Developing Resource Management and Conservation

摘要: Published online: 17 August 2006 [c] Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. How can we humans learn to conserve and maintain our resources live sustainably on planet? This is perhaps the biggest question face as move into new millennium with burgeoning population ever-increasing impacts other lifeforms whom share this Earth. One way address critical look for examples across rich diversity experiences of human knowledge, thought, practice around world. A complementary approach would be back through history search models successfully conserving their managing them in ways that did not deplete them. We know from archaeological record, well recent own contemporary experiences, there are plenty failure conserve. Some them, such collapse Atlantic cod stocks off east coast North America (see Murray et al., issue), dramatic loss wetlands contributed devastating effects Hurricane Katrina Louisiana summer 2005, occurred despite availability a plethora sophisticated scientific knowledge strong government regulatory powers. Many long ago, some serious enough result demise entire ecosystems, or linked social-ecological systems. Examples include Mesopotamian Mayan civilizations (Tainter, 1988; Redman, 1999). Diamond's (2005) book, Collapse: Societies Choose Fail Succeed, deliberates causes world's great past how downfall; many cases, within constraints available has been underlying explanation society's demise. Yet, also instances where have able reside particular environments, relying local resources, hundreds, sometimes thousands, years. prevailing idea only if they experienced type catastrophic resource depletion. Only then recognize vulnerable impacts. certainly reasonable assumption one without compelling examples. However, felt whole needed more exploration. From work indigenous groups resource-dependent societies Canada elsewhere (Berkes Folke, 1998; Berkes, 1999; Berkes 2000, 2003; Deur Turner, 2005; Turner 2005), saw evidence conservation concepts practices embedded complex systems obviously had deep roots extending far time. these peoples others world develop capacity an ethic maintaining caring resources? Considerations geography seem important. group may area another area. society conserved at stage done so another. As Diamond points out, almost always additional variables climate change, hostile neighbors, trading opportunities compound problem environmental mismanagement ultimately precipitate downfall. It significant much cited by critics management ethnohistorical nature. suggested us evolutionary developmental aspects attention. In effort better understand question, organized three-panel session annual conference International Association Study Common Property (IASCP), held Oaxaca, Mexico, 2004. …