An internationally acclaimed reference book for looking after national parks around the world has now been made even more accessible in Europe and Latin American countries, after being translated into Spanish.
Lead author of the book, Dr Graeme Worboys from The Australian National University (ANU), says national parks are fundamental to the wellbeing of our planet.
“They’re usually the best examples of a nation’s unique nature, culture, superlative scenery and wildlife and they are an intergenerational investment,” Dr Worboys said.
“National parks contribute to a healthier planet, they provide ecosystem services and attract millions of visitors worldwide every year.”
“But they must be managed well if they’re to be successful. This is a significant challenge.”
Dr Worboys saw one way to help tackle this challenge.
He came up with an idea for a free and comprehensive guide to managing national parks which could be used by rangers, park managers and policy people all over the world.
The result is Protected Area Governance and Management, published by ANU Press in 2015.
“This book covers all aspects of national park management, from first principles to dealing with complex matters such as visitor use, and threats like climate change,” he said.
The textbook has been a “runaway success”, according to Dr Worboys. It’s now used by universities in Australia, America and Egypt and by park practitioners in 86 countries.
Its usefulness led to demand in Latin America for a Spanish version of the book.
“The English version has had 86,000 individual downloads since in it was launched in 2015. We’re incredibly proud the Spanish version is now complete as well,” Dr Worboys said.
“So many people who care for the environment who could never afford a book like this now have access to it – it’s a major investment in better parks and a better planet”
The translation into Spanish was a collaboration between ANU, the Colombian National Park Service and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
ANU Press are now working with IUCN on a French version of the book.
“This will guarantee the further accessibility of the book to people in Europe and in parts of Africa,” manager of ANU Press Lorena Kanellopoulos said.
“We are very proud of this collaborative work.”
The Spanish translation was launched on Tuesday 15 October at the 3rd Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Protected Areas in Lima, Peru.
Both the English and Spanish versions of the text are now available online, through the ANU Press website.
