Speakers emphasised the fact that the stories of individuals from marginalised communities often reflect the same theme: the desire to protect biodiversity and exist sustainably. Local actors have very clear ideas around their development needs, how to improve their own governance structures, accessing long-term finance, protecting their cultures and experiences, providing sustainable livelihoods and protecting biodiversity. In addition, in many contexts there is a high degree of overlap between biodiversity-rich areas and indigenous territories.
There is therefore a great potential to maintain and achieve further biodiversity positive outcomes if interventions are co-designed and Indigenous peoples and local communities, women and other marginalised groups are recognised as full partners. Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests thatbiodiversity action is more likely to produce positive, sustainable outcomes for the environment and for society if this is the case. Initiatives are also more likely to be just, fair, and equitable if they are developed with wide participation.
For example, studies have shown that:
Community management of land and forest resources contributes significantly to positive biodiversity outcomes and sustainable resource use. Community fisheries management has also been shown to produce positive environmental outcomes generally, but few studies have focused on biodiversity.
Community-based interventions to combat illegal wildlife trade can complement formal law enforcement efforts if local people have a motivation (whether financial or non-financial) to protect wildlife.
Sustaining food production while enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of nature are complementary and interdependent goals that can be advanced through sustainable agriculture and support for Indigenous Peoples’ traditional food systems. Secure land tenure – access to and ownership or control of land – incentivises and supports sustainable land management practices.
Secure land tenure – access to and ownership or control of land – incentivises and supports sustainable land management practices.
Women and Indigenous Peoples and local communities often have extensive and valuable knowledge and experience about biodiversity, ecology, sustainable practices, environmental management, and interdependencies between communities and ecosystems.
Gender-disaggregated data is important for designing evidence-based policies, tracking the effectiveness of interventions, mobilising gender-responsive financing, and monitoring implementation and progress towards goals and targets
When local communities increase their income through sustainable natural resource management, they become more likely to safeguard the biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin those income streams.
Learning from inclusive and transformative biodiversity action
It is important to hear from examples of best practice in terms of biodiversity action that is locally led. One example from Madagascar showed that increasing a community’s awareness of the benefits of mangroves and the link to their personal heritage led to an increase in protection and restoration. This work was led by a local woman, operating as President of her association, which is unusual in this context. She, and local partners, have worked to increase female voices within the project sites by utilising female only consultations to increase participation. This captures a wider demographic within communities and helps to increase the community awareness of the importance of protecting mangroves.
Another example from Kenya showed that when communities are given the space to take ownership it can have positive impacts. The communities in one area were forcibly relocated to arid areas from their previous forest locations because of an infrastructure project, and as such faced a very different landscape. Some groups decided to sell the land, but others utilised their traditional knowledge to grow trees. This resulted in a new microclimate and restoration of the land. Their traditional methods of agriculture and water harvesting restored the soil quality, and they found that wildlife returned to the area. The community could then earn a living from the fruit trees that were planted. This community ownership, and the utilisation of traditional methods, has led to a ripple effect empowering others and a wider, lasting, positive impact on the local biodiversity.
Finally, an example from Panama demonstrated what can be achieved, despite the reality of existing barriers within communities. There, Indigenous women have had to fight to achieve leadership positions within their community, and the fight has been long and painful. They faced strong resistance from their community leaders and had to prove the value of women’s voices and knowledge across multiple generations to take those leadership positions.
