1.Front section - IUCN

chapter 8
© Corbis
Protected areas and local and
indigenous communities
by Lea M. Scherl
Editor’s introduction
As the first of three chapters dealing broadly with
protected areas and local people, this one provides a
synthesis of the workshop organized by IUCN’s Inter-
Commission Task Force on Indigenous and Local
Communities, Equity and Protected Areas (TILCEPA)
at the World Parks Congress. The people living in and
around protected areas may seem to be the primary
beneficiaries from conserving the ecosystem services
provided by protected areas, but in fact they often feel
disenfranchised and are denied access to resources
that they consider rightfully belong to them. Lea
Scherl summarises the various grievances and
suggests ways for moving ahead. While noting the
view that an exclusionary approach to protected areas
is favoured by many conservationists, this chapter
argues that the continuing dichotomy between human
and environmental interests prevents significant
collaboration that could provide important support
for protected areas on a sustainable basis. Focussing
on the themes of poverty and sustainable
development, rights and equitable sharing of costs
and benefits, and empowerment and governance, this
chapter seeks to promote social justice in
conservation as a means of building support for
protected areas. A fundamental issue is the lack social
impact assessments when protected areas are being
established, along with appropriate measures to
address any negative impacts identified. Part of this
social justice is to ensure that globalization does not
make communities living in and around protected
areas any worse off than they already are; even better
would be to find ways to ensure that they are able to
gain from participation in the global economy if they
choose to do so. This chapter also raises the important
idea that community conserved areas can make a
significant contribution to national efforts to conserve
biodiversity, and thus provide an important
complement to protected areas. The chapter
concludes with a set of policies and actions that will
go a long way toward building support for protected
areas among indigenous and local communities.
Photo: Woman carrying her child in Thailand.
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