What are the flora and fauna protection areas

Flora and fauna protection areas are specific geographical territories in which a specific regulation must be complied with in order to protect the biodiversity of the area in question. One of the factors that these territories take into account is to limit the uses that human activities can make of the natural resources present there.

In this way, depending on the type of flora and fauna protection area in which we are, one type of activity or another may be developed. Or, we can even find territories in which human activity is considerably limited, limiting itself only to scientific study activities and little else.

It is important to bear in mind that the flora and fauna protection areas that can be found are very varied. In all cases we are going to find areas of high ecological value that will need to be protected. However, it is also true that, according to each case, this type of protection will be focused on one specific aspect or another. These are the main types of flora and fauna protection areas :

National Reserve

This type of flora and fauna protection area is characterized by being an area called a nature reserve and being controlled by the national authority in each case and, at the same time, by a relatively permissive use of the natural resources of the delimited area. In this way, although the protection of both the fauna and flora present in the area is sought, commercial human activities will be allowed. Although, for them to be carried out, it will be necessary to have the approval of the national authority, in charge of protecting the area in question.

National Park

In this case, we are again in a flora and fauna protection zone. But, unlike what happened with the national reserve, the protection protocols will be stricter. With this, the protection of both the flora and fauna of natural parks is sought , as well as certain ecosystems that are especially sensitive to human presence and activity. These are areas where any human activity is highly controlled by the authorities, which greatly limits the exploitation of natural resources in any of its forms.

National sanctuary

When talking about a national sanctuary, reference is being made to an area of ​​protection of flora and fauna that has a fairly high level of demand but, unlike what happens with the national park, it is a type of protection focused on specific species . In this way, certain species, which may be both flora and fauna, enjoy this protection more than the ecosystem as a whole, which has its importance and protection insofar as it is linked to the survival of the protected species.

Recovery zone

In this case, we are also facing a flora and fauna protection area. However, in the case of recovery areas, it is worth highlighting the transitory nature of this protection space. It is a protected area that has the function of recovering the ecosystem damaged by a disaster of natural or human origin. A good example would be fires.

Wild area

In this case, it is a protected area but due to its high ecological value and the historical absence of human presence and activity. They are protected areas but they do allow certain human activities when they do not interfere too much with the environment.

Strict protection zone

It is an area similar to the wild but, in this case, with a much stricter protection protocol. This is usually due to its very high ecological and biodiversity value. These are areas where human activity is highly restricted.

The importance of flora and fauna protection areas is found in the impact that human activity has on the environment. Regardless of the level of protection established, the mere presence of human beings implies an impact on the environment. This impact can be destructive (for example cutting down a forest), or imbalance (for example feeding wild animals). This leads to the degradation of ecosystems and, the only way to avoid it, is to create protected areas where human activity is limited or reduced to its minimum expression.

This makes it possible to conserve the biodiversity and environmental wealth of those environments of special importance or especially sensitive to human activity. In this way, creating and protecting flora and fauna protection areas is the best way to conserve the natural heritage of our planet , both for present and future generations.

If you still have doubts about why you have to be quite strict in some areas and limit so much the activity that we have in them, we recommend you read this other AgroCorrn article on How society affects the environment .