Conservation easements and mining: The case of Chile

Abstract

Private protected areas ( PPAs ) are important designations with the potential to complement and improve public protected area ( PA ) networks in many countries. PPAs come in many forms and offer a wide variety of incentives, rights, responsibilities, and protections. One popular model, now being considered for adoption in Chile, is the conservation easement. In this article, we examine how well conservation easements would perform as PPA designations in countries such as Chile that have strong mining industries. Mining, and other concessions, in PAs is emerging as an important point of contention between conservation and development. PPA designations should be carefully designed to offer protections that conform to standards that will complement PA networks, that are perpetual, and that require a publically accountable and transparent process to overturn or modify. Mining activity in protected areas threatens conservation strategies Private protected areas (PPAs) may add unreliable protection Chilean law would poorly balance mining and conservation