IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas is the world's premier network of protected area expertise. It is administered by IUCN's Programme on Protected Areas and has over 2,500 members, spanning 140 countries. WCPA helps governments and others plan protected areas and integrate them into all sectors by providing strategic advice to policymakers; by strengthening capacity and investment in protected areas; and by convening the diverse constituency of protected area stakeholders to address challenging issues. For more than 60 years, IUCN and WCPA have been at the forefront of global action on protected areas. The Best Practice Guidelines series is one of the Commission's flagship products, providing timely guidance on all aspects of protected area planning, management and assessment. www.iucn.org/wcpa Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entered into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 196 Parties so far, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. www.cbd.int WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) WWF has been a leading voice for nature for more than half a century, working in 100 countries on six continents with the help of over five million supporters. Keen to ensure a positive future for the world's wildlife, rivers, forests and seas, WWF is pushing for a reduction in carbon emissions that will avoid catastrophic climate change and pressing for measures to help people live sustainably, within the boundaries of one planet. The work of WWF is founded on science, with a precise mission-to create a world where people live in harmony with nature. wwf.panda.org Equilibrium Research Equilibrium Research offers practical solutions to conservation challenges, from concept, to implementation and evaluation of impact. With partners ranging from local communities to UN agencies across the world, Equilibrium explores and develops approaches to natural resource management that Protected Areas Benefits Assessment Tool + (PA-BAT+) | v Contents

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