Assessing & Addressing Community Conflict in Conservation Planning & Management

As the world’s largest global environmental network, and with its mission “to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of... [ view full abstract ]

As the world’s largest global environmental network, and with its mission “to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable”, it is essential for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to integrate and implement approaches for constructively preventing, managing, and addressing conflicts that arise in communities in conjunction with its conservation activities. This research examined a range of conflicts arising in conservation and resource management, particularly with respect to resident/local or indigenous communities, and/or where conservation plans or programmes have adverse impacts on these communities.  We know from experience that conservation conflicts arise in communities in many contexts: among others, over wildlife, protected areas and their designation and management, other natural resources such as forests, water, minerals and their development and management, and major infrastructure projects.  Through an initial survey of the literature focusing on the social and human dimensions of conservation, and conflict analysis and resolution, a review of IUCN’s website and publications related to conflict and conflict resolution, and an analysis of the conflicts arising in these contexts, this research identifies the sources of conflict, its parties, main issues, the roles and influences of others, and examines how the conflicts have unfolded over time.  The benefits of such an analysis will enable conservation proponents and managers to recognize not only key patterns in conservation and resource conflicts, but also safeguards that will help to forestall conflict and the measures most likely to promote addressing conflicts constructively when they arise. These insights are also intended to stimulate ideas for anticipating and proposing policies and practices that will benefit both the natural resources targeted for conservation and the communities where they occur.