Local perceptions of conservation initiatives in the Calakmul region

Abstract

The designation of state-managed protected areas has become the main instrument for conserving biodiversity worldwide. However, it is widely argued that its success is limited to understanding its social-political domain, in which human customs, relations, motivations, and the political institutions and structures that determine them drive the interactions between people and the environment. In that context, in this study we explored the views of local inhabitants regarding conservation initiatives in the Calakmul region, the setting of one of the largest biosphere reserves in Mexico. Our main objectives were to document how local people consider taking part in, benefiting from, or being affected by state-controlled conservation efforts and how effective they consider their participation in local initiatives. This information is important for understanding ways of increasing local participation to strengthen the effectiveness of conservation in the region and similar settings.