Parks or people? National parks and the case of Del Este, Dominican Republic

Abstract

Beginning with a brief overview of the USA national park model, this paper outlines significant changes in attitudes towards resident peoples worldwide. It reviews relevant literature dealing with parks in various countries, and argues that the traditional division between people and parks, part of the intellectual context, should be challenged. It also reports that the involvement of resident peoples in management decisions is increasing. Nevertheless, at grass-roots level, as anthropological research and a case study of Del Este in the Dominican Republic show, the struggle for resources continues, with international economic power and local culture remaining dominant factors in environmental conservation.