Local perceptions of conservation objectives in an alternative livelihoods program outside Bardia National Park, Nepal

Abstract

Promoting alternative livelihoods that do not depend on exploiting biodiversity is a common approach to encourage proconservation attitudes and behaviors among people around protected areas in developing countries. To what extent do participants in alternative livelihoods programs understand the intended connection to conservation objectives? This often-overlooked question is important for understanding program effectiveness. We use exploratory qualitative research to investigate this question in the buffer zone around Nepal's Bardia National Park. We also examine participants' attitudes and behaviors toward conservation. Overall, we find low awareness of the program's conservation objectives. People participating in alternative livelihood activities with a direct connection to conservation, for example, employment in the tourism industry, developing alternative energy that substitutes for biomass from the park, and efforts to limit human-wildlife conflict, are more likely to understand and appreciate the connection to conservation than those receiving alternative livelihood options unrelated to conservation, for example sewing and tailoring. Their attitudes and behavior towards conservation follow similar patterns. Our findings call for conservation programs to establish systems to monitor participants' understanding of their conservation objectives and how this connects to their attitudes and behaviors towards conservation.