Attitudes towards and readiness to involve in protection of natural resources: the case of Gauja National Park inhabitants

Abstract

The protection of natural resources during an ongoing climate crisis can be viewed not only as a precondition for natural ecosystems but for social and economic ecosystems as well. At the same time, localization of natural resource protection within rural development issues includes the involvement of local inhabitants both in terms of attitude and practical involvement as an important precondition for sustainable regional development. Based on quantitative data gathered from the project "Ready for change? “Sustainable management of common natural resources” this article aims to reveal attitudes towards protection and readiness to involve in the protection of natural resources of Gauja National Park inhabitants. Data from a representative quantitative survey reveal that local inhabitants of Gauja National Park have high expected responsibility from various actors for the preservation and protection of natural resources. Expected responsibility can also be well explained by the concept of shared responsibility. It can also be concluded that there is broad agreement on the representation of interests of local inhabitants in the Nature conservation plan regardless of civic engagement or involvement in the protection of natural resources – either operationalized as involvement intensity in various dimensions of nature protection or in embedded readiness to involve or involvement in nature protection.