Abstract:
The goal of preserving biodiversity for the benefit of present society and posterity have driven the creation of Protected Areas (PA) across the world. Yet, satiating conservation and protecting livelihoods of local people have been a challenge to protected area management. The incentive to protect livelihoods and avoid alienation from PAs have led to local people’s indulgence in illegal activities. This pose risks to the very survival of PAs. Like other parts of the world, PAs in Ghana have been plagued with illegal activities that threaten their existence. The objective of the study was to examine the perceived risks and management strategies in PAs with Kyabobo National Park (KNP) as a case study.
The study used a mixed method strategy to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The multistage sampling procedure was used to solicit the views of 200 households using a questionnaire. Also, interviews with 9 stakeholders provided crucial qualitative data. In addition to basic statistical tools, Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software was used to carefully analyse livelihood and ecological risk in the study area.
Major findings of the study reveal that the creation of the KNP has caused livelihood discomforts through loss of farmlands, denied access to forest resources, and destruction of crops by wild animals. In addition, the failure of establishing alternative livelihood opportunities has aggravated the severity of the risks on livelihoods of local people. Thus local people have resorted to re-invasion of the PA as a coping strategy through illegal logging, poaching, and the collection of other Non-Timber Forest Products like honey.
Even though the management of the KNP had adopted some protectionist strategies like restricted access to park resources, it is observed that the prevalence of underlying
factors like limited livelihood options made the enforcement of such management strategies difficult. The study therefore recommends an inclusive management approach involving both local people and institutions to the protection of the KNP to abate accumulating risks. In addition, promoting Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy is likely to help abate the numerous vulnerabilities, provide alternative livelihoods, and consequently mitigate risk-generating activities.
