Indigenous and local communities key to successful nature conservation


Date:
September 2, 2021
Source:
University of East Anglia
Summary:
New research finds that Indigenous Peoples and local communities
provide the best long-term outcomes for conservation. The research
team studied the outcomes of 169 conservation projects around the
world -- primarily across Africa, Asia and Latin America.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Indigenous Peoples and local communities provide the best long-term
outcomes for conservation, according to new research from the University
of East Anglia (UEA) and partners in France.


==========================================================================
Lead author, Dr Neil Dawson of UEA's School of International Development,
was part of an international team conducting a systematic review that
found conservation success is "the exception rather than the rule."
But the study, published today in the journal Ecology and Society,
suggests the answer could be equitable conservation, which empowers
and supports the environmental stewardship of Indigenous Peoples and
local communities.

The research team studied the outcomes of 169 conservation projects
around the world -- primarily across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

From restoring national forests in Taiwan and community gardens in Nepal,
to watershed restoration in the Congo, sustainable fisheries in Norway,
game management in Zambia, and preserving wetlands in Ghana -- the team
took into account a range of projects.

They investigated how governance -- the arrangements and decision making
behind conservation efforts -- affects both nature and the well-being
of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.



==========================================================================
The work, which is part of the JustConservation research project funded by
the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) within its Centre
for Biodiversity Synthesis and Analysis (CESAB), and was initiated through
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (IUCN CEESP).

It is the result of collaboration between 17 scientists, including
researchers from the European School of Political and Social Sciences
(ESPOL) at the Catholic University of Lille and UEA.

Dr Dawson, a Research Fellow, examines poverty, wellbeing and
environmental justice among rural populations, particularly poor and marginalised social and ethnic groups, and is a Steering Committee member
of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Commission
on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (IUCN CEESP).

Dr Dawson said: "This study shows it is time to focus on who conserves
nature and how, instead of what percentage of the Earth to fence off." "Conservation led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities,
based on their own knowledge and tenure systems, is far more likely
to deliver positive outcomes for nature. In fact, conservation very
often fails because it excludes and undervalues local knowledge and
this often infringes on rights and cultural diversity along the way." International conservation organisations and governments often lead the
charge on conservation projects, excluding or controlling local practices,
most prominently through strict protected areas.



==========================================================================
The study recommends Indigenous Peoples and local communities need to
be at the helm of conservation efforts, with appropriate support from
outside, including policies and laws that recognise their knowledge
systems." Furthermore, it is imperative to shift to this approach
without delay, Dr Dawson said.

"Current policy negotiations, especially the forthcoming UN climate and biodiversity summits, must embrace and be accountable for ensuring the
central role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in mainstream
climate and conservation programs. Otherwise, they will likely set
in stone another decade of well-meaning practices that result in both ecological decline and social harms.

"Whether for tiger reserves in India, coastal communities in Brazil or wildflower meadows in the UK, the evidence shows that the same basis for successful conservation through stewardship holds true. Currently, this
is not the way mainstream conservation efforts work." From an initial
pool of over 3,000 publications, 169 were found to provide detailed
evidence of both the social and ecological sides of conservation.

Strikingly, the authors found that 56 per cent of the studies
investigating conservation under 'local' control reported positive
outcomes for both human well-being and conservation.

For 'externally' controlled conservation, only 16 per cent reported
positive outcomes and more than a third of cases resulted in ineffective conservation and negative social outcomes, in large part due to the
conflicts arising with local communities.

However, simply granting control to local communities does not
automatically guarantee conservation success.

Local institutions are every bit as complex as the ecosystems they govern,
and this review highlights that a number of factors must align to realise successful stewardship.

Community cohesion, shared knowledge and values, social inclusion,
effective leadership and legitimate authority are important ingredients
that are often disrupted through processes of globalisation, modernisation
or insecurity, and can take many years to re-establish.

Additionally, factors beyond the local community can greatly impede local stewardship, such as laws and policies that discriminate against local
customs and systems in favour of commercial activities. Moving towards
more equitable and effective conservation can therefore be seen as a
continuous and collaborative process.

Dr Dawson said: "Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' knowledge
systems and actions are the main resource that can generate successful conservation. To try to override them is counterproductive, but
it continues, and the current international policy negotiations and
resulting pledges to greatly increase the global area of land and sea
set aside for conservation are neglecting this key point.

"Conservation strategies need to change, to recognize that the most
important factor in achieving positive conservation outcomes is
not the level of restrictions or magnitude of benefits provided to
local communities, but rather recognising local cultural practices
and decision-making. It is imperative to shift now towards an era of conservation through stewardship." 'The role of Indigenous Peoples and
local communities in effective and equitable conservation' is published
in the journal Ecology and Society on September 2, 2021.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_East_Anglia. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Neil M. Dawson, Brendan Coolsaet, Eleanor J. Sterling, Robin
Loveridge,
Nicole D, Gross-Camp, Supin Wongbusarakum, Kamaljit K. Sangha,
Lea M.

Scherl, Hao Phuong Phan, Noelia Zafra-Calvo, Warren G. Lavey,
Patrick Byakagaba, C. Julia'n Idrobo, Aude Chenet, Nathan
J. Bennett, Stephanie Mansourian, Francisco J. Rosado-May. The
role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in effective
and equitable conservation. Ecology and Society, 2021; 26 (3)
DOI: 10.5751/ES-12625-260319 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210901191428.htm

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