LOCAL COMMUNITY ATTITUDE TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

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The general objective of the study was   to assess the attitude of the local community towards the conservation of the environment in Lake Mburo National Park in Western Uganda. Specifically, the study sought to identify conservation strategies which local community around Lake Mburo National park have been involved in, to find out the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National park and to establish the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park.

The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative designs to collect data from a sample of 60 respondents who were both purposively and randomly selected and these included 5 local leaders, 25 local community, 5 management and staff of Lake Mburo and 25 tourists. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively in form of frequency tables and graphs.

The findings indicated that some of the conservation strategies the local people involve in include allowing them to participate in the management of the park by attending meeting of how to solve the problems faced by the local people and also the local people come and visit the park freely. They also plant acacia tree species and also involve in fire management. The local community had both positive and negative attitudes; the positive attitudes were; they are allowed to do fishing freely in the park, the park provides employment and the park has supported the local community children to get scholarships. The negative attitudes include poor behaviours, unbalanced distribution of benefits and shortage of land by the farmers especially the cattle keepers. The wild animals from the park attack the local people with their animals at home, crops and their property. Some of the challenges however included drought, increasing wildlife populations and changes in land use and tenure systems.

Conclusively, the research transpired that the benefits   the local community get from conserving the park include employment opportunities, infrastructural development as 20 percent of the entry fees is used to develop the park and access of clean water.

In my recommendations, there is a need to increase community conservation programmes to educate the local people of on the impacts of tourism development. This can be done through new programmes to the local community which will increase awareness on the value of the conservation of the park.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0  Introduction

The study addresses the attitude of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake National Park. This section shall contain the, Background to the study, Statement of the Problem, Objectives of the study including; General objective and Specific Objectives of the study, research questions, scope of the study, Geographical scope, subject scope ,time scope and

Significance of the study.

1.1  Background to the study

The attitudes and Participation by local communities in environmental conservation and management is widely considered as a means of sustaining protected areas in the world. In parts of the world with a history of armed conflict, the chances of such an approach being successfully adopted might seem remote (Dourojeani1978).

 A research was carried out in Southern Mozambique in Maputo Elephant reserve and it was aimed to improve the understanding of the local people’s use of natural resources and perception of reserve’s impact. The people gave a relative value rank for each specific use of each plant, animal and fish resource. On average 60% of the households exploited more than two different resource categories. The plant resources of the Reserve were used by 71% of the households and were valued more highly than animal and fish resources (Dourojeani1978).

Contemporary conservation policies and practices in Uganda have their roots in the country’s Colonial history. Although conservation policies and organizations have changed over the years - and significant plans for further changes are being laid (Uganda Wildlife Authority 1997)

Mburo National Park (LMNP) broke new ground in 1991 when it became the first park in Uganda to employ designated community conservation officers. Subsequently, community conservation officers have been employed at 19 of the 21 protected areas managed by UWA2

(UWA establishment records, January 1997) and a Community Conservation Coordinator has been appointed at headquarters. (Hulme, 1998).Park Management Advisory Committees (PMACs), comprised of members elected from the parishes that directly border national parks, have been established as a formal channel for park-community interactions around all of the major parks; and, since January 1995, a policy of ‘revenue-sharing’ with communities has been in operation (i.e. a share of each park’s income is earmarked for allocation to community projects in neighboring areas) alongside a policy of resource access for park neighbors where appropriate(Hulme, 1998).

Despite these significant policy changes and practical actions the Uganda Wildlife Authority

Retains a protectionist culture (Kazoora and Victurine, 1997) and ideas about a more proactive approach to the communities that neighbor protected areas have only recently begun to filter through to the majority of rangers and wardens. As one senior UWA official put it, ‘community conservation is like a bitter pill being pushed down our throat’. In the field community conservation has been treated as a new and additional activity, rather than something that has profound implications for the law enforcement work that is the central feature of Ugandan conservation practice. The current ambivalence of UWA to community

It is against the above background that the researcher has been overwhelmed to carry out this research aimed at identifying the conservation strategies which local community around Lake Mburo National park have been involved in, find out the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National park and establish the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

 In 1935, Lake Mburo National Park was controlled hunting area under the governance of the Ankole kingdom and in 1964; it became a game reserve under the Ugandan government

(Hulme, 1998).In 1993 part of the park was degazzated from 370 square kilometers to 260 square kilometers and the land was given back to the local community. Those who did not get land still  had negative  attitudes towards  the existence of the park since most of these people were cattle keepers and cultivators therefore needed  land  back to do all these activities.

