Globalization Of Conservation : Conquering The Green Divide

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Globalization Of Conservation : Conquering The Green Divide

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, Aug. 10 -/E-Wire/-- In an article appearing today in Science magazine, scientists of the Wildlife Trust Alliance critique the top-down, corporate model of conservation as practiced by large, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). The Wildlife Trust Alliance is a growing international network of local, science-based conservation organizations committed to researching and mitigating the consequences of human-induced change on biodiversity, ecosystem function and health.

The article notes that large-scale conservation practice employs a top-down methodology to develop solutions at the local level. "Large INGOs are missing the mark when it comes to successful local conservation," said co-author Mary Pearl, President of Wildlife Trust and one of the founders of the Wildlife Trust Alliance. "Wildlife Trust Alliance members share the perspective that lasting conservation is best achieved through applied science and community-based activities designed and led by local professionals." Lead author of the article, Jon Paul Rodriguez, Investigator at the Center for Ecology of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Investigations (Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones CientÃficas - IVIC) and President of Provita, a Venezuelan conservation group, asserted "Our success shows that the most effective conservation solutions are those that are locally relevant and grow from long-term commitment and involvement. That is why our Science article places a priority on training and equipping local conservationists."

The article also argues that because large INGOs in developed countries typically create branded conservation programs to promote fundraising efforts at home, these programs are not designed to keep up with rapid changes and threats occurring on the ground in other countries, such as new emergence and movements of pathogens, the influx of invasive species and the compound effects of climate change on wildlife behavior. In addition, many conservation initiatives designed in the industrialized world fail to address adequately the cultural, economic and political climate of local communities in developing or economically challenged countries in South America, Asia and Africa. "Without local leadership, projects are failing because the support to maintain sustainability hasn't been addressed or doesn't exist," said Rodrigo MedellÃn, head of the Program for the Conservation of Migratory Bats, a partnership led by the Mexican NGO BIOCONCIENCIA together with the Institute of Ecology of the Universidad Nacional AutÃ³noma de Mexico and Wildlife Trust. Furthermore, programs led from outside deprive local conservation leaders the experience they need to grow as professionals. "Local capacity building is the key to success and investing in education and community buy-in is paramount," MedellÃn concludes.

Therefore, the authors identify another critical area requiring investment: assistance to local academic institutions in developing countries to train new conservation scientists. In fact, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) actually cut back on university scholarships for students in developing nations to 900 per year from a previous 20,000. "Education is critical, yet the countries richest in biodiversity do not have enough capacity to train and school their most promising conservationists," remarked co-author Andrew Taber, Executive Vice President of Wildlife Trust and a Wildlife Trust Alliance Co-coordinator.

Suzana Padua, another co-author and the President of IPE, a Brazilian conservation research group, observed "Our experience shows that the top-down approach to major conservation issues is ineffective at the local level. The experience we share in the Wildlife Trust Alliance is that biodiversity is best conserved by involving local stakeholders and creating stronger local grassroots conservation organizations." Notes author Raman Sukumar, Cosmos Prize winner and founder of India's Asian Nature Conservation Foundation, the key to conservation success is linking local experts in an egalitarian network of mutual consultation and support. "The Alliance is a think-tank of innovative, local leaders that is emerging as a global voice for local conservation scientists," he concluded. Contact Info:

Anthony Ramos

Wildlife Trust

Tel : 212.380.4469

Cell : 914.787.9631

E-mail : ramos@wildlifetrust.org Website : Wildlife Trust

	/SOURCE:	Wildlife Trust
	-0-	08-10-2007
	/CONTACT:	Anthony Ramos Wildlife Trust Tel : 212.380.4469 Cell : 914.787.9631 E-mail : ramos@wildlifetrust.org
	/WEB SITE:	http://www.wildlifetrust.org

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