WDPCA: Marine and Terrestrial Protected Areas in American Samoa

This geospatial dataset documents marine and terrestrial protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) within American Samoa. Maintained by the UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, the data is updated monthly and was last refreshed in March 2026. It serves as the primary record for tracking progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Use Cases

• Calculating the percentage of land and sea under protection using spatial boundaries to report on Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Identifying biodiversity risks for infrastructure projects by intersecting project coordinates with protected area polygons.
• Monitoring conservation trends by comparing monthly updates of area designations and management statuses.

Strengths

• Updated on a monthly basis to reflect the most current conservation designations.
• Integrates both WDPA and WD-OECM data into a unified geospatial framework.
• Standardized for international reporting to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Limitations

• Geographic scope is restricted to American Samoa, requiring integration with other datasets for broader Pacific regional analysis.
• Attribute completeness depends on the reporting frequency and detail provided by local government authorities.

Provenance

Source

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Collection Method

Compiled from government reports and stakeholder submissions.

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis.

Geography

American Samoa