Bridging Conservation and Development in Latin America and Africa: Changing Contexts, Changing Strategies
January 28-30, 2009
University of Florida Gainesville, FL 3211
Proposal for funding for a Mellon-LASA Seminar Submitted September 1, 2009
Dr. Marianne Schmink Center for Latin American Studies PO Box 115530 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 352-392-0375
[email protected]
The University of Florida proposes to convene a Mellon-LASA seminar to foster innovation at the interface of theory and practice of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Latin America and Africa. The project will bring together scholar-practitioners who work in Latin America with others who work in Africa, to explore the new strategies needed to address the changing contexts of economic globalization, environmental crises, new communication and transportation modes, as well as indigenous and other social movements, and their alliances with others to demand rights and territory. Bringing together diverse researchers, each a pioneer in their own field and with both academic and practical experience in conservation and development, in an explicitly comparative framework, will provide a unique opportunity to advance conceptual and methodological thinking about these complex issues, and strengthen the foundation for enduring collaboration across regions. Papers presented at the seminar will be published as a book focused on a comparison of current conservation and development trajectories in Latin America and Africa. Significant ecological, historical and cultural differences separate Africa and Latin America, yet the two regions face parallel challenges in addressing the complex intertwined issues of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Both Africa and Latin America house abundant natural resources vital to national economic development as well as to local rural livelihoods, often in the context of new, and to some extent fragile, governmental institutions. Both are embedded in expanding global markets, as well as global institutional negotiations related to world trade, development policies, and conservation treaties, and international advocacy networks that focus on these issues. The conference and the LASA panel will focus on explicit comparison of different contexts and strategies, and what they suggest about theoretical and conceptual discussions as well as practical and policy applications in different countries and regions. Environmental conservation is a relatively little-explored field in Latin American Studies, although the Environmental Section of LASA has an active list-serve and regularly sponsors a few sessions at the LASA Congresses. Latin American studies historically has been strong in its focus on development, contributing important theoretical and conceptual innovations such as the analysis of dependency, social movements and citizenship, and territoriality. In recent years countries like Mexico, Colombia and Brazil have innovated in “socio-environmental” policies and approaches to conservation. The proposed Mellon-LASA seminar will strengthen interest in the emerging new fields of sustainable development and biodiversity conservation, socio-environmental and “productive” conservation, and community-based natural resource management. It will also contribute fresh perspectives and ideas to established fields of study such as development, governance, social movements, identity politics, and political ecology. The African experience has much to offer scholars in Latin American studies interested in understanding these fields. Scholar-practitioners from Southern Africa played an important role in shifting the conservation narrative towards the concept of sustainable development through innovative programs that devolved rights to, and benefits from, natural resources from central governments to private landholders and previously
marginalized rural communities. These novel strategies have not only led to better management of natural resources, but have also provided vibrant grounds for exploring governance issues, which are increasingly critical for the socioeconomic development of communities throughout the developing world. Many of the participants invited from Africa have played an active role in international forums leading to path breaking agreements, like Agenda 21 (Rio 1992), endorsing many of the community based natural resources management principles. The University of Florida is uniquely positioned to foster linkages between scholars of both regions. Faculty and students affiliated with our two national resource centers of Latin American Studies and African Studies have significantly contributed to a better understanding of, and improved local capacity to manage, natural resources within their broader human context. The transfer of conservation and development strategies across regions presents learning opportunities with potentially broader impacts in the fields of Latin American and African studies, as well as in the applied arenas of conservation and development. The proposed seminars are part of a broader UF strategy to build collaborative research and training programs in this field in partnership with graduate programs in Latin American and African universities. The Mellon-LASA seminar will provide a catalyst for the transfer of knowledge across regions, strengthen the environmental focus of LASA and Latin American Studies, and facilitate greater interaction between scholars and practitioners working in Latin America and Africa. Funds are requested to support travel to the Mellon-LASA seminar (see tentative agenda on the following page), scheduled for January 2009, for four scholarpractitioners from Latin America and four from Africa. Planning for the seminar has been led by graduate students in the TCD program in collaboration with faculty members in Latin American and Africa Studies. Latin American participants will include: Mercedes Bustamante (biological conservation, University of Brasilia), Gustavo Fonseca (biological conservation, Global Environmental Fund and Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil), Suzana Padua (environmental education, Ipê, Brazil) and Francisco Rosado May (agroecology, Rector,Universidad Intercultural Maya- Quintana Roo, Mexico). African participants will include: Patricia Skyer (community development, Namibia Association of CBNRM Support Organizations), James Murombedzi (Land and property rights advisor, Liberian Government), Sheona Shackleton (environmental sciences, Rhodes University, South Africa), and Lillian Goredema (Worldwide Fund for Nature). These scholar-practitioners have indicated their willingness to participate in the conference. These scholar-practitioners also will be invited to participate in a session to be submitted for presentation at the LASA meeting Toronto in October, 2010. Funding for the Mellon-LASA seminar will include travel support for one or two of these participants. Mellon-LASA support will be supplemented by funds from the University of Florida and other sources to cover other conference costs, including travel by other participants.
