Local communities

Os ecossistemas de águas continentais – incluindo lagos, rios e córregos, bem como áreas úmidas como brejos e turfeiras – estão entre os mais ameaçados do planeta. Desde 1970, as populações monitoradas de espécies de água doce registraram uma diminuição média de 85%, superando significativamente o ritmo de declínio das espécies marinhas e terrestres. Atualmente, quase um terço das espécies de água doce enfrenta risco iminente de extinção.

Les écosystèmes d’eaux intérieures — tels que les lacs, les fleuves, rivières et ruisseaux, les marais et les tourbières — figurent parmi les plus menacés de la planète. Depuis 1970, les populations suivies d'espèces d'eau douce ont reculé en moyenne de 85 %, un rythme bien plus rapide que celui observé dans les milieux marins et terrestres, et près d'une espèce sur trois est aujourd’hui menacée d'extinction.

Inland waters – such as rivers, lakes and other wetlands – are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. They are also the most threatened; almost one in three species is at risk of extinction and monitored populations of freshwater species have declined by 85% since 1970. The loss of these ecosystems has cascading effects on human livelihoods, cultures and our overall well-being.

This is the first volume in the WCPA Good Practice Guidelines that is predominantly by rangers, for rangers. The editors worked with partners to collect good practices and stories from rangers worldwide, reflecting global experience and lessons learned. The text focuses on actions that rangers, and to a lesser extent managers, can do themselves. It does not address institutional changes that would need intervention at government level.

Many protected areas worldwide overlap with ‘territories and areas conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities’ or ‘ICCAs’ (Indigenous peoples’ and community conserved areas’). These overlapped ICCAs include conserved commons, sacred places and Indigenous and community protected areas.

Indigenous and Local communities are keepers of valuable environmental knowledge accumulated over generations. This knowledge is held individually and collectively, often orally transmitted and embodied. At least 25% of the world’s land area is owned, managed, used or inhabited by these groups, and such areas are degrading less quickly than others.

In most places around the world, people are an integral, sometimes dominant, part of the environment. This has two implications. First, a key requirement for sustainability success lies in finding ways to meet the dual goals of conserving nature and providing for the well-being and quality of life of people.