Kenya: Conservation and Indigenous peoples’ rights – not a zero sum game.

Themes: Conservation, FPIC, Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks

The preamble of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples sets out that “…respect for indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditional practices contributes to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment”. Despite this emphatic international human rights standard, and the global leadership and commitment demonstrated by Indigenous Peoples throughout the world, some Indigenous communities in some parts of world continue to have their rights denied in the name of conservation.

WWF responds to Survival International’s criticisms:

“Protecting our planet is as much about respecting the rights of the people that depend on it as it is about protecting wildlife”

Themes: Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks, Conservation, FPIC

Recently, Survival International published a report titled, “How will we Survive?” It documents in detail the impact on indigenous communities of the national parks, logging concessions and trophy hunting zones that have been imposed on vast areas of land in the Congo Basin. The report is critical of the roles of the World Wildlife Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society have played in conservation in the Congo.

“Pygmy” man pleads with Bronx Zoo organization after son is killed for conservation.

Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Indigenous people

A Batwa “Pygmy” man has issued a desperate plea to the organization which runs New York’s Bronx zoo, after his 17-year-old son was shot dead by a park guard.

How will we survive?

Survival International accuses WWF and WCS of supporting violence against indigenous people in the Congo Basin

Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks

National parks, logging concessions and trophy hunting zones have been imposed on vast areas of land in the Congo Basin. A new report by Survival International documents how the World Wildlife Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society have played a key role in this carve up of indigenous peoples’ lands.

Concern over plan to rehabilitate tribal families displaced from Nagarahole.

Activists fear project may remain only on paper as there is no clarity on availability of land.

Themes: Conservation, Parks, Indigenous people, Human rights

Inuit will write marine management plan for eastern end of Northwest Passage.

Themes: Human rights, Indigenous people, Conservation

The Inuit of Labrador and the federal government have signed a deal that will see the Inuit use their traditional knowledge to develop a marine-management plan covering more than 380,000 square kilometres of coastal waters on the far eastern end of the Northwest Passage.

What works?

Protected areas, indigenous territories, and conservation concessions in Peru.

Themes: Conservation, Indigenous people, Parks, Policy

“State-controlled protected areas (PAs) have dominated conservation strategies globally, yet their performance relative to other governance regimes is rarely assessed comprehensively. Furthermore, performance indicators of forest PAs are typically restricted to deforestation, although the extent of forest degradation is greater.”

A young Batwa boy has been killed in a national park while trying to access traditional medicine.

On Saturday 26 August, the boy and his father were shot at by eco-guards. The father was badly wounded but escaped but his son was killed.

Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks, Poverty