Nepal's buffer zone programme: a showcase of a participatory approach to protected area management

Protected area management is now focused on meeting people's basic needs so that resource use pressures on parks/reserves decrease. The buffer zone programme has made remarkable progress, particularly in natural resource conservation, social mobilization and social capital generation, development of alternative energy, and human resource development at the community level. The institutionalization of different community-based organizations in buffer zones is a stepping stone towards empowering and involving people in resource management. Revenue sharing in buffer zones is considered to be an important factor in reducing park-people conflicts and enhancing the community's perceptions about protected areas. User group formation at settlement level is found to be very effective in improving social integration and encouraging a high level of people's participation. The participatory decision-making processes of buffer-zone institutions have made the people more accountable to buffer-zone communities. Capital generation and mobilization is one of the key components of community development initiatives. For the sustainability of the institution and programme, it is strongly recommended to improve buffer-zone legislation, forging partnerships with all relevant partners, establishing sustainable funding sources, and strengthening the buffer-zone networking forum in order to share experiences among various stakeholders laterally and vertically. Furthermore, it emphases improvement in management capability by providing training for community and staff at all levels. It is also suggested that a spatial strategy be introduced for promoting each protected area and developing a plan that is pro-poor, pro-women, and pro-special target groups. Adequate conservation awareness and outreach and skill enhancement programmes should be designed to meet the needs of the target groups and encourage local people to be custodians for the conservation of resources.