Spotlight
COMMUNITY PROJECTS The Center has contributed to biocultural conservation efforts since 1991. We bring together people from different perspectives, institutions, and cultures to co-create solutions to socio-environmental challenges in the region. One important component is community participation and leadership. This season, the Center, with a lot of help from our donors, dramatically increased its support for collaborative community projects by funding and supporting 7 projects involving 83 local and indigenous community members. These projects represent partnerships between Center staff and community members towards common goals. Projects address local needs, provide economic alternatives, and integrate science, education, traditional ecological knowledge, and local leadership toward long-term biocultural conservation.
Community projects run at different levels of autonomy. Initially, Center staff take more of a leadership role and community members engage as participants. As community members gain more experience and initiative, they assume more leadership responsibility, with Center staff offering continuing support.
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