Green Militarization and the Necessity of Local Involvement

Abstract

This article argues that Green Militarization, the use of military and paramilitary actors in the pursuit of conservation (Lunstrum, 2014), is most effective with the involvement of local communities as one instrument in combating environmental issues. The arguments used to demonstrate this emphasize the great dependence humans have on endangered species and their environment, the aid locals can provide to conservation operations, and the risk of human settlements being encroached if conservation is effective without local involvement. This paper will offer examples of effective conservation programs in West Bengal and Nepal. Militarized conservation programs based on the ideas of coexistence and respect of all species not only benefit the region and its non-human species, but also lead to improved human conditions.