Rethinking urban conservation: framing new opportunities for Urban Protected Areas

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12/10/2025
11:00 - 12:30
Conference Hall B: Session Room 9 , Hybrid
Session with interpretation

Why attend

This session explores investment, innovative management (e.g. OECMs), and citizen involvement in Urban Protected Areas. With a globally representative panel and an interactive World Café format, this session will provide important insights for the 11-year update of the IUCN Urban Protected Area Guidelines.

Session Description

This session will explore challenges and opportunities for Urban Protected Areas management, financial sustainability, and citizen engagement - fostering a global conversation on the most important developments, and highlighting innovative solutions and perspectives. We'll discuss the role of urban protected areas, OECMs, National Park Cities, citizen-declared urban forests, urban pacts, and other strategies amplifying urban biodiversity conservation. We will feature three renowned international panelists with expertise in urban nature conservation, discussing key challenges such as financing mechanisms, governance models, and civic engagement for effective urban NbS. The session will also address how protected areas in cities can generate economic benefits, improve ecological connectivity, and support climate adaptation. This timely discussion is crucial for shaping the 11-year update of the IUCN Urban Protected Area Guidelines. Participants will explore scaling NbS and protected areas to create greener, more resilient, and livable cities, gaining practical strategies and insights to strengthen global urban conservation efforts.
Organised by
World Commission on Protected Areas logo
World Commission on Protected Areas
Partners
World Commission on Protected Areas logo
World Commission on Protected Areas
FUNDAECO- Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación ( Guatemala ) logo
FUNDAECO- Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación ( Guatemala )
Headquarters logo
Headquarters
SELVAR logo
SELVAR
Rede Brasileira de Trilhas de Longo Curso logo
Rede Brasileira de Trilhas de Longo Curso
National Park City Foundation logo
National Park City Foundation
Directorate of Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change  logo
Directorate of Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
ICLEI logo
ICLEI

Speaker

Speaker Ingrid COETZEE

Director: Biodiversity, Nature & Health, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability

Speaker Alison Barnes

Chief Executive, New Forest National Park Authority

Speaker Marco Vinicio CEREZO

General Director, FUNDAECO

Speaker Pedro MENEZES

National Director of Protected Areas, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

Moderator

Speaker Peter FROST

Senior Urban Officer, Natural Resources Wales