Case studies

Case studies and contributions from around the world, most of which were presented at the 1994 IUCN General Assembly. Part 1: covers some research and theoretical bases for planning communications and education programmes. Part 2: reports case studies from NGOs which draw out elements for success in planning education programmes.

Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development, and cultures from ancient times to the present day have exploited biodiversity. With the advent of scientific breeding, new plant varieties have been developed. Plant breeders are dependent upon the availability of a large pool of diverse genetic material represented by local races and wild relatives. Without the ability to draw from a diverse genetic reservoir, further improvement may not be possible.

This report analyses the factors which motivate land use by rural populations and provides a context for any policy or strategy which addresses natural resource conservation in the Sahel. The author suggests that production systems in the Sahel have reached or even exceeded their capacity to respond to the needs of a growing population and further that development aid has only had a negligible impact on the trend to over exploit.

These papers seek to show how environmental economics can be brought in to assist with the design and management of protected areas.

This account of extractive reserves in the Brazilian Amazon region provides practical examples of sustainability based on first-hand reports. The historical background is followed by examination of social organization, analyses of the economic viability of reserves, the key elements in developing an extractive reserve system, establishment of legislation in Brazil, and subsequent management. It underlines the importance of community involvement.

The relationship between protected natural areas and local human populations is extemely complex. This challenging book with diverse contributions from experts covering 13 countries, places the issues in context. Originally published in Spanish, it clearly demonstrates that people are part of most national parks, and policies which ignore their presence are doomed to failure.

The report describes the changes that have taken place within conservation movements, in particular regarding their policies on protected areas. Emphasis in the document is on the social aspects of protected areas. National conservation policies and practises in Uganda served as a case study in order to compare overall conservation policies with the experiences of actual implementation of these policies in the field.