Global IUCN category guide

Examine the geography and management frameworks of landscapes combining conservation with low-intensity resource stewardship.

Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources: Global IUCN Category VI Mapping

Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources represents a distinct approach to conservation where ecological integrity and human tradition intersect. These large-scale landscapes focus on maintaining natural conditions while enabling non-industrial activities that align with stewardship objectives. Our atlas tracks how these areas balance biodiversity targets with community-led management systems across various global terrains.

Search Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources parks All IUCN categories

Definition and protection objectives

Conserving intact habitats while supporting traditional, low level resource management

Management Objectives of a Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Category VI protected areas encompass extensive natural habitats where long term biodiversity conservation is integrated with traditional, non industrial resource use. Understanding such management objectives helps observers compare diverse regional designations that balance ecological protection with community stewardship.

IUCN category VI

Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

IUCN Category VI is used for protected areas where conservation remains primary, but where the sustainable use of natural resources is recognized as a legitimate and integrated part of management. These are usually large areas that remain mainly in a natural condition and that conserve ecosystems, associated cultural values, and traditional resource-management systems. The category is especially important in places where conservation is best achieved not by excluding all use, but by supporting forms of use that are low-level, non-industrial, ecologically compatible, and embedded in long-term stewardship.

Parks: 34
Countries: 17
Continents: 5

Definition

A Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources is a protected area that conserves ecosystems and habitats together with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. Such areas are 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. Under IUCN guidance, the primary management objective should apply to at least three quarters of the protected area, often referred to as the 75 per cent rule.

Protection objective

Typical objectives include maintaining ecosystems in a largely natural condition, conserving biodiversity and ecological processes at scale, supporting traditional and compatible natural resource management systems, preventing industrial or ecologically destructive uses, strengthening community and indigenous stewardship where appropriate, aligning livelihoods with conservation goals, applying zoning and monitoring to keep use within ecological limits, and ensuring that the protected area's primary function remains long-term nature conservation.

Management approach

Management in Category VI requires balancing conservation outcomes with clearly bounded and ecologically compatible use. This often means zoning, harvest rules, customary governance, community agreements, species and habitat monitoring, restoration where needed, and limits on activities that would exceed ecological thresholds. Managers may support traditional livelihoods, non-timber forest product collection, small-scale fisheries, extensive pastoralism, or other locally adapted uses where these do not undermine the area's conservation purpose. The category demands active judgment and governance rather than simple permissiveness: sustainable use must remain subordinate to the area's primary conservation objective, and industrial-scale or ecologically damaging exploitation is inconsistent with the category.

Conservation purpose

The purpose of Category VI is to conserve large natural areas and their biodiversity while recognizing that carefully governed, low-level, sustainable resource use can in some places contribute to long-term conservation, local stewardship, and social legitimacy.

Global distribution

Trace the continental spread of Category VI landscapes to compare regional conservation patterns

Worldwide Distribution of Protected Areas with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Continental distribution views highlight where managed resource extraction intersects with ecosystem protection within current atlas records. Comparing regional occurrences provides vital geographic context across continents without implying exhaustive global accounting or measuring local management success.

Africa

9 represented parks

26.5% of category parks

North America

5 represented parks

14.7% of category parks

Oceania

5 represented parks

14.7% of category parks

Europe

4 represented parks

11.8% of category parks

South America

1 represented park

2.9% of category parks

Continent counts reflect active parks linked to each continent in MoriAtlas; they describe represented atlas coverage, not conservation performance.

Country breakdown

Analyze how different national protected area systems manage and map sustainable use landscapes.

Protected Areas with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources: Country Level Distribution

Grouping represented landscapes by country lets readers compare how international management guidelines map to diverse territorial jurisdictions. Individual country pathways offer localized context across varied national systems, showcasing mapped records without implying identical legal classifications or unique global totals.

Country counts use geographic park memberships, so a transboundary protected area can be represented in more than one country.

Example parks worldwide

Understanding management objectives across diverse global landscapes and regulated zones.

Represented Parks inside Protected Areas with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Browsing represented protected-area examples clarifies how different global jurisdictions balance ecosystem conservation with low-level resource use. Opening individual park records reveals detailed geographic context, regional designations, and localized zoning frameworks that make the classification concrete.

