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Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, overseen by WCS for more than three decades, has attained the distinction of being the planet’s first location acknowledged for its ecological purity according to the stringent Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) Standard. Released by the IUCN, the KBA Standard establishes requirements for recognizing sites of worldwide importance for the sustained existence of biodiversity, with a specific focus on undisturbed regions through the Ecological Purity criteria. The 4,000 square kilometer park, a sanctuary for imperiled mammals, remains unharvested and devoid of roads, with wildlife populations mostly unaffected by human activities, and performs a crucial function in regulating the climate and storing carbon, thus accentuating its extraordinary ecological worth.
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park has been acknowledged for its remarkable ecological purity, a substantial achievement in worldwide conservation endeavors. Through satellite imagery and on-site assessments, the park’s extraordinary state and rich wildlife were verified, underscoring the necessity of conserving such areas for biodiversity, combating climate change, and preventing zoonotic diseases.
Backed by the Bezos Earth Fund and executed in collaboration with WCS and the Congolese authorities, this acknowledgment harmonizes with national drives to tackle biodiversity dilemmas and contributes to global targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
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