The influence of protected area outreach on conservation attitudes and resource use patterns: a case study from western Tanzania

Abstract

This case study investigates the conservation attitudes of two ethnic groups, horticulturalist Pimbwe and agropastoralist Sukuma, living around Katavi National Park (KNP) in western Tanzania, East Africa. Specifically, interest in degazetting KNP was examined (as a reflection of attitude towards the Park) relative to type and extent of KNP outreach, wildlife-related problems, household wealth and residency status. Reported attitudes were then related to fuelwood extraction patterns. Attitudinal surveys showed that a lack of KNP outreach (i.e. village-level services and visits by KNP staff) and increased land wealth and shorter residency time were associated with increased interest in seeing KNP degazetted. However, after controlling for ethnicity only recognition of village-level Park services was still associated with positive attitudes towards KNP. People recognizing KNP services also demonstrated more ecologically sustainable wood extraction methods. These results suggest that while attitudinal studies seem to be a logical step towards making informed decisions about the effectiveness of protected area outreach, relating such outreach to behavioural changes in resource use through attitudinal assessment is a greater challenge, requiring a clear understanding of the relative influence of socioeconomic and cultural factors.