MIDAs

The international community designates a variety of protected areas – such as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves, Global Geoparks and Ramsar Wetlands – to safeguard nature. However, as these protected areas expand globally, overlaps between two or more designations within a single region have increased. These overlapping areas are referred to as Multi-Internationally Designated Areas (MIDAs), and their numbers are on the rise globally.

Since MIDAs involve multiple protection systems operating within a single region, they require more efficient cooperation strategies than do individual IDAs. Efforts focus on achieving each area's objectives effectively while maximizing synergy between them.

Significance

• Significance of Managing MIDAs

  As different IDA protection systems overlap within MIDAs, a more systematic and harmonized management is required than for individual IDAs. This can contribute not only to environmental protection but also to the growth of local communities and economies.

  1

  Environmental protection through synergy

  • Combining the strengths of different designation systems enables more effective environmental conservation efforts. Harmonised management maximizes outcomes such as climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration.

  2

  Sustainable development and greater benefits for the community

  • Coordinated management creates new opportunities for local communities through ecotourism, green economic activities, and sustainable resource use, improving residents' quality of life by balancing conservation with development.

  3

  Establishment of best practices through international cooperation

  • Collaborating with international organizations helps establish effective protection/management strategies that can serve as global models. MIDAs allow broader research/policy sharing than do individual IDAs while advancing sustainable conservation models.

Relevant Materials

Managing MIDAS : harmonising the management of Multi-Internationally Designated Areas (IUCN, 2016)

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