The paper "People, Parks and Poverty: Political Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation" by William M. Adams and Jon Hutton explores the political ecology of conservation, particularly the establishment of protected areas (PAs). It discusses the implications of the concept of pristine nature, the social impacts of PA establishment, and the allocation of benefits and costs. The authors address three key political issues: contemporary international conservation policy, the rights of indigenous people, and the relationship between biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. They also examine the arguments for a return to conventional PAs that exclude people. The paper reviews the historical context of PAs, the social impacts of PAs, the political economy of conservation benefits, and the role of indigenous people in conservation efforts. It highlights the need to integrate social and political dimensions into conservation planning and to address the equitable distribution of benefits and costs.The paper "People, Parks and Poverty: Political Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation" by William M. Adams and Jon Hutton explores the political ecology of conservation, particularly the establishment of protected areas (PAs). It discusses the implications of the concept of pristine nature, the social impacts of PA establishment, and the allocation of benefits and costs. The authors address three key political issues: contemporary international conservation policy, the rights of indigenous people, and the relationship between biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. They also examine the arguments for a return to conventional PAs that exclude people. The paper reviews the historical context of PAs, the social impacts of PAs, the political economy of conservation benefits, and the role of indigenous people in conservation efforts. It highlights the need to integrate social and political dimensions into conservation planning and to address the equitable distribution of benefits and costs.