Conservation: roots and definitions

Question 1

5 major changes in conservation: PAs, land sparing, private conservation spaces, expanding beyond PAs, political and material technologies
Conservation is a spatial practice which reflects ideas on nature and humans
Governance has historically been characterised by overarching global narratives which ignore political and social dimensions

Answer 1

Adams (2020)

Question 2

Tracking conservation phases

Answer 2

Mace (2014)

Question 3

Conservation has been materially aligned with capitalism since before the neoliberal turn, since national parks were produced by the enclosure of commons
Nature has always been used as a meaning making machine e.g. producing American natural identity through pristine landscapes and wild IP

Answer 3

Neumann (2015)

Question 4

Conservation is a diverse movement with no singular clear direction and profound disagreements, varied/conflicting goals
‘There are many conservations’

Answer 4

Sandbrook (2015)

Question 5

Offers a definition of conservation as ‘the continued existence of valuable things’
All definitions are value judgements and highlight the diverse social meanings given to nature

Answer 5

Luque-Lora (2023)

Question 6

Conservation practices predate the conservation movements. Example given: Ethiopian forests cut for fuel and agriculture, that hold religious and spiritual importance for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. A priest is responsible for overseeing the forest’s use

Answer 6

Cardelus et al (2012)

Question 7

Conservation is either depicted as weak or strong!
Both narratives are true and false

Answer 7

Sandbrook (2017)

Question 8

Conservation has often resulted in displacement (physical dispossession). This is because it is inherently spatial. Arguments in favour: human presence always negatively impacts biodiversity, gains > impacts, other injustices are bigger
Few elite households are displaced and use of force is typical

Answer 8

Agrawal & Kent (2009)

Question 9

IP play crucial role in effective conservation

Answer 9

Dawson et al (2021)

Question 10

Exclusion of IP built into conservation e.g. Canadian NPs which forcibly removed Aboriginals and banned them from hunting
Tangled with capitalism since railroad companies profited by restricting access to parks

Answer 10

Binnema & Niemi (2006)

Question 11

What’s ontology got to do with it?

Answer 11

Sullivan (2017)