A comparison of rural community perceptions and involvement in conservation between the Fiji Islands and Southwestern Portugal

Thaman, Baravi and Icely, John D. and Fragoso, Bruno D.D. and Veitayaki, Joeli (2016) A comparison of rural community perceptions and involvement in conservation between the Fiji Islands and Southwestern Portugal. Ocean & Coastal Management, 133 . pp. 43-52. ISSN 0964-5691

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Abstract

Community involvement in conservation provides significant benefits including the ownership of resources
and initiatives that integrate traditional and local knowledge into decision-making processes and
management activities. This study assesses and compares the effectiveness of community involvement in
conservation initiatives in two different countries, by examining the community's level of involvement
and their perceptions of conservation in Yadua (Fiji) and the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and
Costa Vicentina (PNSACV) (Portugal). The hypothesis was that “Effective community involvement contributes
to the success, ownership, benefits, positive impacts and sustainability of conservation projects”.
Using questionnaires, structured interviews and document analyses of past literature, information obtained
about community involvement in conservation activities in the two study areas was compared.
Results showed that while community members showed high levels of involvement in all conservation
activities in the Fiji study (88%), this was not the case in the Portugal study (43%), where results showed
that lack of community involvement, leading to ineffective conservation. In both cases, however, the
levels of involvement appear to have influenced community perceptions of conservation efforts' impact
upon livelihoods. The Fiji study showed that community-focused conservation can be successful given
appropriate community involvement. This contrasted with the Portugal study where conservation efforts
were not community-focused and often led to conflicts and criticisms. A bottom-up approach has been
utilized in Yadua, Fiji, whereas a top-down approach is clearly observed for the PNSACV in Portugal. A
more holistic approach to conservation would empower local communities and ensure the successful
implementation of conservation programmes.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Conservation, Community involvement, Community perceptions, Livelihood
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Marine Studies
Depositing User:	USP RSC Assistant
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2017 04:14
Last Modified:	05 Oct 2017 04:14
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/10182

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