National Park Management Research Articles

"Evaluating Community Perception of Forest Conservation Policies and Impact on Land Cover Change Towards Sustainable Management of Mount Cameroon National Park"

"Evaluating Community Perception of Forest Conservation Policies and Impact on Land Cover Change Towards Sustainable Management of Mount Cameroon National Park"

Community Perspectives in Developing Bat-Cave Tourism in Leang Londrong, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park: Comparing The Locals & Tourists

Maros-Pangkep karst formation in South Sulawesi is one of the largest karst environments in the world. One cave located in the area is Leang Londrong and is a part of the management of Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. The Leang Londrong area is known as tourism spot with water-based tourism as the main attraction and it is also known as the main ecosystem service provider in particular as water sources for many areas. This cave is inhabited by some species of bats. Even now the area is designated for water-based tourism, other potential tourism object such bats roosting inside the cave for tourism development has not been explored. Therefore, this study attempts to examine the perception of local community and tourists visiting the area towards nature, cave, bats and its conservation, as well as cave-bats tourism development. The study was conducted between January-April 2022 by distributing questionnaires to 86 respondents consisted of local community, tourists, and government’s representatives. The results indicated that in general the respondents had limited knowledge on nature, cave, bats and its conservation. In particular with bats, the majority of the respondents have not yet been familiar with bats, understood the roles of bats for the environment, and tended to ignore the existence of bats. However, in relation with nature and conservation, bat conservation, and the development of cave and bat tourism in Leang Londrong, all respondents from the tourist’s side agreed to support (>85%) and for the locals, the number was even higher (>90%). Therefore, from the perspectives of local community and tourists, the chance in developing cave and bat tourism in Leang Londrong can be considered possible.

Potensi Pewarna Alami Sebagai Pemanfaatan Hasil Alam Taman Nasional Bukit Baka Bukit Raya

The management of National Parks which have special regulations means that village communities around the area have limitations in utilizing the potential of the forests around where they live, as a result, conflicts often occur between village communities and National Park managers. It is necessary to find a solution to utilize a more diverse range of forest products without having to violate the rules for managing national parks. One of the non-timber forest products that has quite high potential for improving the economic level of society is natural dyes that can be extracted from various kinds of resources in the forest. Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park has very abundant natural resources so efforts are needed to utilize these natural resources sustainably. For this reason, the PKM Forestry team, in collaboration with the TNBBBR management, carries out outreach on the potential of natural dyes as a use of natural products based on regional potential in improving the economy of the community of Belaban Ella Village, Belaban Resort, Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park. It is hoped that this outreach can increase the community's capacity to utilize forest products that are environmentally friendly and of course have high economic value. This outreach can change people's mindset to start exploiting the potential that exists in the forest in an environmentally sustainable way.

Field estimation of fallen deadwood volume under different management approaches in two European protected forested areas

Abstract Fallen deadwood is essential for biodiversity and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. In modern forest management, there is growing interest in developing accurate and efficient methods for field estimation of deadwood volume due to its many benefits (e.g. carbon storage, habitat creation, erosion control). The most common methods for deadwood inventories are fixed-area sampling (FAS) and line-intersect sampling (LIS) methods. While the estimations of deadwood volume by LIS generally show results comparable to FAS estimations, active management (e.g. production forestry clearcutting, logging, and thinning activities) can impair LIS accuracy by changing local deadwood patterns. Yet, the comparison of LIS and FAS methods has typically focused on production forests where deadwood is limited and deadwood volumes are comparably low. In this study, we assessed fallen deadwood volume in two large national parks—one being a more actively managed landscape (including, e.g., selective thinning for maintaining cultural–historical values and enhancing recreational opportunities) with overall lower levels of fallen deadwood, and the other having a strict non-intervention approach with higher levels of deadwood. No significant differences between average FAS and LIS estimations of deadwood volumes were detected. Additional experimentations using simulated data under varied stand conditions confirmed these results. Although line-intersect sampling showed a slight overestimation and some variability at the individual plot level, it remains an efficient, time-saving field sampling method providing comparable results to the more laborious fixed-area sampling. Line-intersect sampling may be especially suitable for rapid field inventories where relative changes in deadwood volume rather than absolute deadwood volumes are of large interest. Due to its practicality, flexibility, and relative accuracy, line-intersect sampling may gain wider use in natural resource management to inform national park managers, foresters, and ecologists.

