Many local and Indigenous communities have lengthy experience in protecting and enhancing their local ecosystems and resources – and as a result, sustaining livelihoods and economies. This reflects the crucial 2-way connection between the well-being of local communities and the health of local ecosystems. A healthy environment is crucial for local communities (and even national economies), just as strong, cohesive communities make conservation efforts possible, to maintain healthy local ecosystems. Indeed, adequate attention to the need for sustainable livelihoods in communities is an essential ingredient for successful environmental conservation and stewardship. Communities are better able to take on conservation initiatives, to improve both the economy and the environment, when suitably supported in policy and practice by governments, and when community knowledge is properly recognized in larger-scale conservation and natural resource management efforts.

The following are five key messages from the Community Conservation Research Network, about the ingredients of success in community conservation:

1. Appropriate environmental conservation and management practices must draw on the deep knowledge of local and indigenous communities, which have lived with and depended on local resources for generations.
2. Community-based conservation and management practices are essential to the livelihoods of local and indigenous people, and contribute significantly to sustainable local, regional and national economies.
3. Active and meaningful engagement of local communities and indigenous rights-holders in resource decision-making and monitoring leads to improved conservation and management practices. Conversely, excluding local and indigenous communities from resource decision-making increases the likelihood of conflict, unsustainable management practices, and resource decline.
4. When governments, businesses and other organizations build lasting and respectful partnerships with local communities, this enhances understanding of the issues and leads to decisions that are more likely to be implemented and to produce effective conservation and livelihood outcomes.
5. Building the capacity of community members, researchers, and government managers to tackle complex problems leads to empowered communities, improved joint problem solving, sustainable livelihoods and more effective conservation.

Following the above messages will ensure that communities are empowered and supported to continue playing a crucial role in conservation for decades to come – and to prevent resource and economic collapses that are possible if communities are left out of the decision making. Accordingly, governments, businesses and other organizations must ensure a strong role for local and Indigenous communities in decisions about the environment and natural resources, notably with governments placing a priority on suitably revising laws and policies, as a key route to positive economic and conservation outcomes.

CCRN Director Dr. Anthony Charles:

“The well-being of communities is linked to the health of ecosystems, and vice versa. A healthy environment is crucial for local communities, as well as for national economies. At the same time, keeping our environment healthy takes conservation efforts, and communities can play a major role. But if community initiatives are not supported, if community knowledge is not recognized, then both the economy and the environment suffer.”