Commodity conservation: The restructuring of community conservation in South Africa and the Philippines

Published Date
May 2012, Vol.43(3):367–376, doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2010.06.010

The Global Rise and Local Implications of Market-Oriented Conservation Governance

Bram Büscher ^a,,

Wolfram Dressler ^b,

aInstitute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, The Netherlands and Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies, University of Johannesburg, Kortenaerkade 12, 2518 AX, The Hague, The Netherlands

bSchool of Social Science, University of Queensland, Michie Building (9) Level 8, St. Lucia, Qld 4072, Queensland, Australia

Received 23 November 2009. Revised 19 May 2010. Available online 21 August 2010. 

Abstract

The world over, neoliberal modes of conservation are hybridising with, or even replacing, other forms of conservation. Under the banner of ‘win–win’ policies, planners actively work to commoditize natural resources and the social relations that determine the use and conservation of these resources. While these general processes seem to hold sway globally, it is crucial not to lose sight of the context specific ways in which neo-liberalism influences conservation practice and local outcomes. The paper examines how neo-liberalism’s global pervasiveness becomes manifest across different levels and scales in South Africa and the Philippines. The conclusion suggests that as a result of these neoliberal pressures, emphasis is shifting from local constructions of ‘nature’ by communities to what the environment should mean for communities in terms of commodified resources and growing capitalist markets.

Keywords

• Conservation
• Neo-liberalism
• South Africa
• Philippines
• Communities
• Commoditization

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  Corresponding author.

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