What's new in WDPA 2005?
This CD-ROM contains the latest version of the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA 2005) and has significant improvements in its content quality and accuracy if compared to the previous 2003 and 2004 versions.
Table data. In addition to the GIS data, this new version presents the data on protected areas as a series of tables in Excel Spreadsheets (or Excel Books) organized by regions. This format allows you to open directly the list of protected areas of your choice with all the descriptive data (no GIS data) and without installing any additional software. Please note that because of the number of protected areas of the European Region exceeds the limits of the Excel file format, this region has not been included in this CD-ROM.
Languages. The information on the WDPA is now presented in Spanish and French, in addition to English, in an effort to reach a wider audience. Please note that the contents of the database itself are still presented in English as the main language.
Project Files. Project files for different GIS packages have been updated. This version includes project files for ArcExplorer 2, ArcView 3.2, and ArcGIS 9. Users of ArcGIS 8 or other GIS software can import the ArcView 3.2 project file. As in previous versions, the installation files for ArcExplorer 2 are included on the CD-ROM.
New data. The Global database continues to be updated on a daily basis. This version contains many new datasets (see details below). Currently, the WDPA 2005 is the best global database on protected areas. The WDPA is now endorsed as the primary global dataset for conservation and will play a critical role in measuring progress toward globally agreed goals and targets endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Compressed files. As a result of further optimization of the database, we have been able to reduce its demand for space. In this version we have tried to leave all files in an uncompressed format for your convenience. As the database has grown beyond the limits of the CD-ROM media, we have been forced to leave out one dataset: the boundary files (polygon data) for regional protected areas. This large dataset is only available for 2 European countries (United Kingdom and Ireland) and can be downloaded if needed. All point data for regional protected areas have been included.
The WDPA is still a work in progress and your active participation in contributing expertise and feedback on this tool would enable us to keep protected areas data current and accurate.