Abstract

TORRESCANO VALLE, Nuria et al. Community perception of protected areas, over 30 years after their creation in Ecuador. Trace (Méx. DF) [online]. 2018, n.74, pp.60-91. ISSN 2007-2392.  https://doi.org/10.22134/trace.74.2018.166.

The diagnostic on community perceptions of Protected Areas (pa) in Manabí, Ecuador, identified the following key factors for the acceptation of the pa: the history of establishment of the community and of the pa, the ethnic origin, the interaction with government and research institutions, as well as the implementation of natural and cultural conservation policies. The three pas studied show a low level of acceptation, there is a perception that biological conservation practices are being imposed with little or no economic, social and cultural benefit. The community of Agua Blanca reveals changes of reinterpretation and appropriation of the pa as a result of academic interactions. Over 30 years after the creation of pas, there is no clear evidence of their efficiency for the promotion of community development or for the conservation of biocultural heritage. We suggest that there is a need to identify the potential risk of biocultural heritage loss and to promote governance as well as multidisciplinary research.

Keywords : Protected areas; Manabí; Ecuador; conservation; biocultural heritage.