This handbook is a guide to help those concerned with the planning and management of natural protected areas in tropical countries. It covers a broad spectrum of activities involved in selection, legislation, administration, planning, managing and evaluating management of reserves. It is aimed at senior management at the park planner, park supervisor and senior warden level, but it would also be useful for university-level classes on the subject. Since this readership seeks practical rather than theoretical guidelines, theory is presented only to the extent it affects the taking of practical decisions and actions. Terminology has been kept to a minimum and long technical arguments avoided whenever possible. Descriptive examples are shown in boxes and diagrams.