Protected areas, household environmental incomes and well-being in the Greater Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem

Carsten Smith-Hall,Xi Jiao,Solomon Zena Walelign,Martin Reinhardt Nielsen

doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2019.101948

Carsten Smith-Hall, Xi Jiao + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.101948

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Abstract

Protected areas are an important cornerstone in the attempt to halt habitat and species losses. While it is widely recognized that local communities impact on conservation outcomes, there is a limited understanding of the economic importance of environmental resources in protected areas to local household incomes and well-being. This inhibits the development and implementation of efficient conservation policies. This paper, using the iconic case of the Greater Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem and its surrounding local communities in Tanzania and Kenya, quantifies the household-level economic importance of this protected area. Data was collected using well-being and environmentally augmented structured household surveys administered to 985 randomly selected households in 25 communities. Results documented high reliance on environmental income of the poorest, a negative relationship between environmental reliance and well-being, with households closer to the protected area having higher environmental reliance and lower well-being. Hence, degradation of protected area habitats will negatively and disproportionately affect the income and may further reduce the well-being of the poorest households. Sustainable protected area management must address human well-being as well as conservation objectives. Increasing access to education and building skills to promote alternative non-environmental based livelihood activities will promote both conservation and development objectives.

Highlights

Protected areas are designed to conserve natural habitats and species, by imposing restrictions on human activities
While it is widely recognized that local communities impact on conservation outcomes, there is a limited understanding of the economic importance of environmental resources in protected areas to local household incomes and well-being
We focus on incomes as the outcome of assets and capabilities, drawing on the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, and Millennium Ecosystem Assessment work on human well-being to guide our empirical data collection and analysis

Summary

Introduction

Protected areas are designed to conserve natural habitats and species, by imposing restrictions on human activities. Protected areas are often subject to mounting pressure from nearby communities, especially in low income countries in locations where household income partially relies on resources within protected areas leading to conflicts between conservation and development (Chao et al, 2018; Hampson et al, 2015; Knapp et al, 2015; Wittemyer et al, 2008). This suggests that conservation in protected areas can benefit from an improved understanding of the compositions of local incomes and the determinants of well-being (MA, 2005; Wells and McShane, 2004), in particular in relation to the harvest of environmental products. Quantification of the economic importance of environmental products to households living in and around protected areas is sparse (Chao et al, 2018; Kalaba et al, 2013; Rayamajhi et al, 2012; Silvestri et al, 2013; Summers et al, 2012; Wenny et al, 2011), with few a studies reporting high environmental reliance in the vicinity of protected area

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