The National Parks system in the United States has allowed us to preserve some of our country's most spectacular natural and cultural wonders. By designating these special places as National Parks we often have to limit the access that people have to the areas in order protect them. However, in places such as Mexico there is an approach that seeks to incorporate human activities into the preservation policies.

Susan Anderson is Project Developer and Science Director with the Nature Conservancy. Her agency works with organizations and governments throughout Latina America. She says that for many countries that are engaged in conservation efforts it's become clear that it's just as important to give residents a sustainable interest in becoming stewards of their environment.

Innovative ways of protecting the environment seem to be the key for countries that are trying to strike a balance between conservation efforts and capitalizing on economic opportunities for the population.