This text stems from an August 1999 gathering held at White Oak Plantation in northern Florida, attended by 30 conservationists from field sites, universities, and conservation organizations throughout the world, with a focus on success stories in tropical nature conservation. Coverage includes an overview of protected areas worldwide; case studies of conservation in Africa, Latin America, and Asia; challenges faced by parks at different hierarchical levels; and broad philosophical questions of conservation, and how protected areas might effectively deal with the pressures of an overcrowded planet.