Abstract

RIEMANN, Hugo; SANTES-ALVAREZ, Ricardo V.  and  POMBO, Alberto. The role of Natural Protected Areas in Local Development: The Case of the Peninsula of Baja California. Gest. polít. pública [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.1, pp.141-172. ISSN 1405-1079.

Perception of natural protected areas is twofold: as regions for local development opportunity or as regions that restrain the local population from access to better well-being. We address these contrasting positions by analyzing the change in development between the communities located inside the natural protected areas and those located outside. We perform a series of regression analysis over social variables and inspect the organizational, normative and operational context of the protected areas. We conclude that these two latter factors limit the integration of natural and social goals and, as a consequence, the successful linkage between conservation and development. Federal support policy programs aim at increasing the wellbeing of the communities as well as compensate the restrictions of the protected areas to traditional resources exploitation. However, the fact that funds intended to these programs are dependent of federal annual budget make these supports more a palliative than permanent actions of social benefit. Our statistical analysis shows no significant difference in social conditions between the two groups of communities. We propose that management programs should include a methodology similar to the one we present here in order to follow the change in the wellbeing of the communities inside the protected areas and reorient the conservation of the natural resources with a perspective of social benefit.

Keywords : natural resources; conservation; sustainable management; social development; poverty.