A Perception-Based Assessment of Buffer Zone Programs’ Contribution to Integrated Conservation and Development: Evidence from Protected Areas in Nepal

Abstract

Protected areas (PA) often adopt buffer zone program to share PA benefit with local people and improve community support for conservation. However, the effectiveness of such policies is still unknown. By utilizing household survey data from six PAs (n = 2,121), we assessed contribution of Nepal’s Buffer Zone Program in conservation and sustainable development. While the residents showed limited knowledge about the program’s specific details and perceived that the funds were too minimal to have a substantial development impact, those who were aware valued the program. Perceived effect was greater on increasing conservation awareness and improving park-people relationships than reducing human-wildlife conflict or funding development projects. Trust, satisfaction, and perception of the program’s contribution varied significantly relative to proximity to PA, history of wildlife damage, PA income, minority status, gender and education. Effectiveness of such programs may be enhanced by investing the fund in mitigating wildlife damage than funding development projects.

Keywords:

• Benefit sharing
• human-wildlife conflict
• ICDP
• national park
• park revenue

Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal, for allowing us to conduct this study and the Chief Wardens of the protected areas (Hari Bhadra Acharya, CNP; Bishnu Prasad Shrestha, BNP; Pramod Bhattarai, LNP; Badri Vinod Dahal, RNP; Bhumiraj Upadhyaya, SNP; and Ramesh Yadav, KTWR) for their cooperation during the fieldwork. Authors acknowledge the assistance of Dipak Oli, Khagendra KC, Shisir Ghimire, Amit Adhikari, Sachin Timilsina, Sandip Mahara, Dhiraj Bhatta, Govinda Raj Bhatta, Samir Rawal, Ashmit Neupane and Amit Chaudhary of the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal during the fieldwork at various protected areas.

Additional information

Funding

Authors are grateful to the Fulbright Commission Nepal, WWF Nepal, and the University of Tennessee for funding support to complete this study.