Local Community groups and Biodiversity conservation in and around Entoto Natural Park
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Date
2013-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Many protected areas for conservation of biodiversity have diversified objectives that may involve
various practitioners. There are also different management systems ranging from so le and
exclusive authoritarian approach to the more inclusive ones. All in all, local and indigenous
people in and around protected areas are usually seen to be neglected from participation and
benefits associated with the natural resource being conserved at hand. Numbers of management
systems for protected areas were found to exclude the local community from important decisions
that can affect their social and economic lives. Indigenous people living in and around
conservation sites as ENP haven't been consulted by the park management organ about the
program and its objectives. For these reasons, the local community groups have a very limited
awareness and a sense of disgust towards the management body and the conservation effort in
general. Generally, the type of conservation management system that fails to integrate local
peoples' indigenous knowledge and skills into its approach most usually fails on its ultimate
objectives too. Consequently, local people may respond in aggression and conflicts may arise
putting the conservation endeavor under a huge risk. Thus, th is study aims to propose
recommendations by assessing the kind of relationship the local community and the management
body of ENP has. In doing so, primary data were gathered from a sample of 107 respondents from
two villages that are found inside the park's inner territory. Successive interviews and serious
inspection were also used to support the validity of the data gathered through the questionnaires.
The data was finally analysized by using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Accordingly,
frequency and percentage distribution, cross-tabulation and correlations were used to see the
distribution and relationships of variables. Moreover, a Ch i-Squa re test was also applied to see
sign ificance in relationships between the variables and the perception of community groups at
the study area. According to the Chi-Square tests, respondents' sex and their level of awareness on
the conservation program has a significant influence in affecting their perceptions and ra ise
conflicts. Further over, respondents who feel more secured on their land have a better confidence
level to claim in an outright manner. A Chi-Square test also shows a positive significant
relationship between members of the organization and their acceptan ce to the conservation
project as they are assumed to have a better acquaintance about project. Taking the results of the
study in consideration, recommendations for different organs are finally proposed for an effective
and sustainable conservation effort.
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Keywords
Biodiversity Conservation, Local Community