Communities and Conservation: Natural Resource Management in South and Central Asia

Throughout the world, community involvement in conserving the natural habitat, wildlife and biodiversity is becoming the preferred method, marking a shift away from the top-down approach that has characterized such efforts in the last few decades. This volume of original essays constitutes perhaps the first comprehensive treatment of recent community-based conservation efforts in South and Central Asia and explores a wide range of policies, practices, strategies and issues related to participatory conservation. With its unique blend of theory and practice and its wide comparative coverage in terms of issues discussed and countries studied, this volume will be essential reading for all those involved with environmental studies, natural resource management, bio-diversity, ecology, community development and development studies. It will also be of interest to policy-makers, administrators, NGOs and donor organizations.