Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment
The livelihoods of indigenous peoples, custodians of the world’s forests since time immemorial, were eroded as colonial powers claimed <i>de jure</i> control over their ancestral lands. The continuation of European land regimes in Africa and Asia meant that the withdrawal of co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/65 |
| _version_ | 1818035714189688832 |
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| author | Lara Domínguez Colin Luoma |
| author_facet | Lara Domínguez Colin Luoma |
| author_sort | Lara Domínguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The livelihoods of indigenous peoples, custodians of the world’s forests since time immemorial, were eroded as colonial powers claimed <i>de jure</i> control over their ancestral lands. The continuation of European land regimes in Africa and Asia meant that the withdrawal of colonial powers did not bring about a return to customary land tenure. Further, the growth in environmentalism has been interpreted by some as entailing conservation ahead of people. While this may be justifiable in view of devastating anthropocentric breaching of planetary boundaries, continued support for “fortress” style conservation inflicts real harm on indigenous communities and overlooks sustainable solutions to deepening climate crises. In reflecting on this issue from the perspective of colonial land tenure systems, this article highlights how ideas—the importance of individualised land ownership, cultivation, and fortress conservation—are intellectually flawed. Prevailing conservation policies, made possible by global non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and statutory donors, continue to harm indigenous peoples and their traditional territories. Drawing from the authors’ experience representing the Batwa (DRC), the Ogiek and Endorois (Kenya) and Adivasis (India) in international litigation, this paper examines the human and environmental costs associated with modern conservation approaches through this colonial lens. This article concludes by reflecting on approaches that respect environmental and human rights. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:59:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dbcaed45186d4181a5040ea9032a37d7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:59:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-dbcaed45186d4181a5040ea9032a37d72022-12-22T01:58:21ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2020-02-01936510.3390/land9030065land9030065Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the EnvironmentLara Domínguez0Colin Luoma1Minority Rights Group, 54 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT, UKMinority Rights Group, 54 Commercial Street, London E1 6LT, UKThe livelihoods of indigenous peoples, custodians of the world’s forests since time immemorial, were eroded as colonial powers claimed <i>de jure</i> control over their ancestral lands. The continuation of European land regimes in Africa and Asia meant that the withdrawal of colonial powers did not bring about a return to customary land tenure. Further, the growth in environmentalism has been interpreted by some as entailing conservation ahead of people. While this may be justifiable in view of devastating anthropocentric breaching of planetary boundaries, continued support for “fortress” style conservation inflicts real harm on indigenous communities and overlooks sustainable solutions to deepening climate crises. In reflecting on this issue from the perspective of colonial land tenure systems, this article highlights how ideas—the importance of individualised land ownership, cultivation, and fortress conservation—are intellectually flawed. Prevailing conservation policies, made possible by global non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and statutory donors, continue to harm indigenous peoples and their traditional territories. Drawing from the authors’ experience representing the Batwa (DRC), the Ogiek and Endorois (Kenya) and Adivasis (India) in international litigation, this paper examines the human and environmental costs associated with modern conservation approaches through this colonial lens. This article concludes by reflecting on approaches that respect environmental and human rights.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/65fortress conservationindigenous peoplesdecolonisationcustomary land tenureforest governancedemocratic republic of congokenyaindia |
| spellingShingle | Lara Domínguez Colin Luoma Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment Land fortress conservation indigenous peoples decolonisation customary land tenure forest governance democratic republic of congo kenya india |
| title | Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment |
| title_full | Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment |
| title_fullStr | Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment |
| title_short | Decolonising Conservation Policy: How Colonial Land and Conservation Ideologies Persist and Perpetuate Indigenous Injustices at the Expense of the Environment |
| title_sort | decolonising conservation policy how colonial land and conservation ideologies persist and perpetuate indigenous injustices at the expense of the environment |
| topic | fortress conservation indigenous peoples decolonisation customary land tenure forest governance democratic republic of congo kenya india |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/65 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT laradominguez decolonisingconservationpolicyhowcoloniallandandconservationideologiespersistandperpetuateindigenousinjusticesattheexpenseoftheenvironment AT colinluoma decolonisingconservationpolicyhowcoloniallandandconservationideologiespersistandperpetuateindigenousinjusticesattheexpenseoftheenvironment |