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Map of protected areas of Nepal. NP = National Park, WR = Wildlife Reserve, CA = Conservation Area and HR = Hunting Reserve.
Source publication
Various conservation models have been implemented in Nepal since 1973, however their impacts on resources use and conservation attitudes are scarcely known. To address the hypothesis that conservation attitudes should improve around protected areas (PAs) with more social and economic interventions, stratified random questionnaire surveys of 234 hou...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... Bardia National Park (BNP) and Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR) are part of the TAL. BNP is in the mid- western, and SWR is in the far-western Nepalese Terai (Fig. 1). BNP was established in 1976 and is the largest PA in the Terai (currently 968 km 2 , with a proposed extension of 550 km 2 ), while SWR was established in 1973 and covers an area of 305 km 2 (Table 1). The landscape is important for the survival of endangered species such as the tiger Panthera tigris, one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros ...
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Citations
... Indeed, Bardiya National Park hosts very little anthropological work (Reinhard, 1976), (Krauskopff, 1987), (Normose, 2002), (Bhatt, 2006), it is more, via the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), the object of research from the natural sciences (Jnawali, 1989), (Baral, Heinen, 2007), or developmental sciences (Bhattarai, Fischer, 2014), (Leystra, 2019), (Leclerq et al., 2019). The BNP hosts the highest number of tigers in Nepal today 2 and the so-called ''Human-Wildlife Conflict'' appeared to be out of control, in an emergency situation. ...
This article, dealing with the profession of guiding in Bardiya National Park, is based on a previous paper (Vouiller, 2022) recently published in Studies in Nepali History and Society (SINHAS, Kathmandu), highlighting data gathered in 2019 with that of 2021-2022. While I presented the guide profession as being a clever adaptation to modernity, as an ‘in-between’, I would like here to accentuate the role of social networks, the process of ‘’heroisation’’ that takes place, but also the importance of the senses and the reading of signs in the practice of the profession. Bardiya National Park, established between 1988 and 1989, hosts very little anthropological work, it is more the object of research from developmental or natural sciences. The PhD I am currently pursuing in social and political sciences in Belgium (ULiège) and France (EHESS), is based on more than one year of fieldwork in Bardiya. It aims to understand how humans adapt psycho-corporeally and socially to the proximity of the Park’s animals. I am working with participant observation, semi-directive interviews with the professions most in contact with the animals of the Park, direct and indirect observations of encounters and finally linguistic analysis of the terms used in the discourses and on social media. The guiding subject in Bardiya is complex and representative of very topical internal and political tensions. Based on part of my doctoral work, I hope to show some of the factors that I believe will determine the future of tourism and human-animal cohabitation in Bardiya.
... People's attitude towards conservation is directly linked to the cost and benefits they get from the Parsa national park as well as their level of awareness of the importance of nature and biodiversity conservation (Thapa, 2016). Benefits such as recreational activities, environmental protection, economic advantages, or the utilization of resources for livelihoods as viewed by locals are frequently associated with positive attitudes toward protected areas (Heinen 1993;Baral and Heinen 2007;Allendorf, 2007). Similarly, negative attitudes are also linked to resource restrictions, economic losses, and human tragedies (Heinen, 1993;Allendorf, 2007). ...
This study aims to investigate the socioeconomic status of communities living in proximity to a park and their attitudes towards conservation. The questionnaires used in this study were carefully designed to achieve the desired research objectives. The majority of people living adjacent to the park depend on agriculture and livestock farming for their livelihood. People also benefit from the forest's resources in many aspects. People's perceptions of wildlife conservation vary widely and are influenced by various factors such as economic status, cultural background, education status, awareness level, and personal experiences. Respondents with higher education status have been found to exhibit positive attitudes towards conservation. Results have shown that 70% of respondents who live near the park claim that coexistence with wildlife is becoming increasingly problematic. While the respondents are pleased with the practical conservation strategies that have contributed to the rise in wildlife populations, they are concerned about the increasing conflicts with wildlife. Crop raiding is a serious problem in several villages located near dense forests. Livestock depredation is another major issue that has been observed in the same area. Wildlife has been known to attack and kill livestock , causing a significant loss of income for the farmers in these villages. Many people feel that the lack of effective compensation mechanisms has led to a sense of antagonism towards both authorities and conservation efforts as a whole. The importance of effective compensation mechanisms in conservation efforts cannot be overstated. Some of the respondents have noted that the development of ecotourism has the potential to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Ecotourism provides jobs, income, and other economic opportunities that help improve their socioeconomic status and, in turn, promote conservation.
