February 2025 update of the WDPA, WD-OECM and GD-PAME

The total number of records in the February 2025 release of the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is 305,196 (303,313 protected areas), comprising 293,260 polygons and 11,936 points and covering 244 countries and territories.

The total number of records in the February 2025 release of the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) is 6,484 (6,466 OECMs), comprising 6,342 polygons and 142 points and covering 15 countries and territories.

There are no updates in the February 2025 release of the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME).

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Highlights:

Lesotho: Complete update of national protected areas for Lesotho from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, facilitated by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development. This includes updating attribute information for several sites and the addition of one protected area, Liphofung Cave and Cultural Heritage Site.

Updated: Modifications/updates of the geometry and/or attributes of existing features in the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. features with existing WDPAIDs). Also covers features that have been verified as accurate (i.e. no changes need to be made)

Removed: Number of features removed from the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. WDPAIDs removed from the databases).

Added: Number of features added to the WDPA or WD-OECM (i.e. new WDPAIDs created).

Map of protected areas and OECMs:

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Summary of current data in preparation:

The data set status is defined as one of: 1) New Dataset Received, 2) Under Review by UNEP-WCMC, 3) Under Validation by Data Provider, or 4) Final Approval Stages.