Social aspects

Rights to Nature is a nontechnical, interdisciplinary introduction to the systems of rights, rules, and responsibilities that guide and control human use of the environment. The book provides a valuable synthesis of information on how property rights develop, why they develop in certain ways, and the ways in which they function.

A vast number of national parks and protected areas throughout the world have been established in the customary territories of indigenous peoples. In many cases these conservation areas have displaced indigenous peoples, undermining their cultures, livelihoods, and self-governance, while squandering opportunities to benefit from their knowledge, values and practices.

This book emerged from a conference sponsored by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies with the ambitious title, “Toward a New Consciousness: Creating a Society in Harmony with Nature” (held in Aspen, late 2007).