Protected areas in the 21st century: their value and benefits for the global ecosystem

The message of this article is that nothing is certain and, at the same time, we can observe a flow of events from one cause to another that form our interest in protected areas, their use as conservation tools and their threats. If we want conservation methods to be effective and protected areas to be a cornerstone of the strategy, it will continually require both understanding and influencing human values, prioritising and making appropriate decisions about their expansion. It is possible that some trends we know will continue, while other changes in values, economy, politics, demography and climate will shape the future of protected areas. Ignoring the elements of the economy is unlikely to benefit protected areas, so protected areas can be seen as a humanitarian way to economically exploit the environment.