Indigenous Peoples and Tropical Biodiversity: Analytical Considerations for Conservation and Development

Achieving environmental conservation and socioeconomic development is a challenging endeavor, particularly when we do not have the necessary tools to develop a clear understanding of the dynamic relationship between indigenous communities and biodiversity in tropical forests. Theories and models oftentimes fail to provide guidance about how to integrate general principles with the specific circumstances of indigenous groups, leaving an operational gap between theory and practice. This concise book addresses that gap, providing elements that are crucial to understanding indigenous environmental behavior, particularly in contexts characterized by rapid cultural change and greater diversification of livelihoods. The flexible analytical framework presented in this book will enable readers to develop a solid understanding of the relationship between indigenous peoples and tropical biodiversity, the basis for the design and implementation of socially and environmentally sustainable conservation strategies.