Though there are various conservation programs like co- management of the park where by the local community were allowed to participate in the management of the park and   community conservation programs were introduced to improve the community attitude towards the park. Though all these were done, there still exist negative attitudes by some local people towards the park.

Therefore this study assessed the attitude of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park in Western Uganda.  Specifically the study; identified conservation strategies which local community around Lake Mburo National park have been involved in, found  out the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National park and establish  the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park.

1.3  Objectives of the study

1.3.1 General objective

The general objective of the study is to assess the attitude of the local community towards the conservation of the environment in Lake Mburo National Park in Western Uganda.

1.3.2    Specific Objectives of the study

1.      To identify conservation strategies which local community around Lake Mburo National park have been involved in.

2.      To find out the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National park.

3.      To establish the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park.

1.3.3 Research questions

1.      What conservation strategies have the local community around Lake Mburo been involved in?

2.      What are the attitudes of the local community towards conservation Lake Mburo National park?

3.      What are the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park?

1.5       Scope of the study

1.5.1    Geographical scope

The study was conducted in Kiruhura District in Western Uganda. The park is situated about 30 kilometers (19 miles), by road, East of Mbarara, the largest city in the sub-region. This location is approximately 240 kilometers (150 miles), by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city (Hulme, 1998).The research  was concentrated in Nyakasharara Sub County, this is because the park has put a lot of efforts to  encourage the local community to conserve the environment and spies by reporting  illegal activities  done  but still the local people there involve in such activities, the other reason is that the place is easily accessed hence making it easy for the researcher to carry out the research

1.5.2    Subject scope

The study concentrated on local community attitude towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park.

1.5.3    Time scope

The study was carried out for the period from September 2014 to June 2015. This period was to be selected because it is enough for the researcher to collect adequate and required information to facilitate the study.

1.6       Significance of the study

The study will be beneficial to:

v  The research will provide information to the government in what is needed in order to conserve the environment in Lake Mburo National Park.

v  The study may be used as a source of references to other researchers who wish to carry out the study in the related literature.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1       Introduction

This chapter looked at related literature done by other researcher’s and scholars on the topic. Therefore, the researcher used published information, reports and other documents related to environmental conservation around Lake Mburo National Park.

2.2 Conservation strategies local community in Lake Mburo National Park

Elly (2000) pointed out that conservation of LMNP gives rise to national benefits. The park currently receives no central funding from UWA or from other private or public sector agencies but has tried to use the little funds reserved to promote environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park.

According to (Emerson 1998) the budgetary support from central government, there are a number of private sector arrangements which can generate finance for the conservation of LMNP. Opportunities for private sector financing of wildlife conservation encompass both direct income-earning arrangements −for example participation in wildlife-based enterprises such as cropping, hunting or tourism, which can additionally be run in partnership with park-adjacent communities or with UWA −as well as measures which attract financial flows in the form of investment and charitable contributions. A range of incentives can be provided to encourage the private sector to invest, directly or indirectly, in LMNP.

Eric (2000) points controlled hunting Area production chemical spraying and mechanical clearance of wide strips of bush was undertaken in the 1950s. Much of this reclaimed land was earmarked for livestock production under large-scale ranches. In agreement with the Ankole Royal Establishment an area around Lake Mburo was designated a Controlled Hunting Area in the 1930s, and underwent legal gazettment in 1958.

Moralis S. (2007) by advocating for and participating in the MLP process, the National Park Service can help ensure that both park resources and tourism economies of local communities are protected. At the same time, the BLM can fulfill its mandate to manage for multiple uses, providing oil and gas leases where appropriate and providing protection for landscapes, recreation and other uses where drilling is inappropriate. MLPs provide an opportunity to plan for balance, making sure controversial leasing decisions are “smart from the start.”

