What are the costs and benefits of establishing protected areas?
The costs of establishing and maintaining protected areas include both direct and indirect costs, such as the purchase of land, the relocation of communities, and the loss of potential tax revenue. Protected area benefits are defined as the material and non-material benefits, goods, values and services that flow to community members living in or near a protected area. Equitable distribution is the dispersal of these benefits to a variety of stakeholders based on principles of fairness, justice, social equity and ethical considerations.