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Recognizing local people's priorities for tropical forest biodiversity

Sheil, Douglas, Puri, Rajindra, Wan, Meilinda, Basuki, Imam, van Heist, Miriam, Liswanti, Nining, Rachmatika, Ike, Samsoedin, Ismayadi (2006) Recognizing local people's priorities for tropical forest biodiversity. Ambio, 35 (1). pp. 17-24. ISSN 0044-7447. (KAR id:8533)

Abstract

Tropical forest people often suffer from the same processes that threaten biodiversity. An improved knowledge of what is important to local people could improve decision making. This article examines the usefulness of explicitly asking what is important to local people. Our examples draw on biodiversity surveys in East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). With local communities we characterized locally valued habitats, species, and sites, and their significance. This process clarified various priorities and threats, suggested refinements and limits to management options, and indicated issues requiring specific actions, further investigation, or both. It also shows how biological evaluations are more efficient with local guidance, and reveals potential for collaborations between local communities and those concerned with conservation. Such evaluations are a first step in facilitating the incorporation of local concerns into higher-level decision making. Conservationists who engage with local views can benefit from an expanded constituency, and from new opportunities for pursuing effective conservation.

Item Type: Article
Additional information: ISI Document Delivery No.: 025CT Times Cited: 7 Cited Reference Count: 48
Uncontrolled keywords: CONSERVATION COMMUNITIES INTERESTS CHOICE
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Rajindra Puri
Date Deposited: 11 Sep 2008 09:07 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:46 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/8533 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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