A protected area is a legally designated, geographically delineated territory (either terrestrial or marine), which is dedicated to the protection of biodiversity and its associated cultural diversity. There are many types of protected areas, some of which offer a strict level of protection while others are more flexible. All must respect international criterion fixed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Regardless of legal designation, the commercial exploitation of resources is not permitted in a protected area. Thus, industrial logging, mining activity and prospecting (including oil and gas) and hydroelectric installations must be excluded from these zones.

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