An HCV is a biological, ecological, social, or cultural value of outstanding significance or critical importance. There are six HCV categories.
HCV 1. Species diversity: Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species, and rare, threatened or endangered species, that are significant at global, regional or national levels.
HCV 2. Landscape-level ecosystems, ecosystem mosaics, intact forest landscapes: These are significant at global, regional or national levels, and contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.
HCV 3. Ecosystems and habitats: Rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems, habitats or refugia.
HCV 4. Ecosystem services: Basic ecosystem services in critical situations, including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.
HCV 5. Community needs: Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying the basic necessities of local communities or indigenous peoples (for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water, etc…), identified through engagement with these communities or indigenous peoples.
HCV 6. Cultural values: Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or indigenous peoples, identified through engagement with these local communities or indigenous peoples.
HCV (2017) Common Guidance for Identification. (PDF download)
