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Management of Protected Areas: Exploring an Alternative in Gir
Abstract
Protected areas that are surrounded by a large human population within and outside the sanctuary need to be managed keeping in mind not just the ecological requirements but also the livelihood needs of local communities. While the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 does provide for people's rights within sanctuaries, policies regarding protected areas must encourage a partnership between these communities and government agencies.
... Ecotourism is a conservation-oriented approach that seeks to protect natural resources while offering economic, social, and cultural benefits to local communities ( Figure 1). It provides livelihood opportunities and supports the conservation of wildlife, bird habitats, rivers, mountains, deserts, coral reefs, and forests (Salafsky and Wollenberg, 2000;Abbot et al., 2001;Kiss, 2004;Shah, 2007;Dinca Frontiers Atchombou et al., 2023). Evidence suggests that income from tourism fosters positive attitudes toward conservation among local communities (Chen et al., 2005;Gyan and Nyaupane, 2011). ...
Effective forest management in India must address the economic needs of local communities, often displaced by restrictive policies. These marginalized local communities, despite their traditional knowledge, lack alternative income sources, necessitating integration into management or exploration of options like ecotourism. Recognized for balancing conservation and livelihood support, ecotourism offers a viable solution to enhance economic opportunities while conserving resources. This paper explores ecotourism’s potential to boost local economies and examines how current management practices and alternative livelihoods can address resource scarcity in Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary, India. The study employed a combination of qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews, surveys, on-site observations, focus group discussions, and literature reviews, along with a cross-sectional survey approach that integrated both qualitative and quantitative data collection to provide comprehensive insights. The study reveals that impoverished communities near forests, reliant on indigenous knowledge and resources, have been severely affected by forest degradation and current management practices. The findings highlight community-based ecotourism as a promising solution for sustainable income generation in the region, helping to mitigate resource degradation and support sustainable development. However, the region’s ecotourism potential is hindered by inadequate infrastructure, training & opportunities, and public awareness. Developing ecotourism as an alternative income source, alongside an inclusive forest management strategy that integrates social diversity, livelihood generation, and conservation, is essential for promoting nature conservation, reducing poverty, and enhancing the well-being of local communities. Strengthening non-agricultural livelihoods and preserving indigenous knowledge through ecotourism is crucial for effective resource management, while the study underscores the importance of community involvement in forest governance, offering valuable insights for policymakers and conservationists in developing sustainable management strategies.
... It contributes to improve the economy of remote and rural areas [4]. The aim of ecotourism is to ensure economic growth, the empowerment of society, the preservation of natural resources [1] and improve the activities of people's lives in a particular environment [10]. It was found that ecotourism can have negative sides. ...
... While economists have studied the livelihoods of communities living in and around the PAs, biologists consider 'conservation' as their domain. Like other countries, PAs in India are protected by the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) of 1972. 2 While studies (Sekhar, 1998;Shahabuddin, Kumar and Shrivastava, 2007;Dash, Behera and Rahut, 2016;Shah, 2007;Bokil, 1999;Anitha, Muraleedharan and Binilkumar, 2006;Karanth, Curran and Reuning-Scherer, 2006;Nagendra, Rocchini and Ghate, 2010;Hegde and Enters, 2000) covering the PAs in India are explanatory in nature, other studies (Chhatre and Saberwal, 2006;Mukherjee, 1996;Sarangi, 2016) have attempted to bring the human voice in exploring this relationship by following the qualitative approach. The quantitative and qualitative paradigms are distinct with respect to ontology, epistemology, axiology, rhetoric, logic, generalisations and causal linkages (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). ...
Protected areas are carved out from forestlands for the conservation of flora and fauna, and are not free from human habitation. The constant conflicts between conservationists and local communities fighting for their livelihoods have interested scholars across disciplines. Moreover, multiple stakeholders with diverse ideologies and interests have influenced decision-making on matters of the PAs. This article is an attempt to study the nuances of the mixed methods approach to facilitate conversation across multiple divides in protected areas.
