Community-Based Monitoring and Protected Areas: Towards an Inclusive Model

Operational, financial and conceptual issues hinder protected area (PA) conservation goals, particularly in mega‐diverse countries where highly impoverished human communities live within their boundaries. We (a) highlight the relevance of community‐based biological monitoring for linking local communities with PAs to enhance their functionality, achieve conservation objectives and promote social development, (b) pinpoint key elements for establishing community‐based biological monitoring programs and (c) propose an inclusive model for PAs where the active participation of communities is essential. Through community‐based biological monitoring, PAs enhance the performance of species monitoring, surveillance, development and operation of management plans, local communities' engagement in conservation, and research activities. In turn, communities increase their knowledge on local natural resources, and acquire abilities needed to identify and quantify them, and ultimately lead to more informed decisions regarding their management and conservation. It is essential to consider PAs and local communities as a unit to achieve an integrated conservation approach.