Parks and people

Abstract

This paper examines the forms of management of national parks in developing countries. Conscious of the current rate of deforestation, many developing countries are transforming much of their remaining forests into strictly protected areas such as national parks. The implications of this process for the survival imperatives of local people and the sustainable management of forests are discussed. Using case studies in Thailand and Madagascar, this paper demonstrates that the expansion of protected area networks has generally resulted in an increasing displacement of people and a disruption of their livelihoods, frequently accompanied by higher rates of deforestation. Since most protected areas are established for "conservation" purposes rather than for "sustained use", the "social benefits" occurring at the local level have tended to be exiguous. In recent years, although a growing number of plans for the implementation of parks aim to promote rural development activities, field observation suggests that these measures are introduced primarily to reduce tensions rather than to provide sustainable livelihood alternatives. There is an apparent lack of participation by the local people in the planning, management and benefit-sharing of national parks. This paper suggests that the present form of management of national parks results in greater "bureaucratic control" of forests, combined with the socio-economic decline for many social groups, rural dissension and, often, further environmental deterioration. Introduction