age fotostock/SuperStock, Inc.Digital Vision/SuperstockIngram Publishing/SuperstockPri
sma/SuperstockExactostock/SuperStock, Inc.PacificStock/SuperstockNG MapsNG MapsWILDEST AREASANTARCTICA
The Antarctic Treaty, signed in
1959, regulates the continent and
the marine environment (south of
60 south latitude) as a “natural
reserve devoted to peace and
science.” The treaty is recognized
as one of the most successful
international agreements. The
annual Antarctic Treaty
Consultative Meeting brings
national representatives together
to discuss topics such as
scientific cooperation and
environmental protection.Wildest biomes
Wildlands
Ice or snow coverAlthough generally far from
cities, the world’s remaining
wild places play a vital role in
a healthy global ecosystem.
The boreal forests of Canada
and Russia, for instance,
help clean the air we
breathe by absorbing carbon
dioxide and providing
oxygen. With the human
population increasing by an
estimated 1 billion over the
next 15 years, many wild
places could fall within reach
of the plow or under a cloud
of smog.PROTECTED LANDS
or millennia, lands have been set aside as sacred
ground or as hunting reserves for the powerful.
Today, great swaths are protected for recreation,
habitat conservation, biodiversity preservation, and
resource management. Some groups may oppose
protected spaces because they want access to
resources now. Yet local inhabitants and governments
are beginning to see the benefits of conservation
efforts and sustainable use for human health and
future generations.F
SAREKS NATIONAL PARK,
SWEDEN
This remote 1970–km^2
(760–mi^2 ) park, estab-
lished in 1909 to protect
the alpine landscape, is a
favorite of backcountry
hikers. It boasts some 200
mountains more than
1800 m (5900 ft), high,
narrow valleys, and about
100 glaciers. Sareks forms
part of the Laponian Area
World Heritage site and
has been a home to the
Saami (or Lapp) people
since prehistoric times.
AFRICAN RESERVES
Some 120,000 elephants
roam Chobe National Park
in northern Botswana.
Africa has more than 7500
national parks, wildlife
reserves, and other
protected areas, covering
about 9 percent of the
continent. Protected areas
are under enormous
pressure from expanding
populations, civil unrest
and war, and environmen-
tal disasters.WOLONG NATURE
RESERVE, CHINA
Giant pandas freely chomp
bamboo in this 2000–km^2
(772–mi^2 ) reserve in
Sichuan Province, near the
city of Chengdu. Misty
bamboo forests host a
number of endangered
species, but the critically
endangered giant
panda—among the rarest
mammals in the world—is
the most famous resident.
Only about 1600 giant
pandas exist in the wild.KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA
Crater lakes, ash-capped
cones, and diverse plant
and animal species mark
the Kamchatka
Peninsula—a World
Heritage site—located
between the icy Bering Sea
and Sea of Okhotsk. The
active volcanoes and gla-
ciers form a dynamic
landscape of great beauty,
known as “The Land of Fire
and Ice.” Kamchatka’s
remoteness and rugged
landscape help fauna flour-
ish, producing record
numbers of salmon spe-
cies and half of the Steller’s
sea-eagles on Earth.GUNUNG PALUNG
NATIONAL PARK,
INDONESIA
A tree frog’s perch could
be precarious in this 900-
km^2 (347–mi^2 ) park on the
island of Borneo, in the
heart of the Sundaland
biodiversity hotspot. The
biggest threat to trees and
animals in the park and
region is illegal logging.
Gunung Palung contains a
wider range of habitats
than any other protected
area on Borneo, from man-
groves to lowland and
cloud forests. A number of
endangered species, such
as orangutans and sun
bears, depend on the
dense forests.AUSTRALIA & NEW
ZEALAND
Uluru, a red sandstone
monolith (formerly known
as Ayers Rock), and the
vast Great Barrier Reef,
one of the largest marine
parks in the world, are
outstanding examples of
Australia’s protected
areas—which make up
more than 10 percent of
the country’s area and
conserve a diverse range
of unique ecosystems.
About a third of New
Zealand is protected, and it
is a biodiversity hotspot
because of threats to
flightless native birds, such
as the kakapo and kiwi.
Cats, stoats, and other
predators, introduced to
New Zealand by settlers,
kill thousands of birds each
year.