MANGROVE FOREST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IN BEDUL, BANYUWANGI: COLLABORATION BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND ALAS PURWO NATIONAL PARK FOR SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT

This study aimed to: (1) identify the condition of the Bedul Banyuwangi mangrove forest area for sustainable ecotourism; (2) evaluate the fitness of the Bedul Banyuwangi mangrove forest for sustainable ecotourism; (3) evaluate collaboration between the community and the management of Alas Purwo National Park in conserving Bedul mangrove forest areas; and (4) design a management strategy for the Bedul mangrove forest for developing sustainable ecotourism. This research is a descriptive analytic study with a survey technique constructed using a remote sensing approach and a Geographic Information System (GIS). Landsat and Quickbird satellite imagery are used to identify temporal changes in mangrove forests and temperature over the last decade. Quickbird remote sensing data are used to evaluate the current land use associated with community activities in mangrove areas and government policies related to the presence of mangrove forests. The results showed that: 1) the condition of the Bedul Banyuwangi mangrove area from 1995-2022 was in a stable state. ; 2) the fitness of the Bedul Banyuwangi mangrove forest for sustainable ecotourism is included in the S2 category or following with the Bedul mangrove ecotourism fitness index; 3) the collaborative management of the Bedul mangrove ecotourism between the community (fishing community, local government) and the management of Alas Purwo National Park is continuing good to maintain the condition of the mangroves and provide economic benefits to the community in a sustainable manner; 4) the management strategy implemented is to maintain the quality and quantity of Bedul mangroves and supporting facilities in a sustainable manner. This research can be used as a reference for future research into sustainable ecotourism, as well as for the government to create policies that support sustainable ecotourism.

Implementation of conservation partnership to improving the role of local community in the management of Mount Rinjani National Park, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Implementation of conservation partnership to improving the role of local community in the management of Mount Rinjani National Park, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Explorations of preferred and maximum booking windows among U.S. national park campers: Implications for improved fairness

The purpose of this research note is to inform national park management regarding the strategies in rationing campsites in popular U.S. national park campgrounds and provide data-driven guidance for the design of more fair and equitable methods for distributing limited, highly demanded campsites. To explore preferences in campsite rationing techniques and preferred and maximum campsite booking windows, we collected survey data among randomly sampled onsite visitors in Grand Canyon National Park at scenic viewpoints and Mather Campground in 2023. The rationing technique with the highest level of positive support was advance reservation, followed by a combination of time frames for booking window (e.g., 6-month, 2- month, and 2-week) and a combination of rationing techniques (e.g., advance reservation and first-come, first-serve). Concerning fairness and equity, we found that respondents in higher annual household income groups had a longer maximum booking window, on average, than those in lower income groups. Thus, we discuss the merits of offering a diversity of booking windows to meet the needs of multiple groups, each with constrained booking horizons.

A framework for functional zoning of national parks based on biocultural diversity assessment

Reasonable zoning is essential for maintaining the integrity and stability of natural ecosystems and achieving multi-goal management of national parks, and can facilitate efficient management and protection of various resources. Biocultural diversity is an important result and outstanding representation of human-land relationships, directly affecting the resilience of socio-ecological systems. Taking Kunlun Mountains National Park in Qinghai Province (KMNP) as an example, we transformed the dualistic conservation model of biology and culture, and the Coupling Coordination Degree Model (CCDM) was used to establish a technical framework for the functional zoning of national parks based on the collaborative protection of biological diversity and cultural diversity. The research results indicated that biocultural diversity and its coupling relationship of KMNP are relatively good, with high coupling areas mainly dominated by cultural diversity and low coupling areas mainly by biological diversity. The research suggests that KMNP should be divided into 4 functional zones: strict protection area, ecological conservation area, traditional utilization area, and comprehensive development area. These findings provide references for the planning and construction of national parks and reserves around the world, to unleash their transformative potential in addressing global biodiversity loss.

