Regional Action Plan for AHPs (2016-2020), The 2003 Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves recognises the uniqueness, diversity and outstanding values of selected protected areas (PAs) of ASEAN Member States (AMS) that deserve the highest recognition so that their importance as conservation areas could be appreciated regionally and internationally.
The Declaration ensures that these selected protected areas, called ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs), should be managed to maintain ecological processes and life support systems; preserve genetic diversity; ensure sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems; and maintain wilderness that have scenic, cultural, educational, research, recreational and tourism values.
AHPs are established to generate awareness, pride, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of ASEAN’s rich natural heritage, through a regional network of representative protected areas, and to generate greater collaboration between AMS in preserving their shared natural heritage. To date, there is a total of 37 AHPs (as of December 2015). During the 2nd AHP Conference held in Malaysia in April 2007, the first Regional Action Plan (RAP) for AHPs was developed. In this RAP, the following goals were agreed upon by conference participants: Establish and strengthen national and regional systems of PAs integrated into a global network as a contribution to globally agreed goals; Promote equity and benefit-sharing from the PA system; Develop and implement minimum best standard and best practices for national and regional PAs.
