Abstract
The management of natural resources has become a crucial agenda item at the community level of every country, due to the importance of a community’s direct involvement in the stewardship of these resources. The sustainable management of natural resources is not easy without the involvement of the community. To know the attitudes of residents in the communities in close proximity to Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) towards natural resource sustainable management policy, a study of CKNP in northern Pakistan was conducted. This is the first community study for this park. It is difficult to overstate the economic and geographic importance of this national resource to the Pakistani people at local and national levels, as well as at the international level. This is the world’s highest public park; as a natural resource it is not only important to the local community, it also has great relevance internationally. The study attempted to gauge the attitudes of the local community towards the sustainable management practices of CKNP. The results of this study showed generally positive attitudes towards the park. The majority of respondents revealed that the park’s primary appeal is its geographic location. Households were afraid that pollution in the park will gradually destroy the park’s natural resources. For sustainable management of the CKNP, community members expressed willingness to contribute to the betterment of park through volunteerism. Community members praised the government’s supportive actions, including budgetary support and public-awareness campaigns. As such, the positive attitude of the community towards the CKNP also revealed new insights for the community-centered sustainable management of natural resources in developing countries. This study also provides a research gap for future work relating to the sustainable management of community-based natural resources to consider more factors beside the factors used in this study.
Highlights
Natural resource-rich communities are uniquely situated at the intersection of human society and the environment
This study concludes that the attitude of the community towards sustainable management of CKNP is generally positive; this is important for the local community but it has a significant importance for the international community
The general benefits of CKNP, as identified by the local community, include: a livelihood for members of the community (40%), tourism (24.8%), a water supply (15%), and a natural environment for animals and plants (12.2%)
Summary
Natural resource-rich communities are uniquely situated at the intersection of human society and the environment. Due to the need for deep involvement of communities in natural resource management, theory and practice relating to the interactions of human society and natural resources have become widespread. The literature related to community involvement in natural resource management is abundant. Specific findings and disclosures relating to community and natural resource management across disciplinary lineages and development contexts are largely limited because of the diverse perspectives and interests involved in the study of community and natural resources. This study focused on discovering the practices and frameworks towards community and natural resource sustainable management in a developing country [1] and is unique in that respect. This study provided insights in the interrelationships of society, natural resources, and sustainability at the community level
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