Potterton and Rubagyema (1998) made recommendations by the Lake Mburo taskforce, 60% of the Park’s area was excised and allocated to human settlement for former land owners and occupants and, inevitably, a number of new comers. This approach aimed to improve the level to which surrounding communities participated in, and benefited from, the conservation of LMNP wildlife resources.

Emerson (1997) pointed out that balancing the community opportunity costs of conservation requires a rethinking of the nature of park benefits. Development projects have clearly been an effective way of bettering park-people relations and improving community conservation awareness. Illegal park resource utilization however shows less signs of having decreased as a result of community development activities.

Uganda Tourism Expo Magazine January 15^th 2013 In addition to providing support to the development of opportunities for wildlife enterprise, such inducements as sponsorship and advertising deals, the provision of tax relief on contributions and the establishment of endowments, foundations and trusts channel funding would undoubtedly make LMNP a more attractive investment option the private sector.

Nsharede (2001) stated that the establishment of a Game Reserve In 1964 the establishment of a Game Reserve around Lake Mburo area provided for the continued settlement, on existing farms, of 120 cultivating families on the northern side of the reserve. No pastoralists were permitted permanent residence within the Game Reserve but were allowed inside the reserve for transit purposes and to water their livestock during dry seasons. By the 1970s much of the tsetse in the area had been eradicated, 647 km of the Game Reserve had been excised and established as the Ankole Ranching Scheme, and the government Nshaara dairy ranch was created from Reserve land which has helped to revive the former glory of Lake Mburo National Park.

The Lake Mburo Community Conservation Project (LMCCP) of 2001, now the Community Conservation for Uganda Wildlife Authority Project (CCUWA), funded initially by SIDA and then by USAID, and implemented by the African Wildlife Foundation and Uganda. National Parks (now Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA)), commenced in 1991. LMNP became the first protected area in Uganda to employ staff specifically designated as community conservation officers and a range of activities were carried out to improve local awareness of conservation issues, increase local participation in sustainable income-generating activities and initiate and support community-initiated development projects.

Parish Resource Management Committees (PRMCs) (1994) were set in place in parishes bordering the park and a Park Management Advisory Committee (PMAC) comprising PRMC chairmen was established to facilitate dialogue and develop joint activities between part authorities and adjacent communities. CCUWA today operates in LMNP under the provisions of new national legislation on.

Potterton and Rubagyema 1998) Wildlife conservation and benefit-sharing which also covers other National Parks in Uganda. Policy has, since 1995, guaranteed a system of revenue distribution with the communities who live around National Parks. Initially this involved the allocation to community development activities of 12% of all revenues collected by Park authorities, subsequently changed by legislation to 20% of gate fees less VAT. These revenues are supplemented by donor funds and by contributions made by communities themselves at LMNP, and distributed through a Support of Community-Initiated Projects (SCIP) fund earmarked for local development projects.

Support of Community-Initiated Projects (SCIP) (1994) Conservation activities and systems of benefit-sharing have undergone some change in LMNP over recent years. There has been a general shift from financing individual enterprises such as beekeeping, bakeries, handicrafts and tree nurseries to community development projects −mainly the rehabilitation and construction of primary Schools and dispensaries, and arrangements for resource utilization in LMNP including Agreements made concerning fisheries, traditional medicines collection and access of Cattle to water in drought. Development projects are currently sequenced over the Parishes bordering LMNP so that each part of the park-adjacent area shares in funds Raised.

2.2  Attitude towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park

Hulme (1997) noted that the initiation of the LMCCP in 1991, revenue sharing arrangements have operated between Park authorities and local communities. Projects are submitted by communities and selected for implementation by PMAC. In theory one third of the external funding for these projects is provided by Park authorities, raised from gate fees, and two thirds by CCUWA, in addition to which levies raised from fisheries will be channeled through PMAC for community development activities which have been instrumental in conserving the environmental around Lake Mburo National Park by planting trees around the area.

Kiruhura tourism report (2013), Communities themselves also provide one third of the total cost of project implementation, in cash and kind contributions. During the first phase of LMCCP, running from 1991 to 1994, community development activities focus (Hulme 1997). Community development projects implemented under CCUWA are now sequenced across adjacent parishes so that each LMNP-adjacent parish shares in revenues generated, regardless of their area or population. By 2018 all park adjacent parishes will have received assistance to conserve the environment around Lake Mburo National Park (Hulme 1997).

