Description

If local people whose very livelihoods are often closely linked to livestock-keeping, for example, see expanding contact with wildlife as a threat to the health of their animals, or even to their own health in the case of zoonotic diseases, what hope do we have for building strong local constituencies for conservation, something the last several decades have hopefully taught us is sorely needed for sustained success? We obviously ignore local needs and perceptions at our conservation mission’s peril.

Addressing human health (and livelihood) concerns in the context of conservation work should not be seen as diminishing the importance of critical conservation issues, but rather can actually be utilized to reinforce the value of maintaining biodiversity and the importance of respecting wildlife and wild places. Done thoughtfully, linking human health with wildlife and environmental health can enhance the relevance of nature to a much broader constituency. Cross-sectoral approaches are essential: too frequently, decisions focused on single resources have had multiple adverse resource and economic consequences in the places we care about. This video slideshow podcast will highlight programs, partners and other colleagues from around the world collaborating on efforts very much reinforcing the One World, One Health paradigm, and the success this multidisciplinary, collaborative approach has been fostering to date. For further information on examples of consortia active in this arena, please see www.wcs-ahead.org , www.gains.org and www.oneworldonehealth.org.

(Description from podcast website)