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INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Many places with significant remaining biodiversity are the lands of indigenous and traditional people who directly depend on the products of healthy ecosystems for their food, fuel, clothing, medicine, and shelter. The economies, identities, spiritual and cultural values, and social organization of these inhabitants often are tied closely to maintaining the biodiversity and ecosystems where they live. Losing the living resources in these localities would represent not just a loss of global biodiversity, but loss of cultural patrimony as well. CI recognizes the value of supporting indigenous peoples, and of operating in a clear and transparent manner, through our policy on indigenous peoples and conservation.
Download the Conservation International Indigenous Peoples Policy:
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PARTNERSHIP FOR PATRIMONY
The Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Initiative was formed following CI-sponsored sessions and statements by indigenous organizations at the 2003 World Parks Congress. With this initiative, the HDP is leading CI-wide efforts to help define, document,and support CI field offices in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with indigenous and traditional groups living in areas of high biodiversity. Research helps define where there are overlaps between places managed by indigenous peoples, their land rights and their socioeconomic context, and areas containing biodiversity of global importance. Through this Initiative, CI is actively developing alliances with indigenous organizations to support recognition of ancestral lands and foster indigenous knowledge, institutions, and practices that are linked to managing and monitoring species and ecosystems important to both global and cultural patrimony. For example, at the World Conservation Forum in Bangkok in 2004, CI convened a panel of indigenous and community leaders to share their views on strengthening alliances. We are developing alliances that support and strengthen community partnerships through our involvement with the Equator Initiative. We have also developed a speaker series for indigenous leaders to come to CI headquarters in Washington to share their views on key elements in establishing strong alliances between indigenous and conservation organizations.Examples of Research UnderwayMapping: Few countries have digitized maps showing the locations of indigenous groups with either legally recognized territories, residing on ancestral lands, or claiming land. Working through our country programs and directly with indigenous partners, we are compiling existing data and producing such maps. With this data, we can identify where overlaps exist with Red Listed species, proposed or existing protected areas, and within conservation corridors. It will also provide a transparent process, showing the areas where we work (picked on ecological criteria) and where we do not. These maps can help clarify where needed steps are, such as focusing on indigenous protection of endangered species or ideal places for co-management.
Click here to see a sample mapIdentifying Common Threats to Conservation and Indigenous Peoples: There are many common threats to indigenous peoples and conservation. Infrastructure, extractive industries, logging concessions, shifts in prices for certain commodities or policies that open frontier areas are common concerns. Areas with high biodiversity and home to numerous indigenous peoples are often exploited with relatively little warning, leading to rapid and unexpected cultural changes (often negative from the perspective of indigenous peoples) and biodiversity loss. Once mapping of territories is completed, we will produce global studies describing these threats to conservation and indigenous peoples.We welcome questions or comments about our work on indigenous issues. For general questions or comments, please contact Kristen Walker at (202) 912-1718 or kwalker at conservation.org. If you would like to contribute to our global mapping of indigenous and community-conserved areas, please contact Larry Gorenflo at (202) 912-1369 or l.gorenflo at conservation.org. | |
| |  | | New Presentations on Hydrological Services Available Online: Sampurno Bruijnzeel, tropical hydrology expert, talks about vegetation, reforestation, and hydrological services in two CI-sponsored presentations.
Oct. 16 presentation at the World Bank (8 MB PDF)
Oct. 17 presentation at CI (7.2 MB PDF)New CABS Brochure Now Available: Click here to view the latest CABS brochure. Contact us to order a hard copy. The Environmental Systems Research Institute Awards CABS’ GIS & Mapping Lab: The Institute honored the Lab for the fifth time in six years, awarding it First Place in the Best Cartographic Design - Single Map Product category for the Coppename River AquaRAP by Mark Denil.
View the winning map Hotspots Revisited Available Online. Hotspots Revisited details the state of the earth's biodiversity hotspots. The book identifies 34 regions that cover only 2.3 percent of the Earth's surface but are home to 75 percent of the planet's most threatened species.
View Hotspots Revisited | |
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