The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve

Contemporary Indigenous struggles over land and territory in the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras, are both historical contests and present-day battles against state and elite dehumanization. Despite landmark legislation awarding territorial rights to Miskito Territorial Councils since 2013, the Miskito peoples face persistent threats from colono land invasions and extractivist development, which perpetuates colonial logics of race and gender. This study reveals that biodiversity conservation and extractive development are intertwined, often employed to marginalize Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. Using a blend of ethnographic data, news media, archival documents, development reports, and secondary literature, the research exposes the violence embedded in these practices, challenging narratives of modernity and development while highlighting the resilience of Miskito land defenders.

Mollett, S. (2018). The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. Land Rights, Biodiversity Conservation and Justice, 184–205. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315439488-11