Managing biodiversity

-- TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR MANAGING BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . Edited by PS Ramakrishnan, RK Rai, RPS Katwal and S Mehndiratta . Oxford & IBH Publishing Co Pvt Ltd . 2002

For three decades, Biosphere Reserves (BRs) have helped build the knowledge, skills and attitude required for conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems. After going through all the case studies in BR in developing countries, it is concluded that more location-specific research analysis for basing BR management on a scientific footing is crucial.

The book says that appropriate institutional arrangements have to be made for people's participation, through a bottom-up approach, ensuring that each household takes part in the decision-making process. The interplay of ecology, sociology, economics, anthropology and culture is to be tied together to design meaningful biodiversity management strategies in an ecologically and socially heterogeneous environment, the book notes. Conservation-linked developmental strategies have to be based on a value system that people can perceive and participate in. This should be the basis for promoting the concept of BR in the South and Central Asian context, a region which has rich traditional knowledge and wisdom.