Rethinking the Decentralization and Devolution of Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract

"In the traditional approach to biodiversity conservation, local people and their economic activities were viewed as threats to the undisturbed functioning of natural ecosystems and were to be excluded from protected areas. However, it became evident that the social costs of exclusionary conservation projects were sometimes high, and that their success rate, even in biological terms, was disappointing. As a result, the classical approach has been replaced by integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) whose goal is to 'enhance biodiversity conservation through approaches that attempt to address the needs, constraints and opportunities of local people' by involving local people as active partners."