4.1 Parks and people - reconciling park management with local and regional development
In Eastern European Large Protected Areas (LPA) as for example in the Caucasus and Carpathian networks, State Nature Agencies are preserving a unique biodiversity as a very positive and huge inheritage of the former socialistic planning system. This session will focus on current challenges of LPA management in Eastern Europe with a particular attention on contradictions between local people's views and nationally to internationally - including the international nature conservation organizations - determined sectoral planning strategies. Participants discuss possible benefits LPAs offer local populations, analyse the reasons for conflict between conservation interests from outside the region and local people vital needs, and explore ways of uncovering, tackling, and solving land use conflicts at the interface of protected area management and sustainable local development. “Ultimately conservation is about people. If you don't have sustainable development around these (wildlife) parks, then people will have no interest in them, and the parks will not survive.” Nelson Mandela, former President, Republic of South Africa, “Mandela goes Green” - A hunting trip converts the ANC leader to conservation. Mail&Guardian Online, 5 April 1991.