3. “Buffer zones” are identi ed areas outside the boundaries of and immediately adjacent to
designated protected areas pursuant to Section 8 that need special development control in order to
avoid or minimize harm to the protected area;
4. “Indigenous cultural community” refers to a group of people sharing common bonds of language,
customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits and who have since time immemorial, occupied,
possessed and utilized a territory;
5. “National park” refers to a forest reservation essentially of natural wilderness character which has
been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or any form of exploitation except in conformity with
approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively to conserve the area or preserve the
scenery, the natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein and to provide enjoyment of
these features in such areas;
6. “Natural monuments” is a relatively small area focused on protection of small features to protect or
preserve nationally signi cant natural features on account of their special interest or unique
characteristics;
7. “Natural biotic area” is an area set aside to allow the way of life of societies living in harmony with
the environment to adapt to modern technology at their pace;
8. “Natural park” is a relatively large area not materially altered by human activity where extractive
resource uses are not allowed and maintained to protect outstanding natural and scenic areas of
national or international signi cance for scienti c, educational and recreational use;
9. “Protected landscapes/seascapes” are areas of national signi cance which are characterized by the
harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through
the recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic activity of these areas;
10. “Resource reserve” is an extensive and relatively isolated and uninhabited area normally with
di cult access designated as such to protect natural resources of the area for future use and prevent
or contain development activities that could affect the resource pending the establishment of
objectives which are based upon appropriate knowledge and planning;
11. “Strict nature reserve” is an area possessing some outstanding ecosystem, features and/or
species of ora and fauna of national scienti c importance maintained to protect nature and maintain
processes in an undisturbed state in order to have ecologically representative examples of the natural
environment available for scienti c study, environmental monitoring, education, and for the
maintenance of genetic resources in a dynamic and evolutionary state;
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