Publication

Seven approaches to large-scale conservation can be distinguished by their different doctrines (basic assumptions or philosophy), formulas (standard operating principles and on-the-ground actions), and the symbols used to promote and legitimize them. (1) Single-and multiple-use resource management, which manages nature for sustained use or profit, is a historical cornerstone of conservation. This chapter examines its historical origins, philosophical bases, and the multiple criticisms that have led to development of a range of alternatives. These include (2) parks and protected areas approach, which focuses on geographically well-defined areas; (3) ecosystem management, which draws on modern ecology to conserve ecosystems while providing multiple resource values; (4) ecoregional conservation, which identifies the ecological attributes of a landscape and then selects a set of target elements to conserve; (5) integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs), which attempt to ensure the conservation of biological diversity while attending to the needs of local people; (6) transboundary conservation, which assumes that ecosystems and their attendant functions transcend political and administrative boundaries and thus require cross-boundary cooperation and coordination; and (7) adaptive governance, which holds that large-scale conservation should strive to secure people's common interests, including a healthy present and sustainable future for both people and the environment. Adaptive governance, which this chapter promotes, offers a holistic, integrative, and fully contextual approach.