The harmful impact of treating nature as a human-free wilderness
In short: Researchers examining global conservation practices found that the ideal of protecting 'pristine' wilderness—landscapes untouched by humans—can actually harm the environment. By viewing nature as something that must be free from people, current policies often exclude Indigenous and local communities who have historically managed and shaped biodiverse landscapes.
By analyzing various case studies, the authors argue that the 'wilderness' construct is dehumanizing and ignores the vital role of Indigenous knowledge. They suggest that excluding people from these areas has degraded many ecosystems. However, the study relies on a series of case studies to support its argument rather than a single large-scale dataset.
Why it matters: Recognizing Indigenous agency and land rights may be essential for sustainable, socially just conservation.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Fletcher et al. (2021). Indigenous knowledge and the shackles of wilderness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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