Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Conservation Worldwide

About conservation/protection "portal" page

Thanks for the note. It's the sort of idea which (a) I think is good and (b) will make me wake up screaming in the night because of its complexity! I don't think I know enough about this field to really offer to help but I would love to see where you go with it. The only reason I initially got into the NT bit was because I wanted to start a wiki on Dunstanburgh and it just sort of grew!!! :) Please feel free to go back to your listing idea on the NT page, I promise I won't trash it again, and we can see where it leads. Nevilley

Seen on User talk:Nevilley:

(Renata writes:) Eventually I'm hoping to come up with an idea for a kind of portal where every kind of conservation agency or charity can be listed, whether nature cons. or buildings or whatever, also the welter of designations (ESA, SSSI, AONB etc.). I've made a bit of a start, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.....*shudder*

Terrifying, but it's an excellent plan! I look forward to it. I have here a booklet on Spurn Point which I keep meaning to use to write an article. I'll keep an eye out & help out with what I can. -- Tarquin 22:21 Oct 6, 2002 (UTC)

Oh and another thing ... how do you fancy trying to explain the difference between, say, the National Trust and English Heritage? I started up pages about both (again, because of Dunstanburgh) but it's horribly complicated - all the quangoes and council for this and that, what has governmental authority and what doesn't,which org's members can vote on policy - what a minefield! Rather you than me!!! :) Nevilley

Renata, on this page and on User talk:Nevilley you?re writing about the conservation pages. Some time ago I have proposed a WikiProject Protected Areas. So far, there hasn?t been anyone else interested in it. I realize it?s not exactly the same thing you want to do, but you might have a look at it. I?ve started with the Protected areas of Australia and I think I?ll have enough work with that for the foreseeable future. But eventually we could cooperate by linking articles or exchanging information. You don?t have to answer immediately because it?s already 1am here (Belgium), so I?ll have to catch some sleep :-) Guy 22:58 Oct 6, 2002 (UTC)

Hi Renata! The Protected area page is indeed a good beginning. There will be lots more to write, as you indicate. I included the definition of a Protected Area given by the IUCN (see [[1]]. However, I'm not sure if this is the *only* existing definition.
I've also looked at Protected areas of the European Union and Protected areas of the United Kingdom. It seems that your approach is by protected area type, while mine is by country. They both probably have their pros and cons, and neither will be perfect for every country or PA type. I started with Australia because it's a country I know reasonably well (from a traveller's viewpoint). I really don't know if the approach I'm taking there will also work with other countries. Maybe we can find some common ground? Any ideas/suggestions?
BTW, if you don't like this particular discussion on your user page feel free to move it to Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Protected Areas, where it probably belongs. Guy 13:03 Oct 7, 2002 (UTC)

Hello Guy,

it's probably not worth moving it even. Very soon, the page irself will exist, and then we can use that talk page.

The Protected Areas of the United Kingdom is just a stub which will have a link list at the bottom to help people with the many confusing designations. I am planning to list the main protected areas in the UK at the top, or in any case in the style you did the Aussie ones. User:Renata

Hello again, Renata! Take a look at National park and Talk:Protected area, and see if you agree. Guy 07:15 Oct 8, 2002 (UTC)

Hi Guy, why not just include links to National Trust etc. on Protected area. Then, when I do the "portal" by country/continent, I can have Protected area which will include all kinds of agencies, charities etc., plus other headings, e.g. "Designations". Sorry, I'm not good at explaining this, but I know what I mean! :-)) User:Renata P.S. What do you think of the title "Conservation worldwide" ??

If I understand you correctly, you propose two kinds of links on the Protected area page:
  1. a list of links by geographical location (eg. Protected areas of Australia, etc...)
  2. a list of links by organization (eg. National Trust for Scotland, etc...)
If that is what you mean, I have nothing to object.
The title "Conservation worldwide" for the portal sounds good to me. I'm not able to come up with a better one :-)
However, my question was: should we redirect the National park pages to more inclusive Protected area pages (eg. change National parks (United States) to Protected areas of the United States). Have a look at this particular page: there are not only National parks, but also National monuments, National historical parks, etc... So the title covers only a part of what's on the page. I don't like that. I already redirected National parks (Australia) to Protected areas of Australia, and now it includes Botanical gardens, Historic shipwrecks, etc... I already discussed this with User:Maveric149 (see Wikipedia talk:Naming conventions (protected areas)).
Is this at least a bit clear or am I just talking gibberish? ;-) Guy 21:18 Oct 8, 2002 (UTC)
Now that I'm thinking about it, if my assumptions above are correct, what will be the difference between the portal "Conservation worldwide" and Protected area? Could you explain it (with an example if that's easier)? Guy 21:23 Oct 8, 2002 (UTC

I think that putting National parks into Protected areas is okay. I agree with Maveric that N.p.s are just one of many protected areas, albeit probably the most high-profile one.