Using IUCN Best Practice Principles to Evaluate National Park Management: A Zambia Case Study

Over the last three decades, a series of best practice principles have been advanced by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to guide national park management policy and practice. This study investigates how these best practice principles have informed the management of Zambia’s national parks. We performed qualitative and quantitative thematic content analysis on 23 park management documents and found that, for the most part, the reported performance of Zambia’s national parks is not well aligned with IUCN best practice principles. We argue that improved alignment with IUCN principles can provide a realistic and positive foundation to increase opportunities for national parks to meet their local and international conservation goals. Improved data collection, along with meaningful public access to information will enhance decision making and public participation in national park management. Strengthened public participation will ensure consideration of multiple perspectives and adoption of processes that enable national park authorities to address conservation challenges that span socio-ecological boundaries. Improved capacity building will provide the necessary technical skills and knowledge to ensure effective coordination and implementation. The results show that park management plans are duly submitted with little expectation of implementing them. More often than not, performance reality does not match policy rhetoric. The study highlights the urgent need for national park management to articulate clear goals and action steps with mechanisms to implement them.

Effectiveness of Non-Geotagged Social Media Data for Monitoring Visitor Experience in a National Park in Japan

In the pursuit of sustainable national park management, park managers need to understand the interests and activities of their diverse visitors in order to conserve the natural environment and offer a better visitor experience. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of using non-geotagged social media data from posts by park visitors for park management in comparison with geotagged data, which has been studied more extensively. We compared (1) visitors’ sociodemographic characteristics between geotagged and non-geotagged social media users through an onsite survey in Nikko National Park, Japan, and (2) the content of geotagged and non-geotagged photos shared within the study area on X (formerly Twitter). Our results showed that visitors in their 30s and 40s and foreign visitors had a greater tendency to use geotags. Non-geotagged photos more frequently and deeply capture nature-based activities and interests, including activities on trails, such as mountain climbing and hiking, and an interest in diverse animals and plants and landscapes that are less accessible. These findings indicate that non-geotagged social media data may have less age and nationality bias and advantages over the more widely-used geotagged data in capturing various nature-based experiences offered by national parks. Leveraging both geotagged and non-geotagged data can enable park managers to implement sustainable practices catering to a broader range of visitor interests and activities, contributing to the overarching goal of sustaining the natural environment while also enriching the visitor experience within national parks.

The Impact of Different Value Types on Environmentally Responsible Behavior: An Empirical Study from Residents of National Park Communities in China

The construction of China’s national park system is an important part of the ecological civilization development strategy, and the behavior of the subjects in the national park has a great impact on its sustainable development. Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) is considered an important aspect of national park management, and the impact of an individual’s held value on environmental behavior has received much attention. However, the assigned value (AV) of community residents in national park-specific situations has not been concerned, which is often closely related to resident behavior within national park. Therefore, we took the residents of four gateway communities (Qixi town, Hetian town, Changhong town, and Suzhuang town) in Qianjiangyuan national park (QNP), Zhejiang province as research subjects. Based on the value-belief-norm (VBN) model representing individual values, this study integrates the perceived social value of ecosystem services in the national park among community residents and analyzes their impact on ERB. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0, and the structural model was validated using SmartPLS based on Partial Least Squares Regression. The research findings revealed that (1) the assigned value has a significant positive influence on the environmentally responsible behavior of community residents; (2) pro-environment personal norms are the strongest predictive variable of environmentally responsible behavior; and (3) biosphere value, altruistic value and personal norms have significant positive influence on the formation of the assigned value of community residents.

