For most, 鈥渃onservation鈥� conjures the notion of minimizing human presence on wildlands to avoid harmful impacts. But too often, this defensive approach has pitted local communities against conservationists, wasting opportunities for collaboration and setting the stage for ongoing conflict. One conservation approach turns that paradigm on its head, and instead connects conservation with the well-being of human communities, setting both up for success. Called 鈥淔ull Nature,鈥� this approach鈥攑ioneered by conservationist Ignacio Jim茅nez鈥攕eeks to promote fully functional natural landscapes that are tied to the basic needs of the communities in their midst. They become a self-sustaining cycle, where nature and people are integrated ecologically, socially, and politically.
Effective Conservation is based on Jim茅nez鈥檚 experience managing conservation projects on three continents over thirty years. Jim茅nez offers a pragmatic approach to conservation that puts the focus on working with people鈥攏eighbors, governments, politicians, businesses, media鈥攖o ensure they have a long-term stake in protecting and restoring parks and wildlife. Jim茅nez guides readers through the practical considerations of designing, analyzing, and managing effective conservation programs. Chapters explore intelligence gathering, communication, planning, conflict management, and evaluation techniques, and include numerous text boxes showcasing examples of successful conservation projects from all continents. A companion website (islandpress.org/effective-conservation) includes additional case studies, expanded texts, and links to additional resources.
This highly readable manual, newly translated into English after successful Spanish and Portuguese editions, provides a groundbreaking and time-proven formula for successful conservation projects around the world that bring together parks, people, and nature.
"An extraordinary book…. A coherent, insightful, easily understood manual for designing and managing conservation projects specific to local development situations…. It will become a classic reference in the years to come."鈥�Choice
"Effective Conservation is a useful book—rich in cases illustrating how it can be done in the face of opposition and the inertia of endless growth…. This is a book that belongs in every conservation practitioners’ library, in grad school classes and programs, and in NGOs."鈥�Biological Conservation
"A highly readable manual that provides a groundbreaking and time-proven formula for successful conservation projects around the world that bring together parks, people, and nature …. Effective Conservation: Parks, Rewilding, and Local Development is an ideal and practical combination of instructional guide and 'how to' manual that is highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Environmental & Conservation collections."鈥�Midwest Book Review
"Throughout, what will particularly interest field naturalists, are very brief descriptions of efforts to restore endangered species and the longer outlines of back-from-the-brink case histories…. Important points are made throughout this important book, all of which are worth thinking about right now."鈥�Canadian Field Naturalist
"Rewilding, conflict management, participation, intelligence, leadership, and the strategies, techniques, and skills not taught at university are combined with some of the best examples of effective conservation on the planet. This book is going to become, without a doubt, an essential manual for twenty-first-century conservationists."鈥擠eli Saavedra, Regional Manager for Rewilding Europe
"There are many books on conservation calling for action that no one heeds. Effective Conservation is different. Ignacio Jim茅nez has spent his life on conservation’s front line, making it happen and studying the success and setbacks of others. The lessons he has learned are in this invaluable guidebook to action. Please read it."鈥擠avid Johns, Cofounder of Wildlands Network, of Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, and of Conservation Biology Institute
"Effective Conservation is a practical manual for hopeful action on behalf of life on Earth—an exploration of what has worked, what has not worked, and the lessons learned from failures."鈥擪ristine McDivitt Tompkins, President and Cofounder, Tompkins Conservation
"Ignacio Jim茅nez has wonderfully succeeded in distilling his vast on-the-ground conservation experience and presenting lessons for future conservation in a highly readable way. The Full Nature approach to conservation lays out a formula for successful, cooperative conservation."鈥擲usan G. Clark, Yale University
"Effective Conservation documents, with world-wide examples, the pressing social, political, and economic dimensions of protecting and restoring the environment upon which the future of humankind depends. Everyone concerned about the relentless destruction of nature must read this profound volume about how best to confront the challenges of conserving our imperiled biological diversity."鈥擥eorge Schaller, author of The Year of the Gorilla, The Last Panda, and Tibet Wild
"Effective Conservation is a close-up look at modern wildlife restoration as practiced in the extraordinarily successful programs of Tompkins Conservation. The main part of the book is a practical and highly readable manual for science-based wildlife restoration skillfully written by Ignacio Jim茅nez and with world-wide examples. This is dramatic ground-breaking conservation. It consists of innovation, inspired motivation, on-site promotion and support despite personal loss. The clarity of the book’s science is also a significant achievement in itself. In sum, it brings together fascinating science, but also personal resolution in a real-life conservation science manual."鈥擶illiam Conway, former Director and President of Wildlife Conservation Society
