Sustainability

Ecosystems

Savannah

Natural reserves

Modern natural reserves mediate between two different requirements: the protection of the natural heritage and the economic development of local communities. Control over man's actions in protected areas does no longer serve purely conservative functions; the new-concept reserves aim at promoting those activities that may generate development in marginal areas. Reserves are therefore a new instrument to achieve sustainable development by fulfilling all sustainability requirements:
- to preserve and protect the natural heritage;
- to involve the marginal local communities in the development process (for instance the Cambodian Government permanently employs poachers under arrest to protect the fauna because they know the area quite well);
- to oppose to the neglect of people living in marginal areas;
- to raise environmental awareness through educational and informative activities established by the Reserve Authorities.