Community-based Conservation and Leadership: Frameworks for Anal

A publication of CID's Science, Environment and Development Group Subsequently published as Timmer, Vanessa, and Calestous Juma. 2005. "Taking Root: Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction Come Together in the Tropics." Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development47(4): 24-44. Abstract Reconciling human development requirements with the need to sustain healthy ecosystems is a challenge that has spurred debate across scales from local community management organizations to global decision-making bodies. Prior to the 1970s, global conservation objectives were pursued primarily through the establishment of a system of nationally protected areas; however, this strategy did not dedicate significant consideration to the effects of designating these areas on the communities that live in and near the protected areas and depend on them for their livelihoods. After the 1970s, a shift occurred in the conservation community with the emergence of “community-based conservation” efforts that combined the achievement of human livelihood goals and conservation goals and that became perceived as the solution to conservation concerns. It is in this context that the Equator Initiative has emerged to identify local partnerships for sustainable development that achieve poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation in tropical countries. This paper seeks to contribute to the Equator Initiative’s research and learning objectives by examining the debate surrounding community-based conservation. The paper then proposes that leadership should be analyzed as a factor that contributes to the effectiveness of community-based conservation initiatives. Five characteristics of leadership are identified as being critical to success: innovation, communication, learning, bridge-building and systems thinking. The paper concludes with recommendations to the Equator Initiative on how to facilitate leadership for local partnership.