Abstract
Protected Areas (PAs) represent a broad spectrum of outcomes and governance systems. Among PAs, Community Managed PAs have emerged from communities that are not exclusively indigenous and have developed social organizations to acquire land rights, participate in forest governance, and in some cases, engage in REDD+. However, regardless of the scale or counterfactual, there is no clear consensus about Community Managed PAs’ effectiveness in forest conservation and climate change mitigation. Furthermore, previous studies have been devoted to estimating PAs’ effects on deforestation before REDD+ projects began to operate. Based on Community Concessions in Petén (Guatemala) and Extractive Reserves in Acre (Brazil), we analyzed Community Managed PAs’ temporal and spatial effects on carbon stocks and avoided emissions relative to unprotected lands, other Sustainable Use PAs (IUCN V-VI), and Strict PAs (I-IV). We used carbon density maps, matching methods, geographic discontinuity designs, and sensitivity analysis between 2003 and 2015. After controlling for the influence of market access and agriculture suitability, our analysis shows that Community Managed PAs were more effective than Other Lands (i.e., unprotected) and Sustainable Use PAs, and at least as effective as Strict PAs, in preserving carbon stocks and avoiding emissions. For instance, relative to Other Lands between 2011 and 2015, Community Managed PAs resulted in net avoided emissions of 4.6 tCO2-eq/ha in Petén (Guatemala) and 2.15 tCO2-eq/ha in Acre (Brazil). While these net avoided emissions were lower than in previous years, they seem to be driven by a reduction in carbon emissions outside Community Managed PAs. Spatially, the boundaries of Community Managed PAs varied across jurisdictions. For example, the boundaries of Acre’s Community Managed PAs’ have become less effective in avoiding emissions, which translates into reduced effects on conserving carbon stocks. Our results highlight the need to assess temporal effects to exhibit jurisdiction-wide land-use dynamics and spatial effects to identify local land-use pressures emerging inside or around the boundaries of PAs. Our analysis also shows that decentralized governance in Community Managed PAs may contribute to climate change mitigation through REDD+ and forest conservation targets.
Highlights
Protected Areas (PAs) remain as primary interventions for forest conservation (Börner et al, 2020)
We estimated the effectiveness of Community Managed PAs on carbon stocks dynamics temporarily and spatially relative to Other Lands, Sustainable Use PAs (IUCN V-VI or equivalent), and Strict PAs (IUCN I-IV) in Petén (Guatemala) and Acre (Brazil)
Further direct comparisons with multiple land tenures in our study indicate that the greatest impacts of Extractive Reserves on carbon stocks dynamics occur over Other Lands, followed by Sustainable Use PAs (e.g., National Forests, State Forests, Settlements in public forests)
Summary
Protected Areas (PAs) remain as primary interventions for forest conservation (Börner et al, 2020). To account for the different outcomes of PAs, the IUCN developed a number of categories Those classified in categories I-IV, or Strict PAs, privilege biodiversity conservation and limit extractive activities through state-based forms of governance. Sustainable Use PAs, classified in categories V-VI, represent a more direct interaction between ecosystems and people, integrating biodiversity conservation and non-industrial extractive activities under more decentralized forms of governance. Despite the potential win-win outcomes of Sustainable Use PAs, especially in those that are Community Managed, their effectiveness in forest conservation and climate change mitigation can be put into question. If the influence of spatial location is considered, are Community Managed PAs effective in forest conservation and climate change mitigation?
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.