INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: A SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA

Abstract.  The paper argues that the current ways of protecting intellectual property are limited in their scope for recognizing indigenous rights to indigenous knowledge. Indigenous knowledge is often defined as being holistic and collectively owned, and an appropriate protection should allow for maintaining the cultural and physical environment that has generated it.
After examining the failure of the patent system to recognize indigenous input (using examples from the US Patent and Trademark Office), the analysis is directed towards alternatives. The world's first case of indigenous intellectual accreditation through the partnership between Mt Romance (Australian sandalwood company), Aveda (US-based multinational cosmetics corporation) and the Kutkabubba community (represented by the Songman Circle of Wisdom), is presented. The accreditation allows for the indigenous people to be recognized as traditional owners of the land, and for their care and knowledge about the sandalwood trees. It also gives them a share of the profits made from the contemporary use of the pure sandalwood oil.
The paper argues that sustainability, and indigenous sustainability in particular, provides a conceptual framework for a change in the way of protecting intellectual property. This implies that appropriate policies should be put in place for businesses to feel responsible towards the community.     

浅论武当道教文化与武当山旅游的关系

武当山是我国道教著名的洞天福地．开发武当山道教文化资源,对武当山旅游的发展具有重要意义;而武当山旅游的发展,反过来又促进了武当道教文化的继承、传播、交流和研究。因此,武当道教文化与武当山旅游的关系是相辅相成、共同发展的。     

武当山旅游经济特区的建构与发展模式研究

武当山突破常规,初步探索实践出了国内独一无二的"旅游经济特区模式",在全国范围内具有首创精神和重要的借鉴价值。本文围绕武当山旅游经济特区内涵、发展机制、存在问题展开讨论。     

农业生态旅游资源评价体系实证研究——以“太行山大峡谷景区”为例

[目的]农业生态旅游资源是一种具有农业特色的生态旅游资源,为了优化现有国家标准对这一新型旅游资源评价的科学性与准确性,需要建立新的农业生态旅游资源评价体系,才能做好农业生态旅游资源的开发经营工作。[方法]文章以太行山大峡谷景区为例首先运用层次分析法构建了评价指标;其次,通过专家打分法计算得出各评价指标的权重,并建立评价模型;再次,采用调查问卷的方式得出各评价指标的评分,并计算太行山大峡谷景区的农业生态旅游资源总体评价得分;最后对其进行综合评价。[结果]资源自身的美感度、独特性、环境的适宜性和生态环境的稳定性是农业生态旅游资源开发的优势所在;组合度、聚合度、区域内的经济条件及历史文化价值则是农业生态旅游资源开发的劣势所在。[结论]资源的美感度和独特性是开发农业生态旅游资源的重要指标;生态环境的稳定性是开发农业生态旅游资源的基础保证;完善配套设施,加强与旅游的融合是开发农业生态旅游资源的未来发展方向。