Dysfunctional tourism behaviors in national parks: An exploration of causes, typologies, and consequences in the case of Saharan tourism

This study explores a seldom explored area of inappropriate tourist behavior in African national parks in the Sahara through a case study to support the management and promotion of tourism activities. Using the critical incident technique, 09 frontline employees of the Tassili N'ajjer National Park in Algeria were interviewed to identify tourist behavior that deviates from generally accepted social norms. Based on the survey results, a theoretical framework consisting of seven causes, nine categories of inappropriate behaviors, and three consequence dimensions was constructed. This theoretical framework provides elements for critical discussion of the sustainability of tourism in national parks, as well as a basis for further research. The results also enrich the literature on the subject and provide a basis for the study of North-South tourism dynamics. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed. Managerial implicationsThis research study significantly enhances the strategies employed in the management of national parks and protected areas in several ways. Identifying incentives for Jaycustomer behaviorPoor enforcement of regulations, lack of supervision, low prices, lack of knowledge, ambiguity of experience, egocentricity (common tragedy), anonymity and ethnocentrism are the underlying motivations for inappropriate tourist behavior. Expanded Understanding of Jaycustomer BehaviorIn addition to the categories of jaycustomer behavior identified in previous studies, this research unveils tourist behaviors that have been rarely documented in the literature. These include disengagement, dishonesty, pollution, noise, and waste. Influential Situational FactorsThe study finds that the perceived legitimacy of regulations and the level of supervision are the most influential situational factors affecting jaycustomer behavior. The necessary actions include the need for solid regulation, enforced through vigilant control measures and sanctions, and the improvement of guide performance through staff education and training. Impact of Poor Assimilation and Lack of InformationThe research highlights that poor assimilation of park regulations and a lack of information about them exacerbate cognitive biases in judgment formation, shedding light on the importance of effective communication and education strategies.

The Perception of Stakeholders on the Forest Ecosystem Services: National Parks in China and Canada

The stakeholders’ perceptions of forest ecosystem services (FESs) vary among different stakeholder groups. This study, using China’s Shennongjia National Park Pilot (SNP) and Canada’s Banff National Park (BNP) as case studies, identifies and evaluates the preference characteristics of key stakeholders (including farmers, individual operators, government officials, and tourists) toward various FESs. We utilized Q-methodology and semistructured interviews to conduct a sorting of 23 Q-statements regarding FESs, across 7 categories (ranging from −3 to +3), with 24 Q-participants. Stakeholders’ preferences toward FESs were categorized into 3 common perspectives: tourism and culture, production and livelihood, and ecological conservation. Different types of stakeholders hold both consensus and divergence regarding their views on FESs. For instance, there was strong consensus on services related to “natural ecotourism and biodiversity conservation”, while stakeholders expressed strong opposition regarding services related to “forest protection”. Furthermore, stakeholders elucidated the reasons behind their preferences for different types of FESs. Overall, our study indicates that besides considering the services provided by forests themselves, policymakers also need to pay attention to the preferences and divergences in needs among stakeholders of national parks. This ensures a more comprehensive fulfillment of diverse societal needs and facilitates the formulation of more effective policies to promote the sustainable management and conservation of national parks.

Research on the Construction of Cultural Parks in the Jing-Jin-Ji Region Based on Foreign Models: A Study on the Development of Ice and Snow Tourism Routes

National cultural park is an innovative initiative for the protection and development of natural and cultural heritage resources in the new era, reflecting the core strategy of cultural heritage protection and development of representative cultural resources. It is not only an important carrier for the protection of natural and cultural heritage, but also a new model for promoting the development of cultural industry. Based on their own national conditions and experiences, countries have developed distinctive national park management models, including the native recreation value orientation of the United States, the sustainable club economy of Europe, the public supremacy of private ownership of land in the United Kingdom, and the synergistic community-neighborhood development of developing countries in Asia and Africa. In view of the heritage resources brought by the Beijing Winter Olympics, this study explores the idea of ice and snow tourism routes centered on Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, and proposes the principles of sustainable development, mutual benefit and symbiosis, and public supremacy, which is committed to constructing a development model integrating culture, tourism and ecology.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Tengger Tribe and its Influencing Factors in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park

