This study set out to understand how decentralization of decision making and management authority affects biodiversity conservation. At the heart of this research are two questions: - whether decentralization empowers the people living in most direct contact with natural resources, and, - if this power shift does occur, whether it is likely to result in environmental policies and management practices that reduce threats to biodiversity. The six case studies presented are: Botswana, Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala, Panama, and the United States.