Financial Mechanism and Resources

The ICCA Consortium is an international association dedicated to promoting the appropriate recognition of, and support to, ICCAs.  Its members are indigenous peoples´, organizations and federations, community organizations at various levels, and civil society organizations working closely with them. Its Honorary members are individuals with relevant expertise and commitment to these matters.

ICCAs are defined by the UICN as “natural and/or modified ecosystems, containing significant biodiversity values, ecological benefits and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities, both sedentary and mobile, through customary laws or other effective means”.  They include cases of continuation, revival or modification of traditional practices. There origins can be ancient but can also be new initiatives, such as restoration and innovative uses of resources taken up by indigenous peoples and local communities.

Three defining characteristics are common to ICCAs:
1. A indigenous people or local community is closely connected to a well-defined territory, area or species (eg. for their own survival and dependence for livelihood, or historical and cultural reasons);
2. The community is the major player in decision-making (governance) and implementation regarding the management of the territory, area or species, implying that a community institution has the capacity to develop and enforce regulations; (in many situations other stakeholders are involved, but primary decision-making rests de facto with the community);
3. The community management decisions and efforts lead to the conservation of the territory area or species and associated cultural values (the conscious objective of management may be different than conservation per se, and be, for instance, related to material livelihood, water security, safeguarding of cultural and spiritual places, etc.)

In this context, many examples and case studies on collective action of indigenous peoples and local communities can be found in the following documents, that are available in the Consortium webpage (http://www.iccaconsortium.org)
  Bio-cultural diversity conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities- Examples and analysis
http://www.iccaconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/images/stories/Database/publications/biocultural_div_booklet_reprint.pdf
Diversidad biocultural conservada por pueblos indígenas y comunidades locales – Ejemplos y análisis
http://www.iccaconsortium.org//wp-content/uploads/EA-ICCA-SPANISH.pdf
Recognising and supporting territories and areas conserved by indigenous peopes and local communities: Global overview and national case studies
CBD Recognition Guidelines Series No. 64. ‘Recognising and Supporting ICCAs: Global overview and national case studies’.  
http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-64-en.pdf

This document is completed by series of 64 Country Case Studies (full length)
https://www.cbd.int/protected/ts64-country-case-studies/

Other publications show examples about the “biodiversity conservation”, and provide a further understanding of both wildlife and domesticated biodiversity (crops, livestock, etc.) related to the cultural diversity in ICCAs:
Volume on Protected Landscapes and Agrobiodiversity, downloadable at:  http://www.conservation-development.net/index.php?L=2&ds=155

Issue of MEQ on Traditional Agr. Landscapes and Community Conserved Areas, at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/action/doSearch?AllField=traditional+agricultural&SeriesKey=meq