Communities, Conservation & Livelihoods – an international conference co-hosted by the Community Conservation Research Network (CCRN) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – was held in Halifax, Canada in May 2018. The meeting was a major opportunity to shine a spotlight on local communities around the world, how they are engaging in environmental conservation supporting sustainable livelihoods, and how they can be best supported in policy and in practical programs. It brought together 400 indigenous, community, university, government, and NGO people, to produce lessons of relevance from local to global, to build partnerships, and to shape the future linkages of communities, conservation and livelihoods.
The conference featured major plenary events, including prominent keynote speaker Fikret Berkes, an eminent commons researcher, as well as four major panels – one presenting local community voices from Nova Scotia, Canada, another highlighting Indigenous Voices on the Environment and the Economy, a third focused on major conservation and livelihood issues around the world, and a fourth discussing the important role of women in sustaining livelihoods and natural resources. The conference also included a range of film showings, photo exhibits, performances, and artwork.
Dr. Anthony Charles
Director, Community Conservation Research Network & Professor, Saint Mary’s University
Kristen Walker
Chair, IUCN Commission on Environment, Economics, and Social Policy (CEESP)
