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On this page we provide a number of essential tools for protected areas managers and biologists.
The Landcover Classfication System (LCCS)
The developers of the LCCS created a standardised, hierarchical a priori – meaning that all classes are pre-defined - classification system for all the land and near-land water-covered areas. The developers identified a collection of “independent diagnostic classifiers” that may characterise any type of land and near-land water system, and organised them in a very consistent and complete hierarchy, allowing for almost any combination of classifiers. In the first three layers of its hierarchy, the system splits into respectively vegetated/non-vegetated, terrestrial/aquatic and non-natural/(semi-)natural. This leads to a very practical primary organization of the landscape, in which one merely needs to deepen the category of focus, while the non-focus categories may remain visible but generic.
Given the number of classifiers, the total number of classes of the system has become very high, and the system generates its classes using an MS Access-based program, that generates a Boolean formula, a unique code and a name.
Generating the class with a software program is very nice; the amount of time in the Central America Ecosystem map spent on mere linguistic nomenclature issues has been considerable. A computer-generated classification which facilitates consistent nomenclature, coding and translations; a mere push on a button may even generate a nomenclature in a different language!
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Figure 1: The LCCS Hierarchy
. The upper classes categorise the system organise the system in: vegetated or not, terrestrial or aquatic and cultivated or natural. There physiognomic and ecological classifiers allow detailed characterization of biounits based on reasonably unambiguous parameters.|
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Figure 2: LCCS codes. The LCCS names and describes its classes in 4 different ways: listing of diagnostic classifiers, Boolean formula, Standard Class Name and a code. |
Download the UNESCO Classification system
The Ecosystem and Protected Areas Monitoring Database foresees in storage of detailed tracking data, physical data registration that allow characterisation of protected areas and ecosystems varying from aquatic to desert ecosystems, physiognomic and floristic characterisation as well as detailed soil as well as water characterisation; It contains a variety of primary thematic forms. For downloading and detailed information, go to http://www.monitoring-nature.info/monitoring.htm
There are several matadata generators online, but many of these are rather superficial. We facilitate a programme developed by the USGS and UNEP: Metalite
These are the main features:
 | Multiple Document Interface |
| Multi-Lingual |
 | Spanish |
| French |
| Portuguese |
| English |
| Windows 95 |
| Windows NT |
| FAQ, HTML, Text, or XML! |
| Coordinate Converter |
| Calendar |
| Error Window |
| Contact Editor |
| Multilingual Keyword Lookup |
| And it is Free! |
For specialistical purposes there is Corpsmet
For Central America, a simple yet very convenient management effectiveness tool developed by PROARCA is available that runs in MSAccess. Only available in Spanish. The file has been prepaired for Honduras, but with little effort it can be adapted for any country in the world.
Download PROARCA/CAPAS Management Effectiveness Evaluation Tool
Download PROARCA/CAPAS Management Effectiveness Evaluation Tool Manual
The world's oldest and most comprehensive protected areas system composition analysis programme can be found here: MICOSYS
It deals with both spacial and species information; abundance and scarcity, financial criteria, species and ecosystems and different safety levels, etc. Scientific background; programme file and manual.
