Quansah, Nat2007-06-152007-06-152004Quansah N. 2004. The neglected key to successful biodiversity conservation and appropriate development: local traditional knowledge. Ethnobotany Res Appl 2:89-91.1547-3465http://hdl.handle.net/10125/142The need to conserve the worlds’ biodiversity is no longer a controversial issue. However, the question of how to conserve biodiversity is a pressing issue. The evidence of this is seen in the continued loss of biodiversity, especially in the rich biodiversity countries of the world, despite the efforts by many governments and non-governmental organizations and individuals. Similarly, the need for countries to develop is not an issue but which types of development and how development is implemented are important issues. So how do we arrive at successfully conserving biodiversity and achieve appropriate development programs? This paper presents local traditional knowledge as the neglected key to successful biodiversity conservation as well as appropriate development programs. Successful biodiversity conservation and the implementation of appropriate development programs, it is suggested, may be accomplished by consciously targeting and harnessing local traditional knowledge. The effectiveness is based on the various relationships that exist between people of diverse cultures and the other elements of biodiversity in their respective areas.en-USThe Neglected Key to Successful Biodiversity Conservation and Appropriate Development: Local Traditional KnowledgeArticle