Traditional conservation approaches have focused on separating people from nature, most obviously through the establishment of formal protected areas such as national parks. But the real challenge is to reconcile conservation and the sustainable use of environmental resources with people and all the problems they bring. This collection of real-life case studies from around the Asia-Pacific draws on the experiences of a wide range of people who are finding ways to meet that challenge in our increasingly crowded world.
"This book addresses some key questions for the sustainable use of natural environments: What should be conserved and who decides? Is use compatible with conservation, and under what circumstances? Are trade-offs between conservation and development necessary? How do we find those elusive win-win solutions? This book covers an extraordinary range of issues in a way that is both compelling and readable. Can there be a more important topic?"
- Robyn Williams, ABC Science Unit
"The challenge for all of us now is to let go of old paradigms of conservation and land use that have seen wildlife become increasingly unsafe in the wild and lands degrade, to embrace instead a new order of strategies that will simultaneously optimise conservation, ecosystem services and human well-being. A good place to start would be those whose visions are showcased in this excellent publication."
- Professor Mike Archer, Evolution of Earth & Life Systems Research Group, University of New South Wales.