The highlands in Angolan conservation areas

Abstract

Angola has an unbalanced assemblage of conservation areas that cover few key ecosystems and, despite expert recommendations and recent efforts to expand the protected area network, the highlands remain poorly represented. This paper lays out the context behind the creation of Angola’s protected areas, while exploring some of the existing constraints and attempts to overcome these limitations. Two existing national parks and one partial reserve incorporate some of Angola’s highlands, and are briefly described. In addition, some important highland ecosystems proposed for protection are briefly discussed; these highlands are either part of protected areas under current consideration by the Government of the Republic of Angola or are flagged based on biodiversity assessments. In addition to being poorly represented in the protected area network, current inadequate management and limited scientific knowledge of Angola’s highlands are highlighted as important components that need to be addressed in order to better conserve these ecosystems.