ABSTRACT
The human use of nature is a polarizing topic in India and across the globe, often perceived as contradictory to traditional exclusionary conservation. However, India’s natural landscapes serve as important sources of biological resources for many communities. This collection of case studies on sustainable use practices throughout India aims to identify the policies, management strategies, and knowledge contexts that contribute to resource use without damaging biological diversity.
Through a diverse array of personal accounts, stories and photographs from the field, and ongoing research studies across biogeographic zones, readers will connect with academics, practitioners, managers, and policy analysts who challenge us to rethink the conservation paradigm. These chapters provide a reflection on the history of conservation and sustainable use in India and illuminate a path towards a local and global future in which biodiversity and human well-being go hand in hand.
The wide variety of authors in this book reflects the broad audience this book will be of interest to, from students studying environmental conservation and sustainability to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who work in the field and seek to learn about successful sustainable use systems and resulting lessons that have widespread application. This book will appeal to readers interested in the areas of environment sciences, biodiversity management, sustainable development, developmental studies, forestry, wildlife and protected area management, public policy, environmental policy, and governance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter 1|5 pages
An introduction to sustainable use
part I|28 pages
Governance
chapter 4|14 pages
Small islands, big lessons
part II|27 pages
Enterprises
chapter 5|16 pages
Ensuring sustainable harvests through market-based tools and community-based organizations
chapter 6|9 pages
Sustainable use of wild medicinal plant resources
part III|41 pages
Community knowledge
chapter 7|13 pages
The pig and the turtle
chapter 8|13 pages
Rethinking indigenous hunting in Northeastern India
chapter 9|13 pages
Sustainable grazing practices
part IV|62 pages
Intangible benefits
chapter 10|18 pages
Counting to conserve
part V|8 pages
Conclusion