Photo by Kamal Thapa
local people, nature-based tourism and protected areas in nepal
The importance of protected areas (PAs) for biodiversity conservation is widely accepted through international policies such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Besides biodiversity conservation, protected areas also support the achievement of sustainable development goals by yielding various goods and services that are of social, economic and environmental value. However, the presence of PAs also provides costs to human society, such as crop raiding, livestock depredation, loss of access to natural resources, loss of human lives and injuries and displacement from wildlife and protected areas. Further, PAs are growing destination of nature-based tourism that provide opportunity for recreation, enjoyment of scenery, wildlife viewing and cultural experiences.
The relationship between local people, nature-based tourism and protected area is complex and provide support to each other. This study aims to better understand this relationship and evaluate the benefits and costs from protected areas and tourism from the local people perspective. This study uses case study approach in two protected areas situated at different geographical region in Nepal, one in the high Himalayas and the other in lowland. This project aims to answer the following research questions:
1). What are current trends in costs and benefits of nature-based tourism in PAs worldwide?
2). What are the socio-economic costs and benefits (and their distribution) generated by PAs?
3) Are the PA socio-economic costs and benefits distributed equitably among local people?
4) What are the benefits from nature-based tourism and their distribution in PAs?
6) What is the local perception towards protected areas and tourism?
7). What factors influence the perceptions/attitudes of local people towards PAs?
Project Leader PhD Student Kamal Thapa
Supervisors: A/Prof Amy Diedrich, A/Prof David King
Funding: JCU GPRS & Rufford Foundation