Editor’s note: From the “climatic adaptation” to “blue carbon”, of the “landscape approach” to “ecosystem services”, environmental jargon is everywhere these days. The Conservation International blog seems to make sense of an occasional explanatory series that we call “What the hell?”
In this delivery, we break down “conservation agreements”, an approach that helps conserve biodiversity while improving the quality of life of local communities.
So: What is a ‘conservation agreement’?
It is an agreement between a community and a group or person that finances a conservation project (which could be a government, a non -profit organization, a foundation, a company or even an individual).
How does it work?
In exchange for making specific conservation commitments to protect their lands, such as keeping the forests standing when they do not register the issue, communities receive financier benefits, such as organic fertilizer and pruning tools to improve their farms or bales.
Why would you work directly with communities to do this?
We bring an expert to explain.
“Most of what remains of nature worldwide (tropical forests, coastal mangroves, grass) is in the hands of indigenous peoples and collective slats,” says Margarita Mora, managing director of the Conservation Conservation Stewards program (CI). “You are the Areas with the Higheest Diversity of Plants and Animals in the World, as Well as The Areas With The Highest Cultural Value To Humanity. People Live InSee Are Effective Stewards, But Subtimes there is no -economy to Usesina -Esinge To Ussineineineinainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainane6aina60 16 16 16 160000 dizainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainainaineopainainaineopineopainain
How do you ensure that the theses are fair to communities?
The terms of conservation agreements are directly designed with local communities, and everything is voluntary. The associated communities and organizations first identify the pressures pressed in the natural resources of the community, as the possible invasion of a mining company or strangers illegally cutting the mangroves, and together define the communities. The agreements establish the actions and benefits, as well as how all will be monitored and the consequences for all parties involved if they do not comply with the terms.
“We know that negotiation takes time,” says Zachary Wells, technical director of the CIS Conservation Transport Program, who excessive conservation agreements. “Communities sometimes do not believe that associated organizations provide benefits in recognition of their conservation efforts. Confidence between associated organizations and communities must build approximately time.”
The negotiation process is explained in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLT-7iquefe
What happens if the community does not follow its commitments?
The agreements are canceled, like that.
Has this happened once?
YEAH. For example, in the region of Alto Mayo, in the northwest of Peru, the coffee growers promised not to reduce trees to expand their farms and, in return, requested technical support to improve their coffee production and better access to markets. Socio -economic monitoring and forest coverage indicated who was and was not fulfilling the commitments. For the few coffee makers who continued to clear the forest, the agreements were canceled, a sign for all those involved that the agreements are serious and binding. Now, deforestation has been reduced in the area, and coffee makers sign agreements are obtaining better prices for their product.
“We have seen that usual duration of the first year of the agreement that there will be members of the community they win comply with the agreement,” explains Mora. “By applying sanctions defined in the agreement, community members realize that this is a serious relationship.”
What kind of support do communities receive?
The benefits generally include investments in social services such as health and education, as well as investments in living, or in agricultural or fishing sectors. The benefits may also include direct payments and salaries.
For example, in Bolivia, indigenous communities have agreed not to reduce trees in exchange for help to build an ecotourism business. In China, CI SHAN SHUI Conservation Center partner trained a community in the maintenance of bees and poultry to replace the activities that threaten the forest. And in an agreement in South Africa, farmers are committed to sustainable approaches for grazing, water management, stocks and control of predators. In return, they obtain higher prices for their actions, training in restoration and business management techniques, and better access to veterinary reproduction and support.
Where did this idea come from?
In 2002, Conservation International negotiated an agreement in which the Guyana government gave CI a 30 -year concession for the protection of 80,000 hectares (197,684 acres) that were going to register. The idea was replicated in Peru, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, since it was an attractive agreement for governments, which were compensated by the opportunity cost of developing the earth and a profitable way of preserving nature.
Once the thesis deals with national governments, it was shown to work, CI changed the view to working directly with the communities.
“However, the CI team at that time that if these types of negotiated agreements were interesting for governments, CI could also negotiate agreements with people to preserve the land of the community,” explains Wells.
What have been achieved the thesis conservation agreements in general?
There are 4,000 agreements in 19 countries around the world, benefiting 30,000 people and protecting 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres), an area a little smaller than the state of New Jersey. Of these agreements, 70 percent are founded and managed by direct programs by the Government, and 30 percent are implemented by CI organizations and associations.
Of the more than 1,200 agreements implemented by CI and partners, 90 percent focus on forest protection. An evaluation of the deforestation of areas where conservation agreements have been implemented for more than five years shows that it is three times the statification of deforestation in sites without conservation agreements.
What is the ultimate goal of thesis agreements?
The common objective is that communities benefit from the protection of 13 million hectares (32 million acres), or an area of the size of England, by 2020.
“We have deciphered the code,” says Mora. “These models work. When communities have alternatives, they choose nature.”
Cassandra Kane is the Communications Manager of the CIS Conservation Finance Division.
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