Complexities and social challenges in conservation initiatives. Who is the local community?

Abstract

Designated 'Marine Protected Areas' MPA are an important tool to stop the depletion of marine resources worldwide. A common challenge found by government and international agencies in charge of identifying MPA and deployment of them by the team who endeavors to carry out participation processes, is to identify the main stakeholders within the 'local community'. This paper explores how seemingly homogeneous local community groups actually have multiple, complex, and evolving identities, livelihood strategies, and sources. The inadequate attempt of MPA project staff to consider all the key local community groups has resulted in the exclusion of some groups. This situation has affected the well-being of the excluded groups and caused a failure to engage them as participants in the conservation initiative and it has imposed greater restrictions on access to coastal and marine resources upon which their livelihoods depend.