Protected Areas Database from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)

WCMC has recently completed a digital database containing maps and
statistical data for the world's protected areas system. Data have
been published in a four-volume Directory of the National Parks and
Protected Areas of the World. The Centre is also responsible for
producing the United Nations List of National Parks and Protected
Areas. In addition, the Centre has mapped on the GIS all those Forest
Reserves that are managed for environmental or conservation purposes.
The results are being used by FAO as a contribution to the Forest
Resources Assessment 1990 Project. The overall database now includes
data and location maps for some 40,000 protected areas, held on a
FoxPro (IBM compatible) database.

WCMC Protected Areas Database

The database was developed in collaboration with protected areas professionals
around the world over a period of more than 10 years. Through collaboration
with IUCN, The World Conservation Union, the Ramsar Convention Bureau and
UNESCO, WCMC has particularly comprehensive information on natural sites listed
under the World Heritage Convention, Biosphere Reserves, and wetlands of
international importance listed under the Ramsar sites. WCMC also has
information relating to regional protected areas agreements and conventions.
The WCMC Protected Areas Database holds data on over 40,000 sites
around the world designated for nature conservation purposes, together
with details of sites designated under international conventions and
programmes. There are, for example, about 1000 sites covered by the
Ramsar and World Heritage Conventions, and the UNESCO-MAB Biosphere
Reserves Programme.

LANGUAGE:
English

ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION:

WCMC makes information available through published media, through provision
of datasets, and through the provision of either standard or customised reports.
WCMC is committed to the principle of the free exchange of data with other
institutions and users. In so far as is practical, it places its data in the
public domain and encourages their wide distribution. However, costs may be
incurred in accessing and distributing datasets, and where analysis and
assessment provide an added-value service. Such costs are passed on to the
user.

External Access -

For a number of years, WCMC collaborated with the US National Park
Service to test direct access to WCMC's database on protected areas.
It is intended to resume this shortly as a test of the new system, and
then to extend the service to others. The best means of implementing
this are still being investigated, but are likely to be one or more of
the following:

* Direct access through a modem link
* Provision of copies of the database on diskette/tape
* Provision of copies of the database on CDRom
* Transfer of the database using anonymous ftp

Software Requirements-

FoxPro 2.0 is used as the database management system. The system will
run on a run-time version of FoxPro which enables the viewing, adding,
editing and reporting of data. Creation of custom reports requires the
development version of FoxPro.

Basic mapping software (WCMC mapit) is included with the database
programmes, but users require access to a full copy of Atlas*GIS to
make use of the integrated GIS links.

Access to Wordperfect site and country sheets requires the user to
have access to a copy of Wordperfect 5.0 or greater.

Hardware Requirements -

The minimum hardware requirements to run the WCMC Protected Areas
Database are an IBM 386 with a minimum of 2 Mbyte of memory, and DOS
5.0 or above with DOS loaded high to give a minimum of 590K free
conventional memory. The diskspace occupied by the system is as
follows:
* 60 Mbytes main data base and executables
* 60 Mbytes WordPerfect Site and Country Sheets (optional)