Local community involvement in nature conservation under the auspices of Community‐Based Natural Resource Management: A state of the art review

Abstract

Numerous initiatives and programmes were introduced to enable biodiversity conservation, and community involvement was among these propositions. In line with such initiatives, several frameworks were thus developed to ensure the sustainable implementation and realisation of such programmes. This saw the establishment of the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). As such, numerous calls were made to explore community involvement strategies and associated socioeconomic impacts in nature conservation. Most studies and reports emanating from such calls demonstrate cases of failure of inter alia including poaching. This work, therefore, provides a detailed synthesis of the implications of involving local communities in conservation in protected areas (PAs) and further examines how spatial explicit methodologies can be adopted in enhancing nature conservation. Overall, the study has shown that community attitudes and perceptions towards nature conservation in PAs point towards the failure of the CBNRM approach. Weak, conflicted and sometimes corrupt governance and poor institutional arrangements seem to have contributed towards its failure. Overall, the review further indicates that most studies on community involvement in nature conservation have not fully considered the spatial dimension, and this has hampered holistic and effective monitoring and assessment of biodiversity in PAs to ensure sustainable management and the possible implications of such an approach towards conservation. This work, therefore, recommends a shift towards collaborative modelling, transdisciplinary monitoring and assessment approaches to improve biodiversity conservation as well as to determine the success and limitations of the CBNRM approach in Africa and the world over.

First insight into freshwater fish assemblages in the western part of the Endau-Rompin landscape, Malaysia

“…The involvement of local communities is crucial in ensuring that any conservation and management plan in place is successful. According to Rampheri and Dube (2020), local communities play an essential role in executing management plans since most locals have extensive knowledge and experience in managing and conserving natural resources while safeguarding their livelihoods. The local community should be further informed on nature and its benefits that will likely influence their lives and improve their awareness of conserving the surrounding ecosystems.…”

Community forests as beacons of conservation: Enabling local populations monitor their biodiversity

“…They are also fundamental for local communities who can manage them sustainably and who can even protect them from illegal logging and other destructive activities (Oyda et al, 2022; Rampheri et al, 2022). Community forestry is most successful where empowerment of communities is strongest if community tenure rights are legally recognised, there is clear local community definition of forest management areas, and rules governing access and use are established (Blomley, 2013; Rampheri & Dube, 2021). To date, however, in most African countries, the delegation of rights to communities is incomplete, discretionary, or limited in scope.…”

Local community attitudes and perceptions towards benefits and challenges associated with biodiversity conservation in Blouberg Nature Reserve, South Africa

“…Despite these initiatives, community involvement in nature conservation has failed to curb biodiversity loss in PAs (Rampheri & Dube, 2020). In most regions, southern Africa in particular, PAs remain exposed to illegal activities that affect biodiversity, mainly due to unfairness in sharing of benefits, whereas local communities surrounding PAs continue to experience livelihood challenges (Mutekwa & Gambiza, 2016).…”

“…In most regions, southern Africa in particular, PAs remain exposed to illegal activities that affect biodiversity, mainly due to unfairness in sharing of benefits, whereas local communities surrounding PAs continue to experience livelihood challenges (Mutekwa & Gambiza, 2016). On the other hand, the more the community acquires more benefits than the challenges, their perceptions and attitudes changes in a positive way, resulting in their willingness to participate in nature conservation (Rampheri & Dube, 2020). The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess benefits and challenges associated with local community involved in biodiversity conservation in PAs in the Blouberg Nature Reserve (BNR).…”