... On the other hand, we found no statistically significant difference in attitude and participation intention among household heads of different age groups. These findings conform to the findings by Adem (2017) and Baral and Heinen (2007). Our finding, however, contradicts to the finding by Chandool (2007) and Shibia (2010) that showed older people have a less favorable attitude towards conservation and management than younger; and they asserted that young people may have had more exposure to environmental awareness at school. ...
... Attesting this, descriptive results revealed that 81% of the male headed and 77% of the female headed households use wetlands for different purposes. The result conforms to the findings of Baral and Heinen (2007);De la Vega (2004); and Adem (2017) that no significant differences exist in environmental knowledge or conservation attitude and intention between males and females. The finding, however, contradicts to the study result by Chandool (2007) that found significant difference between male and female in their attitude towards protection of Nariva swamp. ...
... Training and contact with agricultural extension workers or DAs are also thought to have a paramount importance in people's level of KAIsince they are means of accessing information and creating mass awareness about resources (Badal et al., 2006). Attesting the finding of Baral and Heinen (2007) we have also found out that training and contact with extension workers bring significant difference in households' level of knowledge, but no significant differences revealed in households' level of attitude and participation intention. The probable reasons are the short duration of the trainings and the limited number of extension contacts that the majority of the households experienced. ...
Sustainability of wetlands entails resource users’ knowledge, positive Attitude and strong Intention (KAI) to wetlands and their management. This study examines households’ KAI to use and management of wetlands in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia drawing on data collected from 405 households, participatory rural appraisals and experts’ interview. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and ANOVA were used for data analysis. The result revealed that the overall KAI of households is good; however, the proportions of households with low level of knowledge, unfavorable attitude and low intention are fairly large to hamper sustainable use and management of wetlands. Findings of the study further revealed variation in households’ levels of KAI. The difference in knowledge is explained by age, distance from wetlands, training received and contact with extension agents. Knowledge, training received, extension contact and benefit gain account for the variation in attitude and participation intention to management of wetlands. One key finding is that majority (68.2%) of the households preferred to use the wetlands either for farming or grazing purposes. Hence, there is a need to design a mix of approaches to build up and maximize communities’ KAI about wetlands and their sustainable use and management.
... One way to shed light on the above phenomenon is to use the place attachment lens. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the bonds residents have with their locale significantly affect their perceptions of adjacent national parks (Baral & Heinen, 2007;Marshall et al., 2010;Nyaupane & Poudel, 2011;Sah & Heinen, 2001;Stedman, 2002;Strzelecka et al., 2021). However, as tourist destinations expand and evolve, the character of place bonds between residents and their local environment may also undergo changes . ...
... Additionally, residents who view TNP as an attractive feature for tourists in Tatra and Podhale are more likely to support both TNP and broader nature conservation initiatives. These findings underscore the importance of effectively communicating to residents about the pivotal role that local protected areas and natural environments play in drawing tourists, as suggested by prior studies (Baral & Heinen, 2007;Gadd, 2005). They also highlight the significance of cultivating positive interactions between local communities and Tatra National Park. ...
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ABSTRACT
This study investigates the complex relationship between residents and national parks in a top nature-based destination, Poland's Tatra and Podhale region. Utilizing a door-to-door survey of 511 respondents from 26 towns around Tatra National Park (TNP), the research employs two-step structural equation modeling and fsQCA to analyze how place attachment and preferences for nature protection strategies interact. Contrary to the widely held view that tourism development positively influences attitudes toward national parks, we found tourism growth in the communities surrounding TNP impacts how these communities relate to the protected area. The study concludes that for TNP to gain broader community support, it is crucial to convey to residents its essential role as a tourism asset. This finding has wider implications for how national parks and adjacent communities can coexist harmoniously in areas experiencing rapid tourism expansion.
... In some areas, this may even lead to violent conflicts between community residents and the park rangers or guards of NPs [32,101,104]. Therefore, community residents are more likely to hold positive attitudes towards these policies when the benefits of NP-related policies outweigh the costs [91,112]. ...
