Conservation from AboveImposing Transboundary Conservation

SUMMARY Some years ago there was a proliferation of bottom-up models for conservation under the rubric of community-based conservation. More recently there has been a resurgence of protectionist approaches to conservation, and conservation science has moved to large-scale modeling and planning under rubrics such as ecoregional planning, ecosystem management, and transboundary protected areas. Though recognizing that there are compelling reasons for these shifts, we believe that there are many possible paths to implementation and that it is necessary to maintain community and participation as central precepts of conservation. Our argument proceeds in three stages. First, we examine a series of key concepts and approaches in contemporary conservation that we consider problematic. Second, we describe three current research trajectories that we believe have considerable promise in contributing to the development of future approaches to conservation. Finally, we propose a number of specific measures that we believe will lead toward the implementation of conservation initiatives that are simultaneously more effective, just, and equitable. Central to our argument is the call for a social definition of conservation. We also stress the need for practitioners to devote more effort to building local constituencies for conservation. This approach validates and encourages small-scale, local conservation efforts, links conservation with issues such as soil fertility degradation and loss of traditional food crop varieties, and entails a new kind of relationship between grassroots groups and international organizations.