10 Thousand Forests and Sustainability
We see sustainable development as the wise use of the resources for present and future generations. We cannot divorce conservation of animals, plants and special sites from the well being of people, particularly indigenous and other local peoples. We understand that to conserve means to integrate all parts of the system when solving a problem. There are no simple problems, and no simple solutions. That’s one of the reasons conservation efforts must consider the ecological basis, the economic constraints and the social potential of each project undertaken.
We are convinced that a different paradigm like sustainable development must guide our efforts to raise people’s living standards. To reach our conservation goals, should we devote our efforts to changing the actual paradigm or should we use the currently accepted tools and models?
To change the most of the world’s paradigm is to confront the rich countries actual one: economic growth. With our current leaders, we have to use the means accepted under the actual paradigm until we can introduce the concept of sustainable development in the institutions which manage not only the regional, but the world economy.
Under the economic growth paradigm, we might not have enough economic arguments to “sell” the idea of sustainable development, not only to our governments, but to the general public. The major cause for this, we think, is their time frame. Poor people and politicians do not have time to wait until the results of long term programs can be seen. The process of making people –politicians and locals,– understand and admit the necessity for a long term conservation and development plan is key for their active participation. It is key for the success of any conservation effort.