The establishment of protected areas such as national parks (NPs) is a key policy in response to numerous challenges such as biodiversity loss, overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, and environmental education. Globally, the number and area of NPs have steadily increased over the years, although the management models of NPs vary across different countries and regions. However, the sustainability of NPs necessitates not only effective national policy systems but also the active involvement and support of the local community and indigenous people, presenting a complex, multifaceted challenge. Although the availability of literature on community-based conservation and NPs has increased over the years, there is a lack of research analyzing trends, existing and emerging research themes, and impacts. Hence, in this study, we employed bibliometric methods to conduct a quantitative review of the scientific literature concerning community management of NPs on a global scale. By analyzing data from published articles, we identified research hotspots and trends as well as the quantity, time, and country distribution of relevant research. We developed a framework to illustrate the main research hotspot relationships relevant to NPs and community management, then summarized these findings. Based on the literature from 1989 to 2022, utilizing 2156 research papers from the Web of Science Core Collection database as the data source, visualizations were conducted using the VOSviewer software (1.6.18). Based on the results of network co-occurrence analysis, the initial focus of this field was on aspects of resource conservation. However, with the convergence of interdisciplinary approaches, attention has gradually shifted towards human societal well-being, emphasizing the “social-ecological” system. Furthermore, the current research hotspots in this field mainly revolve around issues such as “natural resources, sustainable development, stakeholder involvement, community management, sustainable tourism, and residents’ livelihoods”. Effectively addressing the interplay of interests among these research hotspot issues has become an urgent topic for current and future research efforts. This exploration necessitates finding an appropriate balance between environmental conservation, economic development, and human welfare to promote the realization of long-term goals for sustainable development in NPs.
... The local communities were rich in traditional knowledge and experience, making them more positive towards the PA. Similar to this result, rough studies have shown that education is a strong predictor of attitude (Allendorf et al., 2006;Shibia, 2010;Xu et al., 2006), whereas others have found no association between educational levels and attitudes of people (Baral & Heinen, 2007). Therefore, as the education level increased, the local community members gained a sense of being more likely to be positive attitudes. ...
Protected areas (PAs) are crucial for natural resources and biodiversity conservation. However, they also hurt local communities by limiting access to farmland, forest product resources, and imposing fees. In some cases, local communities may view PAs as a risk to their livelihood or appreciate benefits of having PAs at other times. Hence, improving the positive attitudes of the local community toward PAs is important for the success of PAs preservation. This paper examined factors influencing the attitudes of the local community towards protected areas, a Case Study on Ambatara Protected Area (APA) forest Conservation, Northwest Ethiopia. Data was collected through household surveys. Econometric model were used for further analysis. The result identified influential factors and revealed that higher levels of age, education, family size, farmland size, livestock size, benefits, and awareness were all significantly associated with a more positive attitude of the local community towards PAs but having severe problems with a negative attitude. These were the key factors influencing the attitudes of the local community and should be a consideration when designing conservation initiatives and policy decisions. In general, most respondents had a positive attitude(supportive) towards PA and believed the conservation of APA is essential for them. However, they had some concerns about the management and lack of access to appropriate resources; this needs to be addressed to ensure their long-term sustainability. This study concludes that understanding the attitudes of local communities toward protected areas is essential to provide a successful conservation strategy and tangible benefits to local communities and PAs. These will help to ensure and preserve PAs for generations to come.
... Various studies present a multiplicity of variables that encourage the formation of social perceptions, such as the level of education (Afonso et al., 2020;Leujak and Ormond, 2007;Slater et al., 2014), demographic conditions (Bennett et al., 2020;Bires and Raj, 2019), conservation policies and programs (Barriga, 2017;Bennett and Dearden, 2014). Also, community participation in programs (Andrade and Rhodes, 2012;Brenner, 2009;Silori, 2007) and the relationship between interest groups (Baral and Heinen, 2007;Jones et al., 2012b;Maikhuri et al., 2001). Likewise, the economic benefits (Ban et al., 2019;Kala and Maikhuri, 2011;Silori, 2007), the meaning of places (Allendorf et al., 2014;Grillos, 2017), and geographical location (Jones et al., 2020b). ...
... The SP is generated by social, economic, management and environmental impacts (Jones et al., 2015). These, in turn, can be interrelated, generating a multiplicity of variables that encourage their formation (Baral and Heinen, 2007;Dimitrakopoulos et al., 2010). However, the PS generated by the relationships between these categories will be in line with each individual's subjective interpretation provided by the interest groups (Triguero-Mas et al., 2009;Weladji et al., 2003). ...
... Those referring to management responded to information from the relationships mediated by communication in the interest groups (Baral and Heinen, 2007;Jones et al., 2020b). See Fig. 4. ...
This paper conducts a systematic review of the literature (SRL) to update the relevance of social perception (SP) for managing protected areas and conservation spaces that contribute to global and regional efforts to conserve biological diversity and natural resources. Despite their importance, these areas often face complex and conflictive situations between the interest groups of the communities located within or adjacent to them. Therefore, and departing from an SRL, this paper aims to answer the main question about the sociodemographic elements that affect the SP related to protected areas. The results indicate that household income and education are linked to behaviors favoring conservation. Likewise, dissatisfaction regarding social well-being, access to natural resources and management generate behaviors that negatively affect the SP about the conservation role of protected areas. Managers must consider community participation to promote behaviors linked to compliance with regulations in favor of protected areas.
