Conserving biological diversity : a strategy for protected areas in the Asia-Pacific region

Loss of biological diversity through the extinction of species, the conversion and degradation of natural habitats, and the disruption of ecological processes, is occurring throughout the world at an unprecendented rate. As species and their habitats disappear, so do products of present and future value, genes with which to improve crop varieties and livestock, and the natural resiliencies of the world's living resources to respond to climatic and enviornmental change. Nowhere else is the loss of biodiversity expected to be higher during the coming decades than in the Asia-Pacific region. The loss of biodiversity is irreversible. Recognizing this, the Asia Environment Division prepared this paper which is intended to identify priority areas of investment in the Asia-Pacific region. The paper accepts the importance of biodiversity conservation and suggests that policy change coupled with the establishment of protected area systems will be critical to success. A wide range of interventions will be needed to support these efforts toward conserving biodiversity - interventions involving national and local governments, national and international nongovernmental organizations and, most importantly, local people. The strategy defined in this paper is intended to complement existing national and international initiatives and to build partnerships in conservation for the 1990s.