IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Gurung, G.S. | |
| Reconciling biodiversity conservation priorities with livelihood needs in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal | |
| 2006 Full Book | |
In response to the challenges associated with the 'fines and fences' approach to nature protection, participatory approaches, widely known as ICDPs, have been applied in conservation since the 1980s in an attempt to reconcile conservation and livelihood interests in protected areas in Nepal and elsewhere. Nevertheless, three decades of ICDPs have yield mixed results globally. Hence, the practitioners of people-oriented conservation approaches continue to struggle to find ways and means to balance biodiversity conservation with human welfare that are ecologically sound, socially just and economically feasible. The major challenge now is to find effective and efficient operational strategies to be applied in participatory conservation based on lessons learned. This case study empirically investigates the successes and obstacles of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area project (KCAP) in addressing biodiversity conservation priorities together with the Iivelihood needs of the local inhabitants. The research examines the participatory conservation interventions, implementation strategies and processes applied by the KCAP to address nature conservation and community development needs, using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Over one hundred local inhabitants of the KCA and fifty experts involved directly in ICDPs were interviewed to achieve an enhanced understanding of the subject under investigation. The research results indicate an improvement in forest conditions in the area and a perceptible growth in wildlife numbers-judging from the increase in crop and livestock depredations-as well as the enhancement of the Iivelihoods of most of the local inhabitants and the creation of a positive attitude towards conservation among most of the local people. The results show that people-oriented conservation projects have potential to reconcile biodiversity conservation interests with the livelihood needs of local communities effectively. However, the results also indicate that this requires long-term interventions that holistically and carefully integrate community development-oriented issues into conservation strategies and are implemented transparently through local institutions with the facilitation of skilled and committed personnel, mostly from the locality. The results also show a number of emerging challenges from the project's success. These challenges are primarily related to the increasing crop and livestock depredations by wildlife, the growing expectations among the local people for further livelihood enhancement-oriented activities and the need to enhance the institutional capability of the KCA Management Council to manage and sustain conservation efforts. Factors like the country's current political instability and economic trends often affect conservation and livelihood issues more than any project intervention. Nevertheless, it is imperative to address local livelihood needs while also receiving constant external support for the conservation of endangered species. This requires a good balancing act, backed up by periodic monitoring, evaluation and research feedback for an enhanced learning process. |
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