IUCN WCPA Good Practice Guidelines on Protected and Conserved Areas Series
We have developed guidelines for practitioners after widespread consultation on global practices, covering a range of topics related to protected and conserved areas.
Newest to oldest:
| No. | Title |
| 37 | Practice guidance for protected and conserved area finance (2025) |
| 36 | Guidance on other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), (2024) |
| 35 | Building trust between rangers and communities (2024) |
| 34 | Recognising territories and areas conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs) overlapped by protected areas (2024) |
| 33 | The World at Night (2024) |
| 32 | Cultural and spiritual significance of nature: guidance for protected and conserved area governance and management (2021) |
| 31 | Guidelines on geoconservation in protected and conserved areas (2020) |
| 30 | Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors (2020) |
| 29 | Guidelines for privately protected areas (2018) |
| 28 | Tools for measuring, modelling, and valuing ecosystem services: guidance for Key Biodiversity Areas, natural World Heritage sites, and protected areas (2018) |
| 27 | Tourism and visitor management in protected areas: guidelines for sustainability (2018) |
| 26 | Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas: guidelines for design and management (2017) |
| 25 | Wilderness Protected Areas: Management guidelines for IUCN Category 1b protected areas (2016) |
| 24 | Adapting to Climate Change, Guidance for Protected Area Managers and Planners (2016) |
| 23 | Transboundary Conservation: A systematic and integrated approach (2015) |
| 22 | Urban protected areas: profiles and best practice guidelines (2015) |
| 21 | Guidelines for applying protected area management categories including IUCN WCPA best practice guidance on recognising protected areas and assigning management categories and governance types (2013) |
| 20 | Governance of protected areas: from understanding to action (2013) |
| 19 | *All previous versions are out of date. |
| 18 | Ecological restoration for protected areas: principles, guidelines and best practices (2012) |
| 17 | Protected area staff training: guidelines for planning and management (2011) *This title is out of date and readers should consult the Global Register of Protected Area Competences. |
| 16 | Sacred natural sites: guidelines for protected area managers (2008) *The definitions of protected areas and related concepts in this title are out of date. Readers should consult BPG 21 and later titles for current definitions. |
| 15 | *This title is out of date and readers should consult the Global Standard for Key Biodiversity Areas. |
| 14 | Evaluating effectiveness: a framework for assessing management effectiveness of protected areas (2006) *The definitions of protected areas and related concepts in this title are out of date. Readers should consult BPG 21 and later titles for current definition. |
| 13 | Sustainable financing of protected areas: a global review of challenges and options (2006) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 12 | Forests and protected areas: guidance on the use of the IUCN protected area management categories (2006) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 11 | Indigenous and local communities and protected areas: towards equity and enhanced conservation (2004) *This title is out of date and readers should consult BPG 20 and 21 for more contemporary guidance. |
| 10 | Guidelines for Management Planning of Protected Areas (2003) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 9 | Management guidelines for IUCN category V protected areas: protected landscapes/seascapes (2002) *The definitions of protected areas and related concepts in this title are out of date. Readers should consult BPG 21 and later titles for current definitions. |
| 8 | Sustainable tourism in protected areas: guidelines for planning and management (2002) *This title is out of date and has been replaced by BPG 27, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 7 | *The definitions of protected areas and related concepts in this title are out of date. Readers should consult BPG 23 and later titles for current definitions and best practices. |
| 6 | Evaluating effectiveness: a framework for assessing the management of protected areas (2000) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 5 | Financing protected areas: guidelines for protected area managers (2000) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 4 | Indigenous and traditional peoples and protected areas: principles, guidelines and case studies (2000) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 3 | Guidelines for Marine Protected Areas (1999) *The definitions of protected areas and related concepts in this title are out of date. Readers should consult BPG 19 and 21 and later titles for current definitions. |
| 2 | Economic values of protected areas: guidelines for protected area managers (1998) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |
| 1 | National System Planning for Protected Areas (1998) *This title is out of date, may not reflect all information on contemporary best practice, but may still contain useful background information. |