Below are the different categories and management objectives of protected areas:
1. Scientific Reserve/Strict Nature Reserve
To protect nature and maintain natural processes in an undisturbed state in order to have ecologically representative examples of the natural environment available for scientific study, environmental monitoring and education, and for the maintenance of genetic resources in an evolutionary state.
2. National Park
To protect relatively large natural and scenic areas of national or international significance for scientific, educational and recreational use, under management by the highest competent authority of a nation.
3. Natural Monument/Natural Landmark
To protect and preserve nationally significant natural features because of their specific interest or unique characteristics.
4. Managed Nature Reserve/Wildlife Sanctuary
To ensure the natural conditions necessary to protect nationally significant species, groups of species, biotic communities, or physical features of the environment when these require specific human manipulation for their perpetuation.
5. Protected Landscapes
To maintain nationally significant natural landscapes characteristic of the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through recreation and tourism.
6. Resource Reserve
To protect the natural resources of the area for future use and prevent or contain development activities that could affect those resources.
7. Natural Biotic Area/Anthropological Reserve
To allow the way of life of societies living in harmony with the environment to continue undisturbed by modern technology.
8. Multiple-Use Management Area/Managed Resource Area
To provide for the sustained production of water, timber, wildlife, pasture and outdoor recreation, with the conservation of nature primarily oriented to the support of these economic activities.
9. Biosphere Reserve
To conserve for present and future use the diversity and integrity of representative biotic communities of plants and animals within natural ecosystems and to safeguard the genetic diversity of species on which their continuing evolution
depends.
10. World Heritage Site
To protect the natural features for which the areas was considered to be of world heritage value and to provide information for worldwide public enlightenment.
The IUCN publication Managing Protected Areas in the Tropics (1986) gives much useful information on approaches to the management of these different protected area categories.
Read Also: Basic Philosophy, General Objectives and Problems of Wildlife Management