Bridging Conservation and Development in Latin America and Africa: Changing Contexts, Changing Strategies Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) Program 59th Annual Center for Latin American Studies Conference 24th Annual Center for African Studies Gwendolen M. Carter Lectures Mellon-LASA Seminar University of Florida, Gainesville, FL January 28-30, 2010 I. Purpose of the meeting: The purpose of this conference is to bring together conservation and development experiences from Africa and Latin America to discuss and compare emerging trends, and stories of success and failure. These exchanges will not only facilitate mutual learning among the participants, but also serve as a foundation to strengthen collaboration between the regions, and the definition of long-lasting solutions to advance conservation and economic development in its multiple dimensions. Oral sessions have been organized around three primary topics: changing contexts, changing strategies, and training and capacity. Each session will include invited papers, selected by the session moderator in consultation with the steering committee, and discussion. In addition to the oral sessions, there will be a poster session open to submissions on any aspect related to the conference topics. Submissions based on scientific research as well as practitioner experience are encouraged. CONFERENCE TOPICS Session I - Changing Contexts The driving forces influencing nature conservation and sustainable development have shifted in recent decades. The first session of the conference highlights and compares the changing contexts in which African and Latin American conservation and development occur, including: • Economic globalization and urbanization which has elevated the importance of industry, trade and prices in shaping natural resource exploitation, and increased worldwide vulnerability to fiscal crises; • The planet’s rapidly changing environment, in which novel threats to ecosystems have emerged while previously recognized ones have shifted and/or intensified; • New communication and transportation modes that allow information, products, diseases and species to move faster than ever anticipated; • Indigenous and other social movements, supported by political alliances, that have given greater voice to demands for human rights, land ownership, resource management and food security. Analyses of emerging trends in environmental changes, resource demand and supply, poverty and inequality, environmental governance and public policies, complemented by historical perspectives, will inform a discussion of how these larger drivers differentially affect (and are affected by) conservation and development at continental, regional, and local scales. Speakers for this session include: (speakers with an * by their name indicate pending response). Speakers to be funded through the Mellon-LASA funds are highlighted. Topic Speaker Name and Affiliation Mercedes Bustamante The planet’s rapidly changing environment, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Ecologia Universidade de Brasília in which novel threats to ecosystems have emerged while previously recognized ones Gustavo Fonseca have shifted or intensified. Team Leader, Natural Resources Global Environment Facility
New communication modes that allow information, products, diseases and species to move faster than ever anticipated.
Indigenous and other social movements, supported by political alliances, that have given greater voice to demands for human rights, land ownership, resource management and food security.
Sheona Shackleton Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science Rhodes University * Francis Seymour Director, CIFOR James Boyce Director, Development, Peacebuiding and the Environment Political Economy Research Institute University of Massachusetts Marcela Uhart Directof of Field Veterinary Program (Lat. America) Wildlife Conservation Society *John Hutton (tentative yes) Director, World Conservation Monitoring Center Anthony Bebbington Professorial Research Fellow IDMP School of Environment and Development, Brooks World Poverty Institute, The University of Manchester * Julie Taylor Google Maps * Ken Wilson Director, Christensen Fund
Session II - Changing Strategies This session will highlight innovative stakeholder responses to address drivers and challenges identified during the “Changing Contexts” session. Participants will present and facilitate discussions on: • Rights based approaches that focus on decentralized institutional and political contexts of natural resources management and sustainable development; • Market based approaches to generate or strengthen market values and incentives for sustainable natural resources use while improving human well being; • Multi-scale landscape management that integrates protected areas, indigenous lands and surrounding areas, rather than treating them as disconnected islands of cultural and biological diversity; • Cross-sectoral partnerships and networks that build on the respective strengths of different stakeholders working together (Public-private partnerships, multi-institutional partnerships, etc.); • Emerging strategies in the wake of the global economic crisis. Specific examples may include cases from wildlife markets (ivory ban, crocodile conservation), fair trade initiatives, payment for environmental services (including, but not limited to REDD and emerging carbon markets), corporate social responsibility, governance research and action, community-based conservation, ecotourism, land tenure security, indigenous rights, environmental legal recourse, private park management, among others. Speakers for this session include: (speakers with an * by their name indicate pending response) Topic Speaker Name and Affiliation Patricia Skyer Rights based approaches that focus on Team Leader, Conservation Partnerships for decentralized institutional and political contexts Sustainability in Southern Africa of natural resources management and WWF Namibia sustainable development. Mary Allegretti University of Florida Market based approaches to generate or Maryanne Grieg-Gran strengthen market values and incentives for Acting Programme Director sustainable natural resources use while International Institute for Environment and
improving human well-being.
Development Mike Conroy
Multi-scale landscape management that integrates protected areas, indigenous lands and surrounding areas, rather than treating them as disconnected islands of cultural and biological diversity.