"Conservation worldwide" would be divided into:

  • International, e.g. RAMSAR, UNESCO....
  • then continents, e.g. Europe
  • then countries, e.g. United Kingdom

Within each of the above, there would be:

  • Protected areas
  • Protected buildings/cultural sites etc.
  • Designations and their explanation
  • Link lists for statutory and non-statutory agencies.

How does that sound? User:Renata 8/10/2002

I like it, but it's going to be a *huge* job! Why don't you make a WikiProject of it? You never know, it might attract more people to share the workload (I tried it with the Protected Areas but it didn't work...) Guy 21:47 Oct 8, 2002 (UTC)

What does that involve? I was thinking of just making a start, launch Conservation worldwide and see what happens. I've already created quite a few pages I can insert into it, not to mention your pages. I don't mind if other people then get involved and tinker around with it. What do you think? User:Renata 8/10/2002

It mainly involves setting up a structure for what you have in mind. You can keep it as general or as detailed as you want. You really should read User:Manning Bartlett/WikiProject and then explore some WikiProjects. This will give you a very good idea. It's how I started with it too. Guy 22:08 Oct 8, 2002 (UTC)

Thanks! I've just printed out MB's pages on Structural Principles. Great stuff, this information about information. Just two more questions: how would we nest your WikiProject "Protected areas" into WikiProject "Conservation worldwide"? And would you be one of the contributors? User:Renata 8/10/2002

No worries, Renata! How to incorporate the PA WikiProject in the Conservation WikiProject? Maybe something alongside these lines:
As you already proposed you could add a link to Protected area of [country] under your country headings (actually, there's only one right now: Protected areas of Australia). You could even include the links I have put on that page too (eg. Protected areas of New South Wales (Australia)). What you also can do is put links to the organizations that manage these protected areas (you will find then on the PA pages I wrote).
In short, something like this:
"Conservation worldwide":

If I would be willing to contribute? Of course! If you can live with a contributor who contributes in "waves" (eg. 1 week active and then 2 weeks not - there are other things in life than Wikipedia ;-). Another restriction will be that I'll mainly continue with the PA's for now (it's also very big, you know). But anyhow, this will be a subproject of Conservation worldwide. Guy 14:57 Oct 9, 2002 (UTC)

Are you also thinking of including Aboriginal Lands, Indian reservations, and the like, or is that something different? Guy 15:00 Oct 9, 2002 (UTC)


Phew, lots of questions.....First of all, I'm glad you're willing to work with me on the new WikiProject Conservation worldwide! As to "Designations", it's things like AONB, SSSI, ASSI, NNR, LNR, SAC, SPA........I don't know anything about Aboriginal Lands or Indian reservations, but if they exist to preserve, for instance, a way of life or a culture, then they must be included, surely.

At the weekend I'll make a small start on the WikiProject. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time :-)) User:Renata 9/10/02 23.30 British Summer Time!

Hello Renata! I already had a quick look at WikiProject Conservation worldwide. It's even more frightningly huge than I suspected... but really fascinating! I'll have a better look at it - probably tomorrow. Tonight I just want to finish the Queensland national parks and have a good night's rest. I'll see what I can add to the Australian "chapter". Talk to you soon! Guy 19:43 Oct 13, 2002 (UTC)

Renata, I have made some first comments about this WikiProject on Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Conservation Worldwide Guy 09:46 Oct 14, 2002 (UTC)

Renata, I see that you're online for the moment. Please have a look at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Conservation Worldwide, where I've replied to your latest comment. Guy 10:45 Oct 15, 2002 (UTC)

Renata, 2 days ago I replied to your comments on Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Conservation Worldwide (you probably didn't have the time to look at it yet). I hope things are a little clearer now. Guy 12:32 Oct 17, 2002 (UTC)


Hi Renata, please see Talk for English Heritage, query (?) too many links - do you have a view please? Nevilley


I think that this is all being handled on WikiProject Protected Areas now, right? Rmhermen 16:57, May 13, 2004 (UTC)