Protected areas have long been viewed as a key element for maintaining and conserving Arctic biodiversity and the functioning landscapes upon which species depend. Arctic protected areas have been established in strategically important and representative areas, helping to maintain crucial ecological features, e.g., caribou migration and calving areas, shorebird and waterfowl staging and nesting sites, seabird colonies, and critical components of marine mammal habitats. This map presents the protected areas in the Arctic, as defined by the Arctic Council Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group. IUCN categories I-IV represents a higher degree of protection.
Year: 2010
From collection: Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010
Cartographer:
Hugo Ahlenius, GRID-Arendal & CAFF