Challenges for Social Participation in Conservation in the Biocultural Landscape Area in the Western Sierra of Jalisco

The protection of biocultural heritage has generated alternative proposals for the conservation of rural areas. Varied organizations collaborate in a pioneering conservation model, the Biocultural Landscape (BL), where local participation is paramount, that operates in the Western Sierra of Jalisco. The objective of this work was to analyze social participation, conditions, and characteristics of the model based on the WWF and IUCN guidelines. Information about the context, management, and planning was collected and synthesized. The data of territorial management, conservation, knowledge, and local conflicts about participatory processes were collected from 12 stakeholders and analyzed with ATLAS.ti software. It was found that, although local people are familiar with the concept of the protected natural area and the BL model, they cannot clearly identify its objective. The most informed are the interested population that collaborates closely. There are conflicts of interest between those who collaborate directly with the BL and those who do not, which have been resolved through the active participation of the different levels of government and experts who have intervened as mediators. Environmental awareness about the importance of conservation has been achieved by integrating the communities. Given that it is not a restrictive protection model and the rules were created in conjunction with the community, local participation is encouraged.