1.Front section - IUCN

chapter 9
IUCN Photo Library © Jim Thorsell
Protected areas and indigenous
peoples: the Durban contributions to
reconciliation and equity
by Peter Bille Larsen and Gonzalo Oviedo
Editor’s introduction
About half of the world’s protected areas have
historically been occupied by indigenous peoples, and
creating protected areas has frequently entailed at
least some degree of restrictions on access to natural
resources upon which the indigenous peoples have
long depended. Many indigenous peoples argue that
they are effective custodians of the land, and indeed
are largely responsible for the rich biodiversity that
often characterizes indigenous territories. Others
point out that indigenous peoples are as likely to overexploit
as anyone else, given the pressures of
increasing populations and the demands of an
expanding economy. These perspectives have tended
to polarize opinions between conservationists and
indigenous peoples, when in fact they share many
common objectives. Peter Larsen and Gonzalo
Oviedo describe a substantial effort at promoting a
dialogue between indigenous peoples and advocates
and managers of protected areas, seeking more
common ground. Given that many indigenous peoples
have a deep attachment to their land and a real
commitment to conservation, then approaches to
conserving larger landscapes, with varying degrees of
protection applied on the basis of the management
requirements of the ecosystems involved, would seem
a useful strategy for leading to a more productive
relationship between indigenous peoples and
protected areas. This chapter recognises that while
some conflicts will inevitably remain, much common
ground can be found through building the interests of
indigenous peoples into protected area systems. The
kinds of collaboration described in this chapter would
benefit both indigenous peoples and protected areas,
but will require some new approaches and new ways
of thinking by protected area managers,
conservationists, and indigenous peoples. While
strictly protected areas remain an essential element of
conserving biodiversity, complementing them with
substantial areas of indigenous lands can help
contribute to larger conservation objectives. This
builds on the understanding that protected areas are
most likely to achieve their objectives when the
surrounding lands are managed in compatible ways.
Photo: Men and women in Golden Mountains of Altai, Mongolia.
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