Robert (2011) pointed out that, park authorities have not, in fact, set aside any fund for community development activities since new wildlife legislation was passed in 1996. No levies raised from fisheries have yet been allocated to community development projects. It should be noted that local community projects around Lake Mburo National Park have tried to conserve the environment of the place hence development of the place.

Mukasa (2009) Annual average estimated from CCUWA project budget. Lake Mburo National Park generates two main sources of on-site economic benefits, which both accrue directly to the Uganda Wildlife Authority −the managers of LMNP −and are shared directly and indirectly with surrounding communities. The community itself has been instrumental in conserving the environment around Lake Mburo National Park by digging trenches near the park.

2.3  Challenges faced by local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park.

Pastoralist residence banned but some settled cultivation permitted in Mburo area. Ranching schemes established. Growth in human population, reserve encroachment and wildlife decimation resulted in conflict with Reserve authorities. Gazettement and forcible eviction of human populations.Progressively worsening relationship between local residents and Park authorities. Encouragement to settle and re-settle after NRM takes over. Park encroachment and degazettement of 60% of LMNP.Initiation of community conservation activities including benefit-sharing, various local development activities and consultation indecision-making. Park-people relationships improve. LMNP rangeland primarily used by Banyankole pastoralists has affected environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National Park.

Eric (1999) From Independence, and especially under the Amin’s regime, Lake Mburo Reserve was encroached at the same time as the number of licensed residents increased. During the latter part of the 1970s conflict between Reserve authorities and local populations escalated, and concern grew for the conservation of wildlife in the area. Wide scale drought, civil unrest and resulting displacement of human populations in the late 1970s and early 1980s exacerbated pressure on the natural resources of Lake Mburo which hindered the conservation of environment in the area that time.

Potterton and Rubagyema (1998) In 1982 Lake Mburo National Park was created, resulting in 1983 in the forcible eviction without compensation of up to 4,500 families who see its conservation as a threat since they were misplaced. The human population around Lake Mburo area grew rapidly during the 1980s, and demand for crop and grazing land increased accordingly. A number of illegal encroachments were made by both pastoralists and cultivators into the Game Reserve, prompting unpleasant and violent evictions. Relations between the Park authorities and local communities worsened. Potterton and Rubagyema 1998).

In 1986, under the new National Resistance Movement government in Uganda, people were encouraged to re-occupy land that they had migrated or been evicted from. Former residents of the LMNP area returned to settle, also accompanied by newcomers. Park infrastructure and wildlife were largely destroyed. In 1987 the Kanyaryeru Resettlement Scheme was established, covering approximately 8,000 ha and providing land to 700 families. Under this progressive influx of human population LMNP was subjected to a number of encroachments and degazettements (Potterton and Rubagyema 1998)

Potterton and Rubagyema(1998) Following recommendations made by the Lake Mburo taskforce, 60% of the Park’s area was excised and allocated to human settlement for former land owners and occupants and, inevitably, a number of new comers. Community wildlife conservation in Lake Mburo National Parkand includes savanna, woodland, lake and wetland habitats. Poor and worsening relationships between Park authorities and adjacent communities, coupled with wide spread encroachment and illegal resource use, led to the initiation of a new approach to the management of LMNP in the early 1990s. This approach aimed to improve the level to which surrounding communities participated in, and benefited from, the conservation of LMNP wildlife resources. Over this period the relationship between Park authorities and local communities has improved substantially, and the last of the occupants were moved out of LMNP with compensation in 1997 (Potterton and Rubagyema 1998).

Economic analysis initially presents a somewhat pessimistic picture for the future conservation of LMNP.Direct income sources are nowhere near enough to finance the running of LMNP. Expenditures on community conservation activities do not come close to compensating for local land and resource opportunities foregone by the reservation of the Lake Mburo area. These costs, and the current inability of LMNP to cover them without outside assistance, seem likely to become even more pronounced in the future if local pressure on land and resources intensify and external funding sources become more difficult to access.

In conclusion, the existing literature does not show the negative attitudes of the local community towards conservation. Therefore this research will investigate assess the attitude of the local community towards the conservation of the environment in Lake Mburo National Park in Western Uganda.  Specifically the study will; identify conservation strategies which local community around Lake Mburo National park have been involved in, find out the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation in Lake Mburo National park and establish  the challenges of the local community involvement in conservation Lake Mburo National park.