David Wilkie Director of the Living Landscape Program Wildlife Conservation Society * Dan Nepstad Woods Hole Research Center
Cross-sectoral partnerships and networks that build on the respective strengths of different stakeholders working together (Public-private partnerships, multi-institutional partnerships, etc.)
Connie Campbell Amazon Conservation Coordinator, USAID Jonathan Stacey Manager of Rio Tinto - BirdLife programme Birdlife International * Theron Morgan-Brown University of Florida Community Based Butterfly Farming in Tanzania
Session III - Training and Capacity Building In this session, invited speakers and participants will have the opportunity to present and share experiences on educational initiatives for training and building capacity among diverse actors involved in conservation and development practice. The initiatives will include examples from Latin America and Africa, ranging from formal education programs for University students to community-based education and institutional learning. This session will provide a learning opportunity for participants to compare and discuss theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of education for sustainability. We also foresee the opening of opportunities for networking and collaboration between community representatives, practitioners, students, professors and other stakeholders represented in the conference. Speakers for this session include: Topic
Initiatives to support and build capacity of the next generation of conservation and development practitioners.
Speaker Name and Affiliation Robyn Dalzen Executive Manager Conservation Leadership Program Suzana Padua President IPÊ - Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (Institute for Ecological Research) Gemma Burford Co-Director Aang Serian UK/Global Initiative for Traditional Systems (GIFTS) of Health Lilian Goredema Southern African Regional Programme Office WWF James Murombedzi Senior Advisor on Land Tenure and Property Rights to the Liberian Government Francisco Rosado May Director Universidad Intercultural Maya- Quintana Roo, Mexico
Budget
Sources
Mellon-LASA University of Florida 1
1. Travel to Mellon-LASA seminar, Gainesville 8 participants from Latin America and Africa
$16,000
10 participants from U.S., Latin America, Africa
$21,000
Space, equipment and other conference costs
$7,400
2. LASA conference, Toronto 1-2 participants from Latin America, Africa
$3,000
3 participants from U.S.
$3,000
3. Preparation, translation, and publication of conference volume
$3,000
Total
$22,000
1
Estimates based on available department funds.
$31,400
PI: Marianne Schmink Professor of Latin American Studies and Anthropology and Director, Tropical Conservation and Development program Education Ph. D. (Anthropology), University of Texas at Austin, 1979 B.A. with High Distinction and High Honors (Anthropology ), University of Michigan, 1971 Academic positions Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), University of Florida Professor, Aug. 1993-present; Associate Professor, Aug. 1986-July 1993; Asst. Professor, Jan. 1984-July 1986 Director, Amazon Research and Training Program (ARTP), September 1980-1993 Director, Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) Program, July 2000-present; Co-Director, 19932000 Most important and recent publications M. Schmink and M.L. Cordeiro, Rio Branco: Cidade da Florestania. Belém and Rio Branco: Federal University of Pará/Federal University of Acre, Brazil, 2009. Allegretti, M. and M. Schmink. 2009. When Social Movement Proposals Become Policy: Experiments in Sustainable Development in the Brazilian Amazon. Pp. 196-213 in Carmen Diana Deer and Frederick S. Royce (eds.), Rural Social Movements in Latin America: Organizing for Sustainable Livelihoods. Gainesville, Fl: University Press of Florida. D. Salisbury and M. Schmink, 2007. Cows versus Rubber: Changing Livelihoods among Amazonian Extractivists. Geoforum, 38: 6 (November): 1233-1249. K. A. Kainer, M. Schmink, H. Covert, J. R. Stepp, E. M. Bruna, J. L. Dain, S. Espinosa, and S. Humphries, 2006. A Graduate Education Framework for Tropical Conservation and Development. Conservation Biology 20 (1): 3-13. D. J. Zarin, J.R.R. Alavalapati, F. J. Putz and M. Schmink, Working Forests in the Tropics: Conservation Through Sustainable Management? New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. (Published in Portuguese as As Florestas Produtivas nos Neotrópicos: Conservação por Meio do Manejo Sustentável? Brasília: Instituto Internacional de Educação do Brasil, 2005.) Marianne Schmink and Charles H. Wood, Contested Frontiers in Amazonia. New York: Columbia University Press, 1992. Current grants National Science Foundation grants, Supervisor of Maria di Giano, Privatizing the Commons? Mexico’s Forestry Ejidos 15 Years after Agrarian Counter-reform, August, 2008-August 2009 ($3,300) Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Co-PI (with Bob Buschbacher and Daniel Zarin) of Amazon Conservation Leadership Initiative for training and capacity building in the Andes-Amazon region (ACLI), 2008-2011 ($2,157,340) U.S. Agency for International Development, Amazon Basin Conservation Initiative, Co-PI (with Stephen Perz, PI), Experiments in Environmental Governance in the MAP Region – Madre de Dios, Peru – Acre, Brazil – Pando, Bolivia, October 1, 2006-September 30, 2011 ($6,596,491)