1973 iucn yearbook

Conservation of Biotic Communities
Biotic communities and their groups of plant and animal species have
always been a major concern of IUCN. Attention has been given to the
task of ensuring that representative samples of the varied natural ecosystems
of all regions are brought under some form of protection.
Special efforts have been directed to those biomes which are under
increasing threat from man's activities such as those in the coastal zone,
islands, wetlands, and tropical forests.
Some of the most obviously important areas are those superbly
beautiful or unique regions which have been designated as national
parks or are under a similarly high level of protection. IUCN's interest
in national parks is of long standing and a great deal of effort has been
spent dealing with park projects or park-related matters such as surveys,
conferences and publications.
This aspect of IUCN's programme has been the concern of the International
Commission on National Parks as well as the Survival Service
Commission and the Commission on Ecology. A considerable series of
IUCN/WWF projects have been involved.
United Nations List of National Parks and Equivalent Reserves
IUCN has been entrusted with the task of preparing and issuing this
list. In 1973 a new format was established with the inauguration of an
annual UN List. This sets out the name, size, and year of establishment
of national parks, provincial parks and national nature reserves which
meet the criteria for selection laid down by IUCN through its International
Commission on National Parks.
Selection of areas for inclusion in the 1973 UN List was carried out
by a panel consisting of J. I. Nicol (Canada), Chairman of ICNP; Kai
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