Nordpil

Protected areas of the Arctic

Click the image above for high-resolution view

National parks and other protected areas play an important role in the protection of our fragile environment. By establishing these land and marine areas and reducing the human impact on them, we create important sanctuaries for wildlife, ecosystems and the biosphere. Protected areas are not only refuges for birds, mammals and insects - but are also important for tourism and local economies.
The Arctic represents an area of the world that has seen very little human impact so far. The study for which this map was prepared examines the current status and coverage of environmental protection in the circumpolar north.

The map uses a Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area projection, centered on the North Pole.

ESRI ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator were used to prepare the map. The base map data was prepared from the Natural Earth database. Data on protected areas was provided through the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) network.

For more information, please refer to:

• CAFF Monitoring Series Report No.5 - Circumpolar Protected Areas Monitoring Arctic Protected Areas Monitoring Scheme Background Paper (Arctic Portal)
• Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group of the Arctic Council