Local perceptions of Waza National Park, northern Cameroon

Abstract

Waza National Park, Cameroon, is representative of trends towards more participatory protected area management in Africa. It has no transition zone and interactions with the surrounding human population are complex. A recently adopted management plan allows experiments with limited consumptive use of natural resources, in exchange for people's collaboration. In order to determine which resources are desired and which resources are liabilities, people in the Park's vicinity were interviewed. Respondents' attitudes towards conservation were positive, motivated by both use and intrinsic values, and with reference to future generations. Attitudes were significantly related to locally perceived benefits. Respondents found most of the Park's resources useful but differences between user groups were significant. User groups also differed in their complaints about human-wildlife conflicts, but overall they considered the animals most important for tourism as the main nuisance. This case study shows that local aspirations cannot all be met, but indicates that limited outreach can improve existing public support for conservation measures.