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1       Introduction

This section presents the methodologies that was used during the research. It involves the research design, study area, Target population, sampling, and data collection methods, Processing and Analysis and Anticipated Challenges.

3.2. Research Design

The study utilized both the qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods were adopted to capture an in-depth understanding of the attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation. Quantitative methods was used to capture the magnitude local community attitudes towards environmental conservation like the beliefs of local people towards the park. Both qualitative and quantitative methods was used because they allowed using a survey research design which was important in collecting a lot of data from various respondents within a shortest time possible.

3.3. Study Area

The researcher based her research in Lake Mburo National Park in Kiruhura district in western Uganda. Specifically, the research was carried out in Nyakashara Sub County in Kiruhura district. It was concentrated in the parishes of Rurambira and Nyakabunga, because the park management has put a lot of effort to encourage the local community to conserve the environment and the spies by reporting illegal activities done but still the local people there involve in such activities, the other reason is that Nyakasharara can easily be accessed hence making it easy for the researcher to carry out the research.

3.4 Sample \Study population

The research involved local community, local leaders, management and staff of Lake Mburo National park and the tourists. The local community were got from the two parishes of Nyakasharara Sub County since they are the community   whose attitudes towards the park were to be determined. Local leaders included the LC1, of the parishes of Rurambira and, Nyakabunga.This is because they have enough information about the parishes. The management and staff of the park included head of community conservation of the park and four rangers. This is because they know more information concerning the local community. Tourists were involved because they make the work of conservation viable and can evaluate attitudes of communities when they visit them.

3.5 Sampling Procedure

Purposive sampling was used to select respondents from 5 local leaders who included LC1s and LC3 selected from 2 parishes of Rurambira and, Nyakabunga, and these were interviewed. The 25 local community respondents were selected from the 2 parishes, 15 from Rurambira and 10 from Nyakabunga, and self-administered questionnaires which were both close and open ended were distributed to them. Park management and staff of Lake Mburo included 5 respondents and these will be interviewed. Questionnaires were distributed to 25 tourists, who would have come in the community of Rurambira and Nyakabunga and from the accommodation facilities within the park.

Table 1: Age of respondents

Target population	No. of respondents	Method
Local leaders	5	Interview
Local community	25	Questionnaire
Management and staff of Lake Mburo	5	Interview
Tourists	25	Questionnaire
Total	60

3.6.  Data collection procedures

3.6.1 Primary Data

Data was collected using questionnaires and interview guide schedule. Questionnaires were administered to the local community and Tourists while interviews were held with local leaders and management and staff of Lake Mburo.

3.6.2 Questionnaires

Both open and closed ended questions were used. Open ended questions offered local communities and tourists a chance to provide their own view or opinion on the question while closed ended questions provided a list of responses from which respondents selected the appropriate answer.

3.6.3 Interviews

Face to face interviews were held with the local leaders and the management and staff of Lake Mburo.

Observation

The researcher made personal observations in regard to the area futures like the existing infrastructures around Lake Mburo National park. This helped to get first-hand information from the field and involved taking photographs.

3.6      Secondary data

Secondary data involved gathering data from sources which has already been documented by other researchers. The study employed extensive library usage and internet search, collection of relevant materials from the library, magazines, records, books, journals and other published.

3.8 Data Analysis

Quantitative data about conservation strategies and attitudes of the local community towards environmental conservation was analyzed using SPSS version 16 and Excel software programs. SPSS will be used because it easy to analyze data compared to other data analysis software’s like STRATA. Excel was used because it provides quality graphs and charts. Data was presented in form of tables, charts, and graphs. Qualitative data was analyzed using stakeholder’s analysis and SWOT Analysis. Analyzed qualitative data was presented concurrently with quantitative data in order to have a logical flow brought about by the fieldwork study.

3.9 Anticipated Challenges

The researcher was faced with the following challenges during the course of the study.

Some respondents may be uncooperative by being too confidential and hence rescue some important data. This may led to wastage of time and getting irrelevant data. However it was overcome by using the introductory letter which helped in building confidence in the respondents.