Community-based natural and biodiversity resources conservation and management: lessons learned

Abstract

The Indo-Burma hotspot, covering about 2,373,000 km² of tropical Asia, ranges from eastern Bangladesh to a small extreme northern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and includes northeastern India, most of Myanmar, part of southern China, Laos,Cambodia, Vietnam, and almost all of Thailand. It is home to no less than 7,000 endemic vascular plant species, 70 endemic mammal species, 60 endemic bird species, 200 endemic reptile species, 150 endemic amphibian species, and 560 endemic freshwater fish species. Much of the hotspot’s biodiversity are mostly found in protected areas, which account for no more than 10% of the total area. However, it is also one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots, with only 5% of the original vegetation remains. Rapid population growth and economic development have resulted in forest clearance, agricultural expansion, and overexploitation of natural resources. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation exacerbate biodiversity loss and climate change; and climate change in turn leads to the further loss of biodiversity and natural resources. In addition, there are also many human settlements located in or adjacent to the protected areas, and dependent on them on for their livelihoods or subsistence. Given that it is not always possible to extract humans from nature, therefore, a number of strategies aimed at involving the stakeholder communities in conserving and managing the natural and biodiversity resources have evolved. These usually require the introduction of sustainable use practices or strengthening existing ones, and addressing their socioeconomic needs through the provision of social benefits and/or alternative or supplementary incomes. In return, the stakeholder communities are expected to comply with existing or agreed-upon rules and regulations, and reduce their impacts on the natural and biodiversity resources.Frequently, stakeholder communities actively engage in the protection of the natural and biodiversity resources within their traditional areas of jurisdiction, usually through participatory co-management approaches. Nevertheless, these strategies are not without their share of issues and constraints. Hence, drawing upon regional examples, this paper will highlight the efforts and lessons learned from stakeholder communities’ passive and active involvement in the conservation and management of our precious, but threatened natural and biodiversity resources.