Office for Environmental Programs - Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/42179

Filters

2015 1
1
Reset filters

Settings
Statistics
Citations
Start date: 2010 × Type: Masters Coursework thesis × Subject: Australia × Subject: Chile ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Regulatory mechanisms and incentives for private protected areas in Chile: a comparative analysis with the Australian and South African experiences
    Razeto Cáceres, Antonio Héctor ( 2015)
    The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has recognised that private protected areas (PPAs) are essential to expand biodiversity conservation and to achieve a global ecologically representative network of reserves. In Chile, since the 1990s PPAs have emerged as a spontaneous and voluntary movement with no government assistance. The current environmental legislation does not allow PPAs to be included in the National System of State Protected Wildlife Areas (SNASPE). As a consequence, PPAs in Chile are not subject to systematic regulation or formal definition. PPAs are concentrated in the southern regions where they have enhanced the ecological representativeness of existing reserves. However, ecosystems of the central and northern regions are still underrepresented in PPAs and the SNASPE. In this context, this research analyses what legal mechanisms would be suitable for implementation in Chile to progressively shift towards a representative system for PPAs. With this purpose, the research develops a comparative analysis with the South African and Australian experiences. Contract agreements in South Africa and conservation covenants in Australia have demonstrated to be cost-effective mechanisms to expand biodiversity protection into private lands. The analysis includes an evaluation of existing policies and legislation related to PPAs in these three countries. The findings indicate that Chile needs a more systematic and comprehensive regulatory framework for PPAs to guide and incentivise their creation in underrepresented areas. The enthusiasm of landowners towards biodiversity protection and the existing work of not for profit organisations as major drivers of conservation creates a favourable scenario for the implementation of mechanisms such as contract agreements or covenant programs. The analysis also indicates that the implementation of stewardship programs is essential to provide ongoing support to the management of PPAs and to maintain private landowners’ motivation.