A framework for integrative socioecological conservation solutions

Biodiversity loss and socioeconomic inequities are closely linked, yet conservation efforts often prioritize ecological goals, resulting in unsustainable outcomes. We propose a justice-centered socioecological framework that integrates biodiversity conservation with human well-being based on the principles of sustainable development theory and the concepts of distributive, procedural, and recognition justice. We reviewed the recent literature on fortress and market-based conservation approaches (2020-2025) to examine their impact on local communities. This review showed that fortress conservation and market-based approaches often exclude local communities, thereby undermining their livelihoods and the sustainability of their communities. In the proposed model, participatory governance, livelihood-aligned strategies (e.g., agroecology), and policy reforms (e.g., rights-based legislation) are integrated to promote equitable and resilient outcomes. Examples of successful use of an integrated approach include Namibia's conservancies, in which wildlife is jointly managed with the community and the community receives wildlife-related income, and Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework, which requires every development (road, mine, and protected area) to be screened for its effects on forest cover and cultural well-being. In these cases, there is adaptive governance (i.e., iterative, community-led rulemaking that changes based on ecological data) and redirection of subsidies from large commercial ranches to communal conservancy trusts, which positively affect biodiversity and human well-being. The GNH is a transformative and scalable approach because justice-based participatory mapping, livelihood-aligned incentives, and right-based policies are embedded in every conservation intervention, thereby aligning with global sustainability goals (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 15). Centering justice in conservation planning is ethically and pragmatically essential for long-term success.