Keywords: community-based conservation, CBC, self-interest, agriculture, sustainability, wildlife, environmental preservation, Riberenos, Amazon, sustainable development, community management, Peru, decision making, resource extraction, environmental protection, ecotourism, population demographics, local involvement, self-motivation
Community management, self-interest and environmental preservation in the Amazon
Community-based conservation supposedly meets mutual needs of people and natural resources. We examined decision-making behind management of resource extraction and agriculture in a community reserve in Peru. We conclude that self-interested motivations have the potential to create inadequate environmental protection for particular segments of the resource base. Community reserve members, ecotourism, population demographics and the sometimes unpredictable nature of outside influences impact adherence to regulations. Community-based conservation can benefit from local involvement and self-motivation. Success, however, will require analysis from multiple disciplines and should be assessed on a case by case basis to account for the diversity of influencing factors.