Biodiversity Planning: Why and How Should Local Opinions Matter?

Abstract

"The aim of this Gatekeeper is to provide basic guidance on the different facets and values of biodiversity and how these matter to different interest groups. Most emphasis is put on the level of communities who live with biodiversity, to point out some of the local contexts and choices that external agents may want or need to incorporate in biodiversity planning processes. The text is aimed at non-biodiversity specialists and is based on common questions that arise around the multiple meanings of biodiversity. The topics covered include: • Unpacking what is meant by biodiversity and its different values (Section 2); • An overview of the broad interest groups in biodiversity (Section 3); • Global public good values versus typical local community values (Section 4); • Interactions between people and biodiversity (Section 5); • Differences within communities in how biodiversity is used and valued (Section 6); and • A simple framework and checklist for incorporating local biodiversity values in planning (Section 7). Each of these sections concludes with a short summary of general guidance for people involved in biodiversity planning who wish to include local opinions more effectively."