Protected areas as tools for disaster risk reduction : a handbook for practitioners

The following handbook provides practical guidance on the effective use of protected areasas tools to reduce the likelihood and impacts of disasters. The main text is supplemented by case studies drawing on the experience of the Ministry of Environment in Japan, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and partners. It is aimed in particular at: 1) DRR specialists, so that they understand and can integrate protected areasinto DRR strategies 2) Protected area system administratorsand managers, so that they recognize the value of their protected areasfor DRR, and understand how best to plan and manage protected areasystems to contribute to DRR strategies within protected areasand surrounding communities. The handbook will be one of a series detailing how protected areascan maximize the ecosystem services that they provide, without undermining their fundamental nature conservationfunction.