Local participation in the management of protected areas: legitimate claims and unfulfilled promises: a case study of Wadi El Gemal Protected Area in Egypt

Abstract

In Egypt, there has been an increasing recognition that the establishment of protected areas (PAs) alone cannot safeguard perpetuation of biodiversity, and local community participation is a viable strategy for reducing local costs of PAs, while improving their management performance. Here, the emphasis is on the local community perceptions of the practices and challenges of grassroots community participation in the management process of Wadi El Gemal Protected Area (WGPA), which is inhabited by the local community of Ababda tribe and heavily relies on the natural resources for their livelihood. The study revealed that the current participatory approach in the WGPA resembles in many aspects manipulative and passive-receptive participation, where people are involved by being told what is going to happen or what has already happened. This type of local participation in the WGPA does not identify local communities as managers and decision makers, rather as law abiders and in best cases as passive consultees.