Autonomy and Conservation in the Tropical Montane Forests of Oaxaca, Mexico
Fellowship Year:
2016
Degree:
MEM
Research Country:
Mexico
Research Continent:
North America
Partner Organizations:
CAMPO
Asesoria Rurales A.C.
Fields of Interest:
Social and political ecology, Wildlife management, Community-based conservation, Forests
Abstract:
Oaxaca, Mexico is considered the locus of Mexico’s community conservation initiatives, allowing communities to formally designate conservation areas within their territory. This study examined the perceptions of territory, autonomy and conservation in indigenous communities in Oaxaca that have either decided to designate a certified community conserved area or decided against formal designation of conservation even though conservation practices are in place. Interviews were conducted with community authorities from 2 of each type of indigenous community. Analysis includes a comparison of community members’ perceptions of autonomy and conservation alongside an analysis of the use of forest commons across formal and informal management regimes. Preliminary findings suggest that there is no significant different across formally or informally conserved areas in indigenous communities in Oaxaca, and that the evolution of conservation in the commons is part of an ongoing renegotiation – an adaptive strategy- of cultural and territorial autonomy and self-governance in indigenous Oaxacan communities facing major social and ecological change.
I came back to Oaxaca to look more closely into answering the questions that emerged when I lived here in 2014 around land use, conservation, and self-determination.
