Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
tags which had to be attached to each animal killed. The quotas were agreed
following participatory animal abundance estimation by hunters, complemented
by transect surveys by external scientists (which produced very similar results).
MWMA set up monitoring of both hunters and the resource, hoping to turn a
depleted and unmanaged wildlife population into a viable concern. A cost-
benefit analysis suggested that the Association would only be self-sustaining in
the long term if the monitoring system was given start-up funding from outside,
and resulted in a large proportion of violators being discovered and managers
receiving at least 50% of the resulting fines. Long-term viability also depended on
wildlife populations recovering and yielding increased offtakes to hunters. Hence
although the MWMA was very successful in terms of buy-in by local people, its
actual sustainability in the face of management costs was unclear (Olsen
et al
.
2001; Figure 6.5).
(1999) contrasts the preponderance of Integrated Conservation and Development
Projects (ICDPs) in West Africa with the more protectionist approach taken in
India, where religious and cultural reasons for conservation are accorded much
more prominence. Oates suggests that this difference accounts for the relative suc-
cess that he perceives India to have had in conserving wildlife over the last few
decades. However, in recent years, India's protectionist approach has started to
show weakness, partly due to the inequities perceived by local people excluded
from their resources (e.g. Chhatre and Saberwal 2005).
This involves people changing their behaviour towards nature because they feel
that it is the right thing to do, rather than for economic reasons. They are prepared
to accept the costs that they incur from this change in behaviour because they hold
non-use values for nature. The
steps
are:
Indentify cultural and
community values
Work with opinion formers
to promote these values
Community
modifies behaviour
The
underlying philosophy
is that the most powerful reasons for changing our
behaviour towards nature are not derived from material benefits. People respect
their environment for its spiritual significance or to abide by social norms. This
respect can be built through education, which can take many forms—from school-
based learning through public lectures, exhibitions, film shows and displays, to
working to change the views of opinion-formers in society so that they spread the
word that certain behaviour will not be tolerated. Different societies have different
conventions about the relationship between humans and wildlife, both in terms of
individual animal welfare and the environment more broadly; hence different
approaches are needed. It would be difficult, for example, to convince a trader in
