Policy Matters, Mechanism

ICCAs: Indigenous Community Conserved Areas A Bold New Frontier for Conservation

Introduction&Aims

ICCAs:Indigenous Community Conserved Areas Indigenous peoples and local communities, both sedentary and mobile, have for millennia played a critical role in conserving a variety of natural environments and species. The history of conservation and sustainable use in many of these areas is much older than for government-managed protected areas, yet they are often neglected or not recognised in official conservation systems. Many of them face enormous threats. Fortunately, there is also a growing recognition of ICCAs and acknowledgement of their role in the conservation of biodiversity. The Biocultural Diversity Learning Network

Originate

ICCAs:Indigenous Community Conserved Areas History:”This process originated relatively recently”
5th World Parks Congress (Durban, 2003) conservation professionals systematized for the first time the concept of “governance of protected areas” and clarified that indigenous peoples and local communities – a crucial actor in conservation – should be fully recognized in their governance role.


Convention on Biological Diversity, COP 7 (Kuala Lumpur,2004) approved the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA).


The World Conservation Congress WCC3 (Bangkok, 2004),
WCC4 (Barcelona, 2008) – confirmed and strengthened the same approach from the IUCN perspective.


CBD, COP 10 (Nagayo, 2010)

Definition

What are Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)? ICCAs are natural and/or modified ecosystems containing significant biodiversity values, ecological services and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities,both sedentary and mobile, through customary laws or other effective means. ICCAs can include ecosystems with minimum to substantial human influence as well as cases of continuation, revival or modification of traditional practices or new initiatives taken up by communities in the face of new threats or opportunities. Several of them are inviolate zones ranging from very small to large stretches of land and waterscapes.

Definition

Three features can be taken as defining charateristics of ICCAs: 1. A community is closely connected to a well defined ecosystem 2. The community management decisions and efforts lead to the conservation of the ecosystem's habitats, species, ecological services and associated cultural values 3. The community is the major player in decision-making (governance) and implementation regarding the management of the site, The conservation practices of indigenous peoples and local communities depend on an astonishing variety of meanings and values related to concepts such as “nature,” “environment” and “conservation,” a variety that underpins the relations between humans and nature that find expression in diverse ICCAs all over the world.

The global coverage of ICCAs has been estimated as being comparable to the one of governments’ protected areas (12% of terrestrial surface). Globally, 400-800 million hectares of forest are owned/administered by communities. In 18 developing countries with the largest forest cover, over 22% of forests are owned by or reserved for communities.. All areas under community control are by no means effectively conserved (i.e. can be considered ICCAs), but a substantial portion are.

Case studies from 18 countries Australia, Belize, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Guetemala, India, Iran, Kenya, Magadascar, Mexico, Nepal, Pacific Islands, Philippines, South Pacific Islands, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Vietnam

The Significance (11) They help synergise the links between agricultural biodiversity and wildlife, providing larger land/waterscape level integration They can be the foundation of cultural identity and pride for countless indigenous peoples and local communities throughout the world

The Challenges (4) As ICCAs often contain valuable renewable and non-renewable resources (timber, fauna, minerals, etc.), they are often encroached upon or threatened bycommercial users, land/resource traffickers, or even community members under the increasing influence of market forces

the ICCA Consortium (Barcelona, 2008) The Consortium was born out of relationships developed as part of meetings and exchanges of the IUCN Commissions and in particular of the TILCEPA, TGER and TSL groups. Ultimately, they sought appropriate recognition of ICCAs at national and international levels, and appropriate support provided to the indigenous peoples and local communities governing ICCAs General Assembly: July2010, Oct2010, Jan2011 The 2020 Vision and Work Programme for the ICCA Consortium on 2011-2014

The 2020 Vision and Work Programme for the ICCA Consortium on 2011-2014

Where should ICCAs be ten years from now? How would they make a difference for the world and its people? What can the ICCA Consortium do- in the next three years- to realize our vision?

www.iccaforum.org World Commission on Protected Areas www.iucn.org/wcpa The Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy www.iucn.org/ceesp TILCEPA www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/ceesp/wg/tilcepa TGER www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/ceesp/wg/tger Indigenous Protected Areas www.environment.gov.au/indigenous/ipa/ Biocultural Heritage http://biocultural.iied.org