Factoring Humans into the Environmental Picture
Instead of Seeing Local People as Poachers or Polluters,
Social Scientist Lisa Campbell Views Them as Part of the Landscape
By Tinker Ready
About once a month, thousands of endangered
olive ridely sea turtles crawl up the black sand beach in
Ostional, Costa Rica.As soon as they lay their eggs, local
villagers sweep in, plastic bags in hand, and start digging
up the nests.The sight is enough to make any conservationist
cringe, but the “arribada” is not the poacher’s free-for-all
it appears to be. This controlled egg harvest is a nuanced
approach to wildlife protection that factors humans into
the picture, instead of moving them out, according to Lisa
M. Campbell, the new Rachel Carson Assistant Professor of
Marine Affairs and Policy.
Campbell, who arrived at Duke in October from the University
of Western Ontario, has spent much of the past 10 years studying
the human dimensions of conservation efforts. A social scientist
and self-professed “stickler for data,” she studies how environmental
policies play out for humans at the local level. Many of the
world’s endangered species and sensitive habitats are found
in developing countries where rural poverty and a subsistence
survival are the norm. Instead of seeing local people as poachers
or polluters, Campbell believes conservationists need to see
them as part of that landscape.
“My ultimate goal for a conservation program
would be to ensure long-term survival of the species, with
benefits derived at the local level for local communities,”
she says. “The poorest of the poor should not bear the cost
of international feelings about charismatic species.”
Few question the importance of the environmental
impact study. Whether they are building a luxury resort or
setting up a collective farm, developers need to make sure
their efforts don’t damage sensitive ecosystems. But conservationists
have been less enthusiastic about gauging the impact of their
efforts on the quality of life for nearby humans. For example,
bans on the sale of ivory and seal fur may have protected
animals, but some say it has been at the expense of local
communities dependent on hunting. Conservation efforts are
becoming more inclusive of people, but there are no blueprints
for success. Which is why Campbell’s work is so important.
She comes to Duke with a social scientist’s perspective, one
she feels is vital but often misunderstood or ignored by her
fellow environmental scientists.
She’s a big promoter of interdisciplinary conservation
efforts since the people who excel studying turtle behavior
are not necessarily the best people to study the impact of
conservation programs on the local economy, society and culture.
And she’s disturbed by the quality of the data that is sometimes
passed off as social science. If conservation organizations
want to make sure their efforts really work for both people
and animals, they need to produce solid data on the socio-economic
impacts of their efforts, not anecdotes, Campbell argues.
Otherwise, no one will know whether the ecotourism resorts
and safari companies that are put forward as examples of sustainable
development are actually benefiting people who may be economically
displaced by them.
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