Profiling unauthorized natural resource users for better targeting of conservation interventions

Area of Science:

• Conservation Science
• Environmental Management
• Socio-economics

Background:

• Unauthorized natural resource use threatens protected areas globally.
• Integrated Conservation and Development (ICD) projects aim to mitigate this threat.
• Understanding user motivations is key for effective ICD targeting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To profile authorized and unauthorized resource users in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
• To explore the motivations behind unauthorized resource use.
• To provide management-relevant insights for reducing illegal resource extraction.

Main Methods:

• Household surveys were conducted.
• Indirect questioning (unmatched count technique) was employed.
• Focus group discussions were utilized to gather qualitative data.

Main Results:

• Unauthorized use is most prevalent among poor households near the park boundary, remote from infrastructure.
• Motivations include crop raiding, inequitable revenue sharing, and lack of employment.
• While law enforcement was the highest deterrent, ICD benefits were also effective in some communities.

Conclusions:

• A combination of survey techniques can reveal crucial insights into unauthorized resource use.
• ICD projects should prioritize the poorest, most remote communities with affordable forest products and crop-raiding solutions.
• Transparent and equitable management of ICD benefits is essential to prevent resentment and further unauthorized activity.