PAN Parks, the European wilderness protection organisation, is part of the global conservation movement with focus on a special field: European wilderness. Achieving our objectives relating to wilderness protection clearly supports implementation of the European and global conservation agenda.

Here is a quick scan of the international relevance of PAN Parks to different global policies and networks:

International policies

IUCN sets the global framework and priority for conservation agenda, PAN Parks contributes to the implementation of its main objectives by

• supporting the IUCN category system – providing opportunity to interpret IUCN categories in areas where PAN Parks verification is carried out,
• providing an in-depth methodology (PAN Parks verification system) to improve management effectiveness of protected areas and
• also focusing on biodiversity conservation.

Convention on Biodiversity formulates the global agenda focusing on biodiversity conservation and Natura 2000 sets the framework and priorities of conservation agenda inside the EU aiming to maintain and if necessary to restore a favourable conservation status for all naturally occurring species and habitats. PAN Parks’ conservation objectives are fully in-line with these policies and support their implementation by also focusing on biodiversity conservation with wilderness aspect in its member protected areas.
 

International networks, labels

 
UNESCO Biosphere reserves and Ramsar sites provide home to amosaic of ecological systems and promote the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local communities. Sustainable use and co-operation with local communities is also the cornerstone of the PAN Parks concept with the added value of wilderness.
 
The PAN Parks concept is fully compatible with the European Diploma as it also evaluates outstanding scientific and aesthetic qualities but with wilderness focus and is combining these with sustainable tourism development.
 
Membership of protected areas in different networks – in PAN Parks and others - is useful to strengthen them working for these common long-term objectives as they multiply positive effects of co-operation. Moreover, working with PAN Parks provides opportunity to promote the extraordinary value of wilderness.