National parkUgandaMountain

Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Mapped terrain and Afro-alpine ecosystems of this East African protected area.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park represents a unique protected landscape in Uganda, known for its iconic glacial peaks and endemic Afro-alpine vegetation. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it showcases dramatic terrain ranging from montane forests to permanent glaciers, with Margherita Peak standing as the crown jewel. This park offers a rich geographic context for understanding East African mountain ecosystems and the mapped boundaries of significant conservation areas, providing valuable data for atlas-style exploration.

996 km²1991AlpineVI

Rwenzori Mountains National Park atlas

National parkBritish ColumbiaMarineMountain

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Mapped boundaries and regional geographic context in British Columbia.

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve stands as a distinct protected natural landscape, serving as a critical component of Canada's national park inventory. This page facilitates an atlas-style exploration of its mapped boundaries and its position within the broader geography of British Columbia. Understanding the park's protected status and its integration with the surrounding natural terrain offers valuable insight into conservation landscapes.

511 km²1970TemperateEasy access

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve National Park

National parkSouth Australia

Lake Torrens National Park

A unique protected landscape of arid plains and expansive salt flats.

Lake Torrens National Park offers an unparalleled exploration of Australia's remote outback, centered around a vast, ancient salt lake basin. This national park in South Australia provides a canvas of stark, minimalist terrain, featuring shimmering saltpans, arid gibber plains, and rocky outcrops. Understand the park's unique geographic identity, its ecological significance as a temporary wetland habitat, and its dramatic visual appeal for landscape photography and geological interest. It is a key protected area showcasing the extreme environment of Australia's interior.

5,676.68 km²1991AridVI

Lake Torrens National Park Atlas

Watercolor illustration of trees and mountains

National parkEastern Macedonia and ThraceMountain

Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park

Mapped terrain and protected area context in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

This canonical entry for Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park provides a structured atlas view of its protected landscape. Understand the park's geographic setting within Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, its mapped boundaries, and its significance as a critical sanctuary for raptors across Europe. Explore the diverse natural terrain that defines this protected area and its ecological importance.

428 km²2006MediterraneanModerate access

Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park Protected Landscape

National parkBritish ColumbiaMarine

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

Mapped boundaries and regional geographic context.

Delve into the protected landscape of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, a significant national park located in British Columbia. This entry provides detailed insights into its mapped boundaries, regional geographic setting, and its identity as a protected area. Understand the park's place within the natural terrain and atlas of Canada, offering a clear geographic overview for focused discovery and landscape context.

36 km²2003MediterraneanModerate access

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve Geography Atlas

National parkEswatini

Hlane Royal National Park

Mapped geography and protected area context in northeastern Eswatini.

Delve into Hlane Royal National Park, Eswatini's most extensive protected territory, a prime example of lowland bushveld savanna. This national park is defined by its expansive woodland terrain, dotted with ancient trees and seasonal water pans, creating a dynamic landscape. It is an essential component for understanding the regional geography and the distribution of protected areas within Southern Africa, offering significant opportunities for landscape exploration.

300 km²SubtropicalEasy accessVI

Hlane Royal National Park Eswatini Protected Area

National parkMexico StateMountain

Nevado de Toluca National Park

Explore mapped boundaries and regional terrain within Mexico State.

Nevado de Toluca National Park serves as a key protected landscape for understanding the natural geography of Mexico State. This destination facilitates detailed exploration of its mapped territory, protected area identity, and the surrounding regional context. Discover how this national park fits into the larger geographic atlas through its distinct terrain and documented boundaries, offering a factual foundation for landscape research.

510 km²1936AlpineModerate access

Nevado de Toluca National Park Protected Area

Protected areaGuyanaMountain

Kanashen

Explore the mapped landscape and protected land context.

Kanashen Protected Area serves as a critical point of geographic discovery within Guyana, offering detailed insights into its protected boundaries and natural landscape. This entry focuses on providing a structured, atlas-driven understanding of Kanashen, emphasizing its role within the regional geography of South America. Users can explore how this protected area fits into the larger mapped context, appreciating its specific terrain and conservation significance.

6,485.67 km²TropicalRemote accessVI

Kanashen Protected Area Geography

National parkIndonesia

Lake Sentarum National Park

Explore the geographic context and protected area boundaries.