... Ecotourism broadly aims at conservation of natural resources through providing economic benefit, social empowerment and cultural pride. It aims at improving livelihood activities and income which in turn will help in the conservation of natural resources (Abbot, Thomas, Gardner, Neba, & Khen, 2001;Kiss, 2004;Salafsky & Wollenberg, 2000;Shah, 2007). Natural resources not only include wild animals; but also birds, rivers, reefs and forests. ...
The paper aims to provide a description of the vision and present practices of ecotourism. Promotion of local livelihoods through ecotourism has been widely considered as an important policy instrument for biodiversity conservation. But ecotourism has become a hotly debated topic since its implementation across countries because of the mismatch in vision and practice. The paper uses content analysis method for reviewing published literature. Published peer-reviewed journal articles on ecotourism during 2000–2013 were collected and reviewed. The overall evidence on the outcomes of ecotourism in the world shows mixed results. Though there are many success stories, the list of failures is very high. Owing to the structural, operational and cultural problems, ecotourism in many places has become a predicament. Thus, ecotourism should be introduced with proper monitoring, evaluation and management of ecotourism sites for reinforcing long term conservation.
Ecotourism has become the focal point in a wide range of discussions and interests of private and public sectors, policy makers, academicians, researchers, local people, and environmentalists. Many scholars and researchers uphold the widely avowed idea that ecotourism is to use natural and cultural resources in a sustainable way and to enable economic development of the local people. Not every scholar and researcher shares this view because, from the beginning onwards, ecotourism has always been widely debated issue due to the discrepancies in the stated objectives and practices throughout the world. Especially, concepts such as poverty alleviation and stakeholder participation, contributions to local culture and life, and objectives of local, national, and international investors, hotel industry, tourism agencies, and state organizations have been heavily and critically scrutinized and debated. This chapter is designed to provide an alternative evaluation of, and a discussion on, the nature of ecotourism with a particular focus on Turkey.
The Gir Sanctuary and National Park is home for variety of wildlife, distinctly being for
the Asiatic lion. The conservation and management approaches in Gir have so far been successful in maintaining the habitat as evidenced by wildlife population growth. Present work was initiated to assess the water quality and availability of water resources in Gir. This comprehensive report summarizes the findings based on large number of sampling throughout the Gir Protected Area. The administrative zoning of Gir was considered while sampling since the finding can be implemented only if the observations and recommendations are in corroboration with the management criteria of administrative agency. The study area was digitized using digitizer and
Geomedia 4.0 version of Intergraph. All the water sampling sites, Kutia and checkdams surveyed for varied purposes were localized using Geographical Positioning System (GPS) and were marked on “to the scale” maps. Physico-chemical, planktonic and microbiological analysis primarily assessed the quality of water while the surface water and ground water recharges were calculated to describe the availability and future potential of water resources with reference to dependency
of wildlife. The water resources of Gir were of good quality featuring within the potability criteria. The possibility of water borne diseases to wildlife is also very less. The terrain of Gir limits the recharge potentials and therefore, the surface runoff is extensive and the Gir looses surface water within very short time period following precipitation. The check dams, cause ways and Kutias are developed to harness this surface water and enhance ground water recharge potential. A systematic study analyzing variety of parameters was carried out to estimate the requirement of water by the wildlife and dependent human population.
Designating national parks and sanctuaries as "protected areas" involves the elaborate relocation and resettlement of communities once resident within these areas. However, as an instance of community relocation from the Kuno sanctuary bears out, resettlement has not led to improved living standards for the affected community; neither has it afforded a measure of protection for the threatened animals.
The future of local residents of villages within the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, currently facing relocation, appears uncertain. Even as the reserve has been conferred the status of a national park, local residents, however, have had little say in deciding their own relocation, whether on matters of livelihood security, availability of amenities such as water and electricity, or education.
The relocation of villages in the Bhadra sanctuary in Karnataka, now a protected area, was implemented by the coordinated efforts of different government agencies, voluntary organisations and even the villagers themselves. The process paid attention to aspects of compensation and livelihood, ensured amenities for families and even took into account the needs of the younger generation. While an independent monitoring of the situation a few years later would provide an objective assessment of the quality of relocation, the Bhadra process is a precedent for villagers and protected areas alike.