Do Reserves Protect Biodiversity?
When Conservation of Natural Areas Draws People Wildlife May Suffer
A recent study from the University of California at Berkeley looked at protected areas in Latin America and Africa and found that investment by international conservation organizations may draw people to the area, resulting in mixed outcomes.
Nature Reserves May Help Local People
Part of the reason for the study was to determine whether protecting biodiversity by creating reserves negatively affected local people. Over 300 protected natural areas in 45 countries throughout Africa and Latin America were assessed during the study.
It found that, in areas where the nature reserve is a regular employer of local people and where international funding exists for conservation, there was a higher level of immigration into the area.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) today tend to fund local infrastructure such as schools and medical clinics, roads and water supply management assistance. These benefits for the community began when the NGOs realized that local support for the conservation areas would be critical to their success. Killing wildlife for food and cutting forests for warmth could only be controlled if the people of the area were able to live comfortably in the areas surrounding the nature reserves.
Hiring locals to work in the reserves provides income and incentive to protect the biodiversity of the areas. Support services and local craft merchandizing have added to the incentives. Without this support reserves may be difficult to maintain.
Protecting Biodiversity as Human Population Increases
The problem with creating infrastructure around nature reserves is that it also makes it easier for people to enter the parks for firewood gathering and bushmeat hunting. In the early stages of development near the reserves, these activities can occur outside the protected areas. But increased population eventually leads to pressures on the reserves themselves.
Buffer Zones and Wildlife Corridors
In some areas, buffer zones are being created. Areas immediately adjacent to the nature reserves are not developed. Access roads into conservation areas are limited. These precautions make it more difficult for illegal hunting and firewood gathering to occur.
Another aspect of nature reserves that must be taken into account is maintaining genetic diversity within the wildlife populations in the park. And migratory species need safe passage to other parts of their territory.
The concept of wildlife corridors is gaining support around the world. Connecting related habitats so that wild animals can travel freely between them is necessary to the survival of some of the species the reserves were created to protect.
Buffer zones and wildlife corridor development can be aided by incorporating the human infrastructure needs within pre-existing communities near the nature reserves. The study suggests this might be a better way to help local people while creating areas where biodiversity is maintained and protected.
In the ongoing effort to maintain biodiversity, great strides have been made toward recognizing the need to balance human concerns with the need to protect the environment. But, as this study shows, there is still more to be learned.
