Protected Areas Under Threat: Unravelling the Protected Areas Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement (PADDD) Events in Myanmar in a Global Context: 1989–2020

Zaw Min Thant (), Eivin Røskaft, Glenn Hunt, Myat Su Mon, Thaw Zin Tun, Patrick Oswald and Henri Rueff
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Zaw Min Thant: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Eivin Røskaft: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Glenn Hunt: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Myat Su Mon: Independent Researcher, Yangon 11011, Myanmar
Thaw Zin Tun: Independent Researcher, Wetlet 02281, Myanmar
Patrick Oswald: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Henri Rueff: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: Though global efforts are increasingly being urged to expand Protected Areas (PAs), PA Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement (PADDD) events have been widespread worldwide to date. However, such events may often be poorly understood, as is the case in Myanmar, due to limited awareness of PADDD’s role and inadequate reporting. To fill this information gap, this study aimed to examine the enacted PADDD events and their impacts. A comprehensive dataset was developed for the enacted Myanmar PADDD events by compiling relevant PA documents. We identified 73 enacted PADDD events in 20 PAs (in Myanmar), affecting 1231.4 km 2 between 1989 and 2020, with downsizing as the sole type of PADDD in Myanmar. While rural settlements, other proximate causes, and infrastructure were highly associated with PADDD events, degradation contributed to the highest reduction in PA extent. Case studies demonstrated that PA habitats were more fragmented and deforested in the post-PADDD era. Land cover changes were more severe in PADDDed areas than in unPADDDed areas, while ranges of threatened species remained unprotected in PADDDed areas. Our results underscore the importance of comprehensive evaluations of the proposed PADDD and firm PADDD policy in safeguarding the PA estate and mitigating future potential PADDD events.

Keywords: biodiversity; conservation; ecosystem; land cover; PADDD; PAs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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