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IPA criteria and methodology

The IPA criteria were developed over many years through a process of consultation and workshops.

The first IPA criteria were published in 2001 and the first IPA site selection manual published in 2002. Since then IPA projects have been carried out in many countries of Europe and other parts of the world. As a result of the experience of these projects, there has been further clarification or examples of how to deal with certain areas of IPA identification and selection. Two reports published in 2010 highlight IPA identification projects in 66 countries around the world and give specific examples of how the criteria have been applied in difference countries and with different data availability.

The identification of IPAs is based on three broad criteria:

  • Threatened species
  • Botanical richness
  • Threatened habitats

These criteria have global applications:

  • The site holds significant populations of species of global or regional concern
  • The site has exceptionally rich flora in a regional context in relation to its biogeographic zone
  • The site is an outstanding example of a habitat type of global or regional importance.

A site qualifies as an IPA if it fulfils one or more of these criteria.

For further information, download Identifying and Protecting the World’s Important Plant Areas.

Determining the specifics of criteria and developing a consistent approach at the regional level, e.g. regional threat lists or habitat lists, has been found to be very beneficial in several areas, for further information download the IPA Site Selection Manual for Europe and download the Southern Africa Criteria Workshop notes .

In the United Kingdom IPA selection criteria have also focused on the drawing of IPA boundaries, and the application of IPA criteria to different taxonomic or plant community groups, such as fungi, stoneworts, algae and arable plants.

In the Himalaya the selection criteria were based around medicinal plant groups (threatened medicinal plants, threatened medicinal plant habitats, and botanically rich medicinal plant habitats) as the dominant focus of community interest in plant conservation.