Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador
Protected areas are considered the backbone of biodiversity conservation, but their management often fails because local people are not involved, and their needs are ignored. A socioecological approach has been demonstrated to be effective in improving the relationship between conservation efforts a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/12/2141 |
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| author | Isabel Dominguez-Gaibor Nicolae Talpă Maria Cristina Bularca Aureliu Florin Hălălișan Claudiu Coman Bogdan Popa |
| author_facet | Isabel Dominguez-Gaibor Nicolae Talpă Maria Cristina Bularca Aureliu Florin Hălălișan Claudiu Coman Bogdan Popa |
| author_sort | Isabel Dominguez-Gaibor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Protected areas are considered the backbone of biodiversity conservation, but their management often fails because local people are not involved, and their needs are ignored. A socioecological approach has been demonstrated to be effective in improving the relationship between conservation efforts and human wellbeing through a better understanding of the interdependence between nature and people. This relationship can be observed through the case of the Kichwa indigenous communities within Yasuní National Park, Ecuador, as they have retained a very close relationship with forest ecosystems. Using key respondent interviews, along with semi-structured interviews and focus groups, this research describes the complex relationship between changing forest ecosystems and human wellbeing. The results highlight food, health, and cultural identity as the most important benefits that communities obtain from forests. The research also sheds light on how people in the investigated area perceive the dynamics of socioecological systems, indicating petroleum, infrastructure development, and small-scale agriculture as the most important direct drivers and land governance and the presence of colonists as the most important indirect drivers of changes to forest ecosystems. This paper demonstrates the importance of monitoring socioecological systems and adapting management to balance complex economic, social, and ecological challenges. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:35:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ddaa4d91ae9446d83f15ce6f6537dfe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:35:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ddaa4d91ae9446d83f15ce6f6537dfe2023-12-22T14:20:36ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-12-011212214110.3390/land12122141Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, EcuadorIsabel Dominguez-Gaibor0Nicolae Talpă1Maria Cristina Bularca2Aureliu Florin Hălălișan3Claudiu Coman4Bogdan Popa5Department of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, Șirul Beethoven Street, no. 1, 500123 Brașov, RomaniaDepartment of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, Șirul Beethoven Street, no. 1, 500123 Brașov, RomaniaDepartment of Social Sciences and Communication, Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Brașov, Eroilor Street, no. 25, 500030 Brașov, RomaniaDepartment of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, Șirul Beethoven Street, no. 1, 500123 Brașov, RomaniaDepartment of Social Sciences and Communication, Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Brașov, Eroilor Street, no. 25, 500030 Brașov, RomaniaDepartment of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, Șirul Beethoven Street, no. 1, 500123 Brașov, RomaniaProtected areas are considered the backbone of biodiversity conservation, but their management often fails because local people are not involved, and their needs are ignored. A socioecological approach has been demonstrated to be effective in improving the relationship between conservation efforts and human wellbeing through a better understanding of the interdependence between nature and people. This relationship can be observed through the case of the Kichwa indigenous communities within Yasuní National Park, Ecuador, as they have retained a very close relationship with forest ecosystems. Using key respondent interviews, along with semi-structured interviews and focus groups, this research describes the complex relationship between changing forest ecosystems and human wellbeing. The results highlight food, health, and cultural identity as the most important benefits that communities obtain from forests. The research also sheds light on how people in the investigated area perceive the dynamics of socioecological systems, indicating petroleum, infrastructure development, and small-scale agriculture as the most important direct drivers and land governance and the presence of colonists as the most important indirect drivers of changes to forest ecosystems. This paper demonstrates the importance of monitoring socioecological systems and adapting management to balance complex economic, social, and ecological challenges.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/12/2141Yasuní National Parksocioecological systemsprotected areasindigenous communitiesecosystem serviceslocal community benefits |
| spellingShingle | Isabel Dominguez-Gaibor Nicolae Talpă Maria Cristina Bularca Aureliu Florin Hălălișan Claudiu Coman Bogdan Popa Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador Land Yasuní National Park socioecological systems protected areas indigenous communities ecosystem services local community benefits |
| title | Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador |
| title_full | Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador |
| title_fullStr | Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador |
| title_short | Socioecological Dynamics and Forest-Dependent Communities’ Wellbeing: The Case of Yasuní National Park, Ecuador |
| title_sort | socioecological dynamics and forest dependent communities wellbeing the case of yasuni national park ecuador |
| topic | Yasuní National Park socioecological systems protected areas indigenous communities ecosystem services local community benefits |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/12/2141 |
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