EDITORIAL ESSAY: PROTECTED AREAS AND ONE HEALTH

Abstract

Land-use change, globalisation and climate change are rapidly altering wildlife–livestock–human interfaces, increasing the rate of disease emergence and spread. To combat these risks, land managers and policymakers at all scales are increasingly aligning their activities with the One Health framework: “an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems”. One Health policy should explicitly incorporate protected and conserved areas (PCAs), because PCAs are widespread and important wildlife– livestock–human interfaces. PCAs vary in their priorities, resources, disease risks and other challenges, so there is an urgent need for research, funding and support that will allow PCA managers and planners to implement context-specific actions for minimising, mediating and monitoring infectious disease risks. This will require collaborations between health and environment ministries and PCA managers of all kinds. Therefore, IUCN WCPA has established a two-year Task Force on Protected Areas and One Health. Following careful evaluation, the Task Force will make recommendations regarding how WCPA and PCA managers can maintain or improve efforts to integrate One Health, and how One Health policy can better incorporate PCAs – both urgent needs for reducing the spread of pathogens among wildlife, domestic animals, and people.