Revisiting the definition and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for nature conservation

Revisiting the definition and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for nature conservation | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 3 September 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Revisiting the definition and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for nature conservation Authors : Ronju Ahammad 0000-0001-7978-0721 [email protected] , Kamaljit Sangha , Jay Evans , and Oscar Metcalfe Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692145.59099207/v1 245 views 146 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Globally, there is no single universally agreed-upon definition of Indigenous peoples (IPs), yet specific criteria are typically used to define whether someone is Indigenous or not, namely self-identification, historical continuity, linkage to ancestral land, and distinctive social, cultural, and economic systems. This paper argues that the definition criteria act as guiding principles to explain the situation of IPs rather than recognising IPs’ collective rights to their lands, which are critical for nature conservation. By drawing the insights from selected cases, we found that either one or two of these criteria, such as cultural and self-identification, are commonly applied to identify IPs. The cases also showed that recognising collective rights of IPs to land has been found to offer a positive outcome for nature conservation and associated socio-cultural and economic opportunities for the people (e.g. biodiversity conservation, greenhouse gas abatement). We emphasise that not only the definition, but the legal recognition of land rights and involvement of IPs would be of the utmost importance to continue cultural practices attached to their ancestral lands, allowing them to be involved with natural resource management and conservation decision-making, that eventually relates to self-determination, equity and social and economic justice. Supplementary Material File (main document.docx) Download 1.20 MB File (table 1.docx) Download 15.53 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 03 September 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecology and Evolution Keywords comparative description ecosystem ecosystem function multiple none of the above terrestrial Authors Affiliations Ronju Ahammad 0000-0001-7978-0721 [email protected] Charles Darwin University Faculty of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Kamaljit Sangha Charles Darwin University Faculty of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Jay Evans Charles Darwin University Faculty of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Oscar Metcalfe Charles Darwin University Faculty of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 245 views 146 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Ronju Ahammad, Kamaljit Sangha, Jay Evans, et al. Revisiting the definition and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for nature conservation. Authorea . 03 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692145.59099207/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); Cited by Kamaljit K. Sangha, Samy Andres Leyton-Flor, Getahun Kassa, Ronju Ahammad, Sangay Dendup, Key lessons from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ farming systems: insights from a global review, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 10 , (2026). https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2026.1743959 Crossref Manriquez-Zapata Miguel, Guerrero Kattia-Enith, Normative Tension Between Customary Law and Civil Law in the Native Amazonian Marriage: Analysis from the Pluralism Juridic y Human Rights, International Journal of Law and Society, 9 , 1, (46-68), (2026). https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijls.20260901.15 Crossref Loading... View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. 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