NACRES strongly believes that the key to successful long-term nature conservation lies in helping local communities understand, recognise, and care for the natural environment which they live in and often directly depend on. In parallel, we must demonstrate the benefits of nature conservation and enhance, revive, and promote any surviving traditional examples of mutually beneficial relationships between people and nature. Local communities living around the protected areas should feel privileged, not restricted, by the legal limitations set on resource access and should be fully involved in local decision-making and PA management processes.

Every NACRES project is fully or in part dedicated to the following:

• Enhancing traditional relationships with nature
• Raising awareness and involving local communities in environmental decision-making and PA management, as well as encouraging local partnerships.
• Empowering local communities and local civil society organisations through joint activities and providing necessary expertise and supplies
• Improving local livelihoods through micro-grants
• Supporting the local tourism sector around protected areas