Lake Sentarum National Park represents a vital protected landscape within Indonesia, celebrated for its extensive lake ecosystems and wetland terrain. As a designated national park, it offers a rich area for geographic study, showcasing unique ecological features mapped within the Indonesian archipelago. Understanding its protected boundaries and the surrounding natural landscapes provides essential context for appreciating Indonesia's biodiversity and conservation efforts through an atlas-driven lens.

1,320 km²1999TropicalModerate access

Lake Sentarum National Park Geography

Nature reserveSaudi Arabia

Al-Khunfah Natural Reserve

Mapped protected area and unique desert birdlife habitat.

Al-Khunfah Natural Reserve is a large nature reserve in Saudi Arabia, situated on the fringes of the distinctive Nefud Desert. This protected area plays a crucial role in conserving desert wildlife, with a notable focus on supporting diverse bird species within its arid ecosystems. Explore the mapped boundaries and landscape context of this significant protected territory, understanding its place within the broader geography of Saudi Arabia.

19,339 km²1987AridVI

Al-Khunfah Natural Reserve Protected Area

Watercolor illustration showing green mountains, trees, a pink river, and stacked rocks under a yellow sky

Protected landscapeMountain

Zlatibor

Discover Dinaric Alps protected terrain and landscape context.

Zlatibor Protected Landscape offers a distinct exploration of mountainous terrain and protected natural areas in Serbia. Situated in the Dinaric Alps, its landscape is defined by rolling upland plateaus, dense coniferous forests, and open alpine meadows, creating a visually rich environment. The park's geography includes notable karst features and extensive cave systems, complemented by the natural boundaries of significant rivers. Delve into the mapped protected area to understand its landscape character, from the highest peak at Tornik to the unique geological formations and the rare endemic pine subspecies, providing a concrete geographic perspective for atlas-based discovery.

0.419 km²2017TemperateModerate access

Zlatibor Protected Landscape Geography

Watercolor illustration showing a winding path through a forested area with mountains in the background

National parkMountain

Rodopi Mountain Range National Park

Mapped boundaries, old-growth ecosystems, and Balkan geography.

Rodopi Mountain Range National Park is a critical protected forest area in Greece, safeguarding one of Europe's last primeval forests, the Frakto Virgin Forest. As the nation's largest woodland conservation site, it showcases remarkable biodiversity and complex mountain terrain, from low-lying forests to subalpine meadows. This page provides detailed mapping context and geographic specifics for understanding this unique protected landscape and its ecological significance within the Rhodope Mountains.

1,731.5 km²2009TemperateVI

Rodopi Mountain Range National Park protected landscape

Search all Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources parks

Compare IUCN categories

Comparing management objectives, sustainable resource limits, and primary conservation purposes.

Comparing Protected Areas with Sustainable Use to Other IUCN Categories

Comparing different IUCN categories helps clarify how sustainable resource use areas contrast with strictly preserved wilderness or managed landscapes. Examining distinct classifications prevents the oversimplification of management objectives and highlights how varying governance frameworks support biodiversity protection.

Strict Nature Reserve

A highly protected area managed mainly for science, monitoring, and the safeguarding of biodiversity, geological features, or ecological processes with minimal human disturbance.

20 represented parks

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Wilderness Area

A usually large, unmodified or only slightly modified area protected to preserve its natural character, ecological integrity, and sense of wilderness without permanent or significant human habitation.

21 represented parks

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National Park

A large natural or near-natural protected area managed to safeguard ecological processes, characteristic species, and ecosystems while also supporting education, recreation, and compatible visitor use.

2,377 represented parks

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III

Natural Monument or Feature

A protected area established to conserve a specific natural feature such as a landform, geological structure, cave, seamount, waterfall, grove, or other distinct natural monument.

11 represented parks

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Habitat/Species Management Area

A protected area managed mainly to protect particular species or habitats, often through targeted, regular, or adaptive conservation interventions.

47 represented parks

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Protected Landscape/Seascape

A protected area where the long-term interaction of people and nature has created a distinct landscape or seascape with significant ecological, cultural, and scenic value.

122 represented parks

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MoriAtlas Explorer

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