Rewilding and gazetting the Iberá National Park: Using an asset approach to evaluate project success

Abstract

Abstract The rising demand for natural resources increases the pressure on conservationists to justify the protection and restoration of biodiversity. However, the benefits of protected wild spaces to people are not always evident. In this study, we analyzed a rewilding and national park project in the Iberá Wetlands. We deployed the Protected Area Asset Framework to analyze how investments made by an international NGO in local products, resources and relationships developed new value‐generating practices in the area. We also studied the resulting impact on local stakeholders' perceptions of the project. The results indicate that the NGO's investments have enhanced Iberá's perceived value, also of its less tangible assets such as its aesthetic beauty and cultural significance. This has generated a gradual shift in attitudes from widespread apprehension to increased local support for the new national park. The study contends that gaining local acceptance for protected areas may be facilitated by illuminating their diverse social, cultural and economic potential. The Asset Framework can be used to reveal values that emerge out of society's interaction with nature and help managers develop new and engaging narratives for conservation projects. The lessons provided by the Iberá project can inform management of protected areas in Argentina and elsewhere.

Keywords

• asset‐based community management
• conservation land trust
• Iberá
• keystone species
• protected areas
• rewilding