How Inhabitants of Protected Areas Perceive, Participate in, and Benefit from Conservation in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, México

Abstract

Contemporary global conservation strategies are predicated on the idea that multiple-use protected areas, such as biosphere reserves, should deliver both biodiversity conservation and community development. Local people are expected to share in economic benefits derived from biodiversity conservation, especially in developing countries. Yet a growing body of research suggests that these goals could be incompatible. Neoliberal conservation approaches of seeking to make biodiversity conservation generate revenue (e.g. via ecotourism) may undermine the effectiveness of some protected areas (e.g. causing environmental degradation). Moreover, competing claims for resource use including extraction (e.g. mining and agriculture) and in-situ use (e.g. ecotourism) may entrench marginalisation and disadvantage within local communities. Despite being promoted as an ethical and exemplary conservation mechanism, researchers have found that some ecotourism ventures can produce poor social and environmental outcomes. In some circumstances, ecotourism practices may circumscribe livelihood choices, de-legitimise local resistance to development proposals and produce environmental harm.