WDPA 2005: World Database on Protected Areas

The WDPA Consortium

2005 World Database on Protected Areas

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About the WDPA 2005 Update

The 2005 version of the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA 2005) has greatly improved its accuracy if compared to the previous versions WDPA 2003 and 2004.

The spatial and aspatial components of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) continue to be updated on a daily basis. Data arrives from a number of different sources ranging from country agencies, NGO's, IGO's to the WDPA Consortium and contributing projects or partners such as GRASP and the EEA.

The WDPA Consortium provides a focal point through which information and ideas are both pooled and shared. The Consortium members through their own projects and programmes and by tapping into a network of in-country expertise, perform a vital information-gathering role. After such information has been entered into the WDPA, the Consortium provide a quality control function by cross checking/evaluating data holdings and suggesting improvements.

Since the WDPA 2003 version, the WDPA spatial component (GIS) has undergone a stringent validation process, which has resulted in

Major Changes since WDPA 2004

  1. Introduction of more stringent validation techniques.

    One improvement has been the removal of duplicate polygon features and removal/reduction of redundant features (excessive lines and slivers). The benefit is in a reduction in the size of the polygon layers (number of features) without loss of feature definition. As a result:

    • 2000 sites had automated elimination performed on redundant polygons
    • 24000 sites had individual specialist validation and further elimination of redundant polygons (especially GBR, IRL & NZL) due to their complexity. A high proportion of redundant polygons have now been removed but because of the extremely high detail and the existence of extremely small genuine sites a manual elimination process is still ongoing.
    • 400 sites had simplification performed on multipart features to produce single polygons
  2. International sites were revised
    • 5900 sites: World Heritage Sites, UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves (MAB) and Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR)
    • Improvement and addition of polygon data for some International sites this included 12 existing World Heritage Sites polygons replaced by much more detailed boundaries.
  3. National sites were revised:
    • 1400 sites had site centre points revised
    • 250 sites had replications removed from habitat entries
    • Around 40% of sites had their metadata and attributes revised
    • All sites have been cleaned and validated with 26000 of 43000 polygons receiving specialist individual treatment.
  4. Updating of the habitat information with results from protected areas and coral overlay analysis.

  5. 5. New polygon data added:
    • Addition of Canada SPP (Saskatchewan Pastures Program) and PFRA (Farm Rehabilitation Administration) sites
    • Colombia Forest Reserves
    • Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda - Received through GRASP project
    • Leuser Ecosystem, Indonesia - Received through GRASP project
    • Republic of Congo (partial update) - Received through GRASP project
    • Egypt National Parks/Protected Areas
    • Namibia Protected Areas (partial update)
    • Netherlands Antilles (partial update)
    • French Guiana Protected Areas
    • Cameroon Protected Areas (partial update) - Received through GRASP project
    • Djibouti Marine Protected Areas
    • Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB - England)
    • Mesoamerica Biological Corridor
    • Brazil

    In addition a number of minor changes have been made when data has became available.

  6. New attribute data added:
    • Leuser Ecosystem, Indonesia - Received through GRASP project
    • Namibia Protected Areas (partial update)
    • Addition of Canada SPP (Saskatchewan Pastures Program) and PFRA (Farm Rehabilitation Administration) sites
    • Netherlands Antilles (partial update)
    • French Guiana Protected Areas
    • El Salvador Protected Areas
    • Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda - Received through GRASP project
    • Paraguay Protected Areas

    European Environment Agency (EEA) supplied the CDDA (Common Database on Designated Areas) for 2004, countries updated were:

    • Albania
    • Belgium
    • Austria
    • Bulgaria
    • Bosnia and Herzegovina
    • Switzerland
    • Cyprus
    • Germany (additional information supplied by Bfn)
    • Denmark
    • Spain
    • Estonia
    • Finland
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Ireland
    • Gibraltar
    • Guadelope
    • Greece
    • Greenland
    • French Guiana
    • Italy
    • Iceland
    • Lithuania
    • Liechtenstein
    • Macedonia
    • Serbia and Montenegro
    • Malta
    • Martinique
    • Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Hungary
    • Reunion
    • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
    • Slovenia
    • Sweden
    • Turkey

    In addition a number of minor changes have been made when data has became available.

  7. The following datasets are currently under evaluation and will be included in the next delivery:
    • Indonesia Protected Areas
    • Bolivia Protected Areas (GIS)
    • Paraguay Protected Areas (GIS)
    • Chile Protected Areas (GIS/attributes)

    Checking this database for quality and accuracy and datedness of the data continues to be an important task, and one in which you can participate. Please provide us with your feedback and your expertise on identifying errors, gaps, or alternative sources of information.