Introduction to the concept of private conservation “new” tools for protecting biodiversity

Abstract

Private conservancy is becoming more important within the national conservation strategies
of many countries in the world and it is presented as a complementary tool to the instruments traditionally
implemented by the Governments. At the same time, it contributes to the development of territorial
governance by involving a broad set of stakeholders in the protection of biodiversity. In spite of its
growing value and potential, it is not recognized as many authors and organizations have claimed for a
long time. That is why it is necessary to keep on advancing in the knowledge of what in our country is
associated with land stewardship, as well as to understand this way of protecting and managing natural
environment. This paper reviews academic references and reports published by conservation bodies,
with the purpose to examine the role played by private agents and environmental organizations. It
exposes some of the advantages that this kind of private natural protected areas have, besides the main
problems linked with them. It is important to notice that private conservation is a very heterogeneous
matter around the world; in many Anglo-Saxon and Latin-American countries it is vastly consolidated,
while in other places, such as Spain, it still presents an incipient development.