| Summary: | Even well-intended attempts to protect nature sometimes have unforeseen dire consequences: a resurgent elephant population in Zimbabwe destroys the crops that comprise local farmers' livelihood, or the Shimshali people of northern Pakistan are denied access to their traditional grazing grounds in a new national park. If environmental efforts are to be beneficial, they must also take into account the needs, ancestral claims, and unique stewardship skills of the indigenous peoples who have, in many instances, lived sustainably on the land for millennia. In nearly three dozen thoughtful, vividly written accounts, The Law of the Mother offers a comprehensive vision of how to design and implement conservation projects to provide for the well-being of local peoples, wildlife, and the land itself. Written by scientists, environmentalists, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on every continent, the essays in this collection also note areas of continuing conflict, such as issues of ownership, and identify potential flashpoints of tension between local peoples and the "outsiders" who are often behind the efforts to create protected areas. Most importantly, the authors describe how "creative communities" are seeking and experimenting with innovative solutions to the political, ecological, and human challenges that protected area managers must overcome. From the Bisnoi people of Rajasthan, India, whose strict conservation code does not permit them to cut trees or kill animals, to the Kuna Indians of Panama's San Blas Islands, whose ancient customs led them to create "natural zone" preserves, the indigenous peoples of the world have long understood the paramount importance of caring for nature rather than over-exploiting it. Compiled by WWF-World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with IUCN-The World Conservation Union, The Law of the Mother is a testimonial to these endangered peoples and their equally endangered native wisdom, offered in the hope that we may remember what they have not forgotten - that our planet is a sacred place.
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