An understanding of the local traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of a region is crucial to understand the interactions between indigenous societies and their ecosystems. To understand the TEK of Indonesian indigenous people and its influencing factors, we evaluated the Tengger people’s knowledge and conservation awareness regarding culturally important plants (Javanese edelweiss). We interviewed 641 people from seven Tengger villages located adjacent to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (BTS), Indonesia. We developed 31 models to examine factors affecting edelweiss knowledge and calculated the Akaike information criterion values to select the best model. Sex, education, and residency duration were significant predictors of edelweiss knowledge. Men, individuals with higher levels of education, and those who had lived in the area for a longer period of time had higher levels of edelweiss knowledge. Our findings confirm that communication within the community and external information sources, such as media and formal education, are involved in knowledge transmission related to edelweiss. Educational activities for local people can be used to disseminate TEK through formal education in schools and informal education programs conducted by the national park managers.

Comparative Evaluation of Community Participation in Ecotourism Development in Borgu and Zurguma Sector of Kainji Lake National Park, Niger State, Nigeria

Generally, the problems associated with national park management in Nigeria include loss of wildlife habitats, poaching, overhunting, and illegal logging and grazing. Hence, the objective of this study is to evaluate the numerous challenges facing National Park Management in Nigeria using the Kainji Lake National Park as a case study using personal interview and administration of structural questionnaire to select one hundred and ninety four (194) respondents from the total population and data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of demographic characteristics of respondents sampled indicates that the male respondents were dominant (75.7%) and majority of the 51.4% of the sampled populations’ falls between age group 35-44 years. The finding further revealed that majority of the respondents was married (71.0%). 59.8% of the respondents had tertiary education while 40.2% had secondary education. Also, majority of the respondents are Muslims (71.0%) while 29.0 are Christian. Majority of the respondents (52.3%) had worked between 11-20 years while ≥21 are the least with 17.8%. The major challenges confronting Kainji Lake National Park as identified by the park staffs are insufficient fund and lack/shortage of manpower.The effects of these challenges on Wildlife management are reduction in management practices, makes work difficult and reduction in wildlife population. The measures taken in managing the identified challenges in the study area are provision of incentives/bonus to the staff, adequate funding, provision of modern equipment and facilities etc. The study therefore concludes that for effective conservation of biodiversity to be achieved in this premier national park of Nigeria, the identified challenges must be addressed.

Challenges Facing National Park Management: A Case Study of Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria

Generally, the problems associated with national park management in Nigeria include loss of wildlife habitats, poaching, overhunting, and illegal logging and grazing. Hence, the objective of this study is to evaluate the numerous challenges facing National Park Management in Nigeria using the Kainji Lake National Park as a case study using personal interview and administration of structural questionnaire to select one hundred and ninety four (194) respondents from the total population and data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of demographic characteristics of respondents sampled indicates that the male respondents were dominant (75.7%) and majority of the 51.4% of the sampled populations’ falls between age group 35-44 years. The finding further revealed that majority of the respondents was married (71.0%). 59.8% of the respondents had tertiary education while 40.2% had secondary education. Also, majority of the respondents are Muslims (71.0%) while 29.0 are Christian. Majority of the respondents (52.3%) had worked between 11-20 years while ≥21 are the least with 17.8%. The major challenges confronting Kainji Lake National Park as identified by the park staffs are insufficient fund and lack/shortage of manpower.The effects of these challenges on Wildlife management are reduction in management practices, makes work difficult and reduction in wildlife population. The measures taken in managing the identified challenges in the study area are provision of incentives/bonus to the staff, adequate funding, provision of modern equipment and facilities etc. The study therefore concludes that for effective conservation of biodiversity to be achieved in this premier national park of Nigeria, the identified challenges must be addressed.

