Environmentally Protected Areas

Environmentally Protected Areas

Areas protected solely because of their natural and environmental value, including both landscapes and seascapes. Th e degree of protection depends on the laws of the country and regulations of the international organizations involved. Most national and international conservation strategies focus on protected areas, in order to maintain the functioning of natural ecosystems and ecological processes that cannot survive in intensively managed landscapes. Protected areas usually act as safe havens for threatened or endangered species. According to statistics, there are over 161, 000 environmentally protected areas in the world, covering between 10-15 percent of the world’s land surface area.