The Protected Areas Index is a composite index (0-1) that quantifies the proximity and coverage of protected natural areas around a monitored site. The presence of protected areas in a site's territorial context is a key indicator of biodiversity status: nearby protected areas act as species reservoirs, ecological corridors, and buffers against urbanisation and agricultural intensification.
The index combines two complementary components:
The final index value is the arithmetic mean of both indices: (inner + outer) / 2.
Data sources include WDPA (World Database on Protected Areas), KBA (Key Biodiversity Areas), Natura 2000, CPCAD (Canada), and PAD-US (USA). Areas within 25 km of the site are considered.
ca_roi)protected_pixels_in_ROI / total_ROI_pixelsfactor = 1 − (distance / max_distance), clipped to [0, 1](inner_index + outer_index) / 2| Code | Name | Provider | Type | Coverage | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WRD_WDPAX_99 | World Database on Protected Areas | UNEP-WCMC / IUCN | db | Global | Continuous update |
WRD_KBAXX_99 | Key Biodiversity Areas | BirdLife / IUCN | db | Global | Continuous update |
EUR_N2KXX_99 | Natura 2000 | EEA | db | Europe | Continuous update |
CAN_CPCAD_99 | Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database | ECCC | db | Canada | Continuous update |
USA_PADUS_99 | Protected Areas Database of the US | USGS | db | United States | Continuous update |
Composite index (0-1) based on two components: internal index (fraction of the ROI covered by protected areas) and external index (weighted coverage with linear decay of the distance from the ROI border, calculated via EDT). Final value: (internal_index + external_index) / 2. Areas considered within 25 km. Sources: WDPA, KBA, Natura 2000, CPCAD, PAD-US.