In the 1970s, IUCN senior ecologist Ray Dasmann spotlighted what he called ‘ecosystem people’ – those who depend on functioning ecosystems for survival. Indigenous peoples have been high on IUCN's agenda ever since.
A suite of IUCN principles, guidelines and tools has fostered national-level recognition of Indigenous and Traditional peoples’ rights concerning protected areas.
At its inaugural meeting in 1948, IUCN declared the rescue of endangered species to be a key objective and began to set up instruments to monitor the status of animals and plants worldwide.
