Decreto-Lei No. 5/2016 establishes Timor-Leste’s National System of Protected Areas (Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas), providing the legal framework for the identification, designation, and management of the country’s most ecologically significant terrestrial and marine environments. This landmark legislation represents a crucial step in Timor-Leste’s environmental governance.
The decree-law defines multiple categories of protected areas, ranging from strict nature reserves to areas designated for sustainable use by local communities. It establishes the governance mechanisms for managing these areas, including the roles of national authorities, municipal governments, and community stakeholders. Notably, the legislation recognizes the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge and customary land management practices — known as tara bandu in Tetun — into modern conservation frameworks.
For the tourism sector, this legislation is foundational. Timor-Leste’s protected areas encompass many of its most attractive tourism assets, including the Nino Konis Santana National Park, the coral-rich waters around Atauro Island, and the mountainous interior forests of Matebian and Ramelau. The protected areas system provides the regulatory framework within which ecotourism activities must operate, defining what activities are permissible, how visitor access is managed, and how tourism revenues can be directed toward conservation and community benefit.