ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) are protected areas of high conservation importance, preserving a wide spectrum of representative ecosystems of the ASEAN region. AHPs help achieve harmony between humans and nature. They are conservation advocacy tools that help uplift the economic conditions of communities living within and adjacent to protected areas. Internalizing experiences and lessons learned from managing AHPs generate a broader and more strategic perspective on how the ASEAN region can push the agenda of biodiversity conservation, vis-à-vis protected area management to new heights.
Protected areas designated as AHPs benefit from the capacity building support allocated for their key stakeholders. AHPs are likewise recipients of technical assistance from a network of experts and partners and through the implementation of research and development programs and projects facilitated by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) as the AHP Secretariat. At least two AHPs are declared annually and there are currently 40 protected areas under the AHP Programme.
