Conflict Areas and Solution Strategies in the Conservation of Ecosystems and Their Services: A Holistic Approach

Abstract

Natural environments and biodiversity are negatively affected by climate change and non-sustainable human activities around the world. Different management strategies have been implemented to mitigate the loss of habitat and ecosystem functions. Nevertheless, many of these have failed because, in general, they focus on protected areas. The loss of habitat and, thus, biodiversity occurs outside these areas and does not receive attention. Often, the conservation strategies go against the needs of the communities in the surroundings of the protected areas, generating a series of conficts between the local governments, conservationists, and residents. In this sense, it is necessary to carry out holistic conservation strategies that consider human beings and their socio-cultural complexity within the environment to overcome the effect of climate change on biodiversity loss. This chapter empirically shows how it is possible to apply conservation strategies integrating scientifc and political capacities and uniting governmental and non-governmental organizations for the execution of socio-environmental, educational, and research actions. This holistic approach contributes to the restoration of the environment and its services and to the mitigation of climate change in subtropical regions