... These studies were dominated by quantitative approaches, with participants asked to provide data to calculate preestablished criteria and indicators. In general, the selected criteria were derived from major international frameworks or standardized methods, such as the ecosystem services framework (Boafo et al. 2014;Palacios-Agundez et al. 2015;Bachi et al. 2021;), livelihood studies (Baral and Heinen 2007;Sharma et al. 2016;Chakraborty et al. 2018), farm typology (Gullino et al. 2018;Vaca et al. 2019) or monetary valuation methods (Fischer 2005). ...
Context
In line with inter- and transdisciplinary approaches promoted in Sustainability Science, Participatory Landscape Sustainability Assessments (PLSA) are developing at a rapid pace. PLSA approaches share with other assessments the aim of standardizing observations, while sharing with participatory processes place-based and context-specific viewpoints from diverse stakeholders.
Objective
This literature review presents different PLSA approaches identified in studies, and argues that the lack of a coherent framework and poor substantive theorization can limit the development of PLSA research.
Methods
The study involved a systematic literature review on a corpus of 425 publications, combining bibliographic mapping on the full corpus and a content analysis of a sub-corpus of 138 full texts.
Results
The review of the literature showed that (i) PLSA studies lie at the intersection of ecology, landscape planning and sociocultural approaches, (ii) PLSA indicators evaluate on average 4.7 categories of sustainability, but most are applied at a local level and provide a snapshot of a situation, (iii) stakeholders tend not to be involved in the choice of indicators (only 28.9% of studies) and even more rarely in assessment design (7.2%). When stakeholders are included, they are usually only asked to populate preidentified indicators (63.9%). (iv) Diverse viewpoints are taken into consideration mainly by using indicators (67.3%) rather than by promoting discussion (39.8%). Three types of PLSA study can be differentiated: the participation-oriented approach, the contributive approach (rooted in positivism) and the collaborative approach (rooted in constructivism).
Conclusion
We advocate that future PLSA studies pay more attention to consistency between their objectives, the methods they employ, and the theoretical grounding they enlist. This might help to avoid confusion about different participatory approaches and to understand their respective contributions to Landscape Sustainability Science.
... As Wondirada & Ewnetub (2019) note, the central thesis of stakeholder theory is that for tourism to be used to achieve sustainable development, an equitable balance of power is required between all stakeholders such that social equality, economic balance and ecological integrity can be achieved in a target destination. From this perspective, residents should not only have the opportunity to voice their opinions but must also participate in tourism development planning and decision-making (Baral & Heinen, 2007; Wondirada & Ewnetub, 2019). ...
Pollution-free rivers with protected riverbanks offer considerable scope for tourism development. In recent decades there has been increasing interest in rivers as a tourism resource. Globally, the demand for river cruising and water sports has grown rapidly as has the development of riverbanks for tourism purposes including accommodation, restaurants, and shopping. However, the role of local communities attitudes and perceptions in the development of river tourism is crucial to developing a successful tourism resource. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of local residents regarding the development of river tourism on the Petagas River, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 79 residents of river communities to explore their perceptions of river tourism development on the Petagas River, assess their views on their likely participation in river tourism, and identify problems they thought might inhibit tourism development. The results show that while respondents were generally supportive of tourism development, they did recognise the need for river ecosystem restoration and the need to change many of the ways they currently use the river.
... There have been fewer sylvatic cases of rabies reported in Nepal since proper surveillance systems for wildlife have not been yet set up. However, we cannot neglect the fact that the protected areas can also be risk factors for occurrences of rabies with significant settlements of people and their livestock around these protected areas and buffer zones (Baral and Heinen, 2007;Allendorf, 2010). ...
Rabies is an important zoonosis in both the public and animal health domains. The occurrences of animal rabies have been continuously reported in Nepal. For the effective control and management of animal rabies, a better understanding of rabies epidemiology is essential. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the spatial distribution and to describe the epidemiological characteristics of animal rabies occurrences in Nepal. Official reports of rabies occurrences from 2005 to 2018 were analyzed using the Global Moran's Index and Local Moran's Index. The study revealed an increasing trend in the later years of the study period after 2014 with occurrences clustered around the southern region of the country. For the overall period, the high-high clustering areas were mostly found in Dailekh and Kailali. In addition, different areas were visualized as high-risk areas in various years. This study identified the high-risk areas of rabies; thus, authorities and stakeholders can utilize this finding in enhancing the rabies control program in the country.
