Conceptual and Practical Issues in Defining Protected Area Success: The Political, Social, and Ecological in an Organized World

Abstract

Placed within the people-park debates, the authors explore the complexities in defining protected area success. It is argued the selective focus on biodiversity as the only criterion for success often found in the broader literature has limited current discussions. The authors suggest the framing of protected area success should be seen as more multifaceted. Multiple perspectives and actors exist representing a number of interests at various scales across such domains as politics, economics, social legitimacy, scientific (ecological) knowledge. Each actor tends to highlight its own set of rationales. To illustrate their points, the authors present a case study from Quintana Roo, Mexico. They conclude by underscoring that it is the socio-political process of pursuing conservation itself that is likely more valuable to the efforts than a universally established notion of protected area success.

KEYWORDS:

• biodiversity conservation
• conservation success
• protected areas
• politics
• economics
• social legitimacy
• ecological knowledge
• organizations
• Quintana Roo
• Mexico

We would like to thank a number of colleagues at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. Patrick C. West, now emeritus, was an important influence on the topic of social justice and protected areas. Also, we acknowledge our colleagues and friends for their insights and contributions: Peter Wilshusen, Crystal Fortwangler, Juliet Erazo, Christopher Thoms, Charles Benjamin, and Brian Maguranyanga. An earlier version of this article was presented at the annual conference of the Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters—“People in Parks: Beyond the Debate”—Yale University, April 2–3, 2004. We would like to thank Iona Hawken for her comments on our original draft as well as those of two anonymous reviewers.