Protected Areas Indicators – Protected areas, Canada

The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program provides data and information to track Canada's performance on key environmental sustainability issues. The Protected Areas indicators report the amount and proportion of Canada's terrestrial and marine area that is recognized under the international definition of a protected area as "a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values". Land and/or water access, use, and activities within the protected area are restricted, permanently or temporarily, primarily for the purpose of conserving biodiversity and ecosystem function, regardless of proprietary designation (for example, park, conservation area, or wildlife reserve). Information is provided to Canadians in a number of formats including: static and interactive maps, charts and graphs, HTML and CSV data tables and downloadable reports. See supplementary documentation for data sources and details on how those data were collected and how the indicator was calculated.