Seminar and Discussion Series

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Empowering or alienating communities: conservation in Maasailand, East Africa
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011-09) Goldman, Mara J., speaker; Unidentified speaker
Rangelands used by Maasai pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in northern Tanzania and southern Kenya also provide essential wet season forage for various wildlife species. In an effort to assure the continued availability of such pastures for wildlife, various forms of community-based conservation have been implemented throughout Maasai village lands. Costs, benefits, and community participation processes vary with the model used and the communities involved. I compare and contrast the different approaches to highlight how conservation interventions can be either empowering or alienating to the communities at hand. I suggest that participation based on respect for local knowledge and skills is key to empowering communities through conservation. I also argue that participation as well as the degree to which a project is succeeding at benefiting pastoralists is related to whether or not it is succeeding at protecting wildlife.