Ia Strict nature reserve: Strictly protected for biodiversity and also possibly geological/ geomorphological features, where human
visitation, use and impacts are controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values.
Ib Wilderness area: Usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural character and influence, without
permanent or significant human habitation, protected and managed to preserve their natural condition.
II National park: Large natural or near-natural areas protecting large-scale ecological processes with characteristic species and
ecosystems, which also have environmentally and culturally compatible spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor
opportunities.
III Natural monument or feature: Areas set aside to protect a specific natural monument, which can be a landform, sea mount,
marine cavern, geological feature such as a cave, or a living feature such as an ancient grove.
IV Habitat/species management area: Areas to protect particular species or habitats, where management reflects this priority.
Many will need regular, active interventions to meet the needs of particular species or habitats, but this is not a requirement of the
category.
V Protected landscape or seascape: Where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced a distinct character
with significant ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value: and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to
protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values.
VI Protected areas with sustainable use of natural resources: Areas which conserve ecosystems, together with associated
cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. Generally large, mainly in a natural condition, with a
proportion under sustainable natural resource management and where low-level non-industrial natural resource use compatible
with nature conservation is seen as one of the main aims.
The category should be based around the primary management objective(s), which should apply to at least three-quarters of the
protected area – the 75 per cent rule.
The management categories are applied with a typology of governance types – a description of who holds authority and
responsibility for the protected area. IUCN defines four governance types.
Type A. Governance by government: Federal or national ministry/agency in charge; sub-national ministry or agency in charge
(e.g. at regional, provincial, municipal level); government-delegated management (e.g. to NGO).
Type B. Shared governance: Trans-boundary governance (formal and informal arrangements between two or more countries);
collaborative governance (through various ways in which diverse actors and institutions work together); joint governance (pluralist
board or other multi-party governing body).
Type C. Private governance: Conserved areas established and run by individual landowners; non-profit organisations (e.g.
NGOs, universities) and for-profit organisations (e.g. corporate landowners).
Type D. Governance by Indigenous peoples and local communities: Indigenous peoples’ conserved areas and territories -
established and run by Indigenous peoples; community conserved areas – established and run by local communities.
For more information on the IUCN definition, categories and governance types see Dudley (2008). Guidelines for applyingprotected
area management categories, which can be downloaded at: www.iucn.org/pa_categories
For more on governance types, see Borrini-Feyerabend, et al., (2013). Governance of Protected Areas: From understanding to action,
which can be downloaded at https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/29138
Page 3 of 140
Guidelines for conserving
connectivity through
ecological networks and
corridors
Page 4 of 140
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both
government and civil society organisations. It provides public,
private and non-governmental organisations with the
knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic
development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most
diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge,
resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member
organisations and some 15,000 experts. It is a leading
provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its
broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator
and trusted repository of best practices, tools and
international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders
including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local
communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others
can work together to forge and implement solutions to
environmental challenges and achieve sustainable
development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements
a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide.
Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of
local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss,
restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
www.iucn.org
https://twitter.com/IUCN/
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) is
the world’s premier network of protected area expertise. It is
administered by IUCN Programme on Protected Areas and
has more than 2,500 members, spanning 140 countries.
WCPA is one of IUCN’s six voluntary Commissions and
its mission is to promote the establishment and effective
management of a worldwide representative network of
terrestrial and marine protected areas, as an integral
contribution to the IUCN mission. WCPA works by helping
governments and others plan protected areas and integrate
them into all sectors, providing strategic advice to policy
makers and practitioners to help strengthen capacity and
investment in protected areas, and convening the diverse
constituency of protected area stakeholders to address
challenging issues. For more than 60 years, IUCN and WCPA
have been at the forefront of global action on protected areas.
www.iucn.org/wcpa
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro
in 1992, and entered into force in December 1993, the
Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty
for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the
components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the
benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 196
Parties so far, the Convention has near universal participation
among countries.
www.cbd.int
Page 5 of 140
WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group (CCSG)
CCSG was established in 2016 under the IUCN World
Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) to support
information sharing, active participation, global awareness,
and action to maintain, enhance, and restore ecological
connectivity conservation around the world. Its objective is
to advance the science, policy, and practice at international,
national, and subnational levels to meet the growing demand
for solutions that advance the identification, recognition,
and implementation of consistent connectivity conservation
measures.
www.iucn.org/wcpa-connectivity
www.conservationcorridor.org/ccsg
Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC)
CLLC develops solutions, implements projects and contributes
to global efforts that connect and protect crucial habitat
across terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems. It
provides expertise through four key focus areas: science and
research, mentorship and networking, community resilience
and policy. By bringing knowledge and experience to bear on
connectivity conservation issues worldwide, the Center works
with communities, governments and other stakeholders to
stop fragmentation and safeguard the legacy of protected
and conserved areas by making them part of larger ecological
networks for conservation.
www.largelandscapes.org
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y)
Y2Y connects and protects habitat in North America spanning
the Yellowstone to Yukon ecosystems so people and nature
can thrive. It highlights and focuses on local issues that have
implications for the region as a whole, and works to set the
context for regional conservation work by providing the vision
for a healthy Yellowstone to Yukon. Working across an area
covering over 3,200 square kilometres, Y2Y engages partners
across jurisdictions to knit together an interconnected system
of wild lands and waters that harmonizes the needs of people
and nature.
www.y2y.net