Integrative model of conservation partnership in the context of community empowerment and ecosystem restoration in Baluran Situbondo National Park, East Java

Baluran National Park is a nature conservation area that has an original ecosystem managed with a zoning system that is used for research, science, education, supporting cultivation, tourism and recreation. Although Baluran National Park is used in accordance with laws and regulations, it is not free from problems. The problems faced are among others related to spatial planning ( zoning) of national parks, especially those related to special zoning, animal hunting, illegal logging, maximizing community involvement in national park management, regulations related to national parks. Problems can stem from the weak synergy of national park management carried out by the government and the community, resulting in conflicts related to the management of Baluran national park. Conflicts that occur in Baluran national park do not only involve the community around the national park, but if other parties are related to collaborative management of the national park itself. This research is needed to photograph and analyze the integrated model of conservation partnerships carried out by Baluran national park as one of the efforts to handle tenure conflicts and provide access for communities around the national park, in order to establish synergy in the empowerment of national parks, communities and the sustainability of Baluran national park. In addition, how the regulations that have been established can be the basis for implementing the use of Baluran national park to achieve the set goals.

Response of grassland birds to management in national battlefield parks

AbstractGrassland birds are in steep decline, with population declines reported in 74% of North American grassland species in the past 50 years. Declines are particularly severe in the eastern United States where they are influenced by habitat loss and alteration due to urbanization, forest regrowth, and agricultural intensification. The United States National Park Service maintains civil war battlefields in the eastern United States as historical and cultural parks that may also provide habitat refuge for grassland birds within an increasingly urbanized matrix. To assess the conservation importance of battlefield parks and the role of park management in sustaining grassland birds, we surveyed for 2 declining grassland‐breeding species, eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) and grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), at 242 points across 4 battlefield parks in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, USA, from 2014–2019 and in 2021. We modeled the effects of park management activities (prescribed fire, agricultural leases, and delayed harvest) and habitat and landscape characteristics on breeding‐season occupancy. There was support for the influence of local habitat features, landscape, and management. Breeding‐season occupancy of both species was consistently higher in hayfields and pasture than in row crops, and both species responded positively to hay and crop harvest delays intended for grassland bird conservation. Prescribed fire within the past 2 years had a positive effect on occupancy of grasshopper sparrows but did not influence eastern meadowlarks. Eastern meadowlarks responded to land cover at multiple spatial scales that are influenced by land use within and outside the parks. Management activities that maintain the parks' cultural goals, including partnerships between national parks and private agricultural operators, are likely to provide valuable habitat for these 2 obligate grassland birds.

Farmer’s Readiness to Buy, Adopt and Participate in Growing Buffer Crops to Mitigate wild Animal Damage on Crops around Kibale National Park, Western Uganda

Farmers participation in growing buffer crops can act as a strategy to mitigate crop damage by wild animals. Some 56.53% of the farmers that participated in growing of buffer crops were sensitized about which type of buffer crop to grow, their economic and social values guided by appropriate agricultural policies. Farmers' knowledge of buffer crops to grow, and the choice of the buffer crop to be grown versus the type of crop-damaging wildlife species they deter are essential components of crop farmers' participation. More men (50.6%) were ready to adopt buffer crops compared to 31.7% who were women. Farmers owning crop gardens in <500 metres were ready to adopt and plant buffer crops at (70.4%), buy them at 45.06% to mitigate crop damage by wild animals. The major source of buffer crop planting materials was Local Government at (77%). Some 19.2% of the farmers who were not growing buffer crops proposed that Uganda Wildlife Authority through Kibale National Park management should support communities in ecotourism and apiary as alternatives to mitigate crop damage by wild animals. The study proposes sensitization of farmers about the value of buffer crops as means to increase farmer’s readiness to buy, adopt and participate in growing buffer crops to mitigate wild animal damage on crops around Kibale National Park.