DOCSLIB.ORG

Community Attitudes Towards Protected Areas: Insights from Ghana

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Community Attitudes Towards Protected Areas: Insights from Ghana Community attitudes towards protected areas: insights from Ghana S ELASE D EWU and E IVIN R ØSKAFT Abstract Understanding community attitudes towards pro- demarcated for protection are usually surrounded by people tected areas is of great importance because these attitudes who are generally impoverished and whose livelihoods de- are inherently linked to the long-term existence and effect- pend on such areas (King, ). Restricting access to nat- iveness of protected areas. We assessed the factors that influ- ural resources can make it difficult for these people to ence community attitudes towards Mole and Digya meet their basic livelihood needs (Amoah & Wiafe, ; National Parks in Ghana. During June–August we con- Cobbinah et al., ). This does not inspire collaboration ducted interviews with randomly selected households, for conservation but instead breeds resentment and apathy using a semi-structured questionnaire. We found that atti- (King, ; Amoah & Wiafe, ). tudes towards the protected areas were positive, with Mole Not only does the establishment of protected areas pre- residents being more positive than Digya residents. Analyses clude people from resource acquisition, it can sometimes revealed that community attitudes were largely influenced bring untold hardships (Mfunda, ; Masud et al., by the perceived costs and benefits of the protected area, ). Local communities may be forced to bear significant household size, occupation, level of education, and aware- losses (e.g. raided crops, depredation of livestock, damage to ness of or participation in livelihood projects. The findings other property) associated with the management of these suggest that increasing the benefits from protected areas and areas (Kideghesho & Mtoni, ; Karanth & Nepal, ; minimizing the costs on fringe communities fosters positive Vedeld et al., ; Cobbinah, ). Restricted resource attitudes towards the concept of protected areas and conser- access coupled with crop damage often leads to negative vation in general. Additionally, perceptions of protected attitudes (Wang et al., ). areas are likely to be more positive when management inter- Local communities are often excluded from the manage- ventions are tailored for local communities as opposed to ment of conservation areas, and this exclusion is believed to the adoption of universal, unspecific interventions. be a source of conflict (Lewis, ). Communities who do not feel they are part of the conservation effort but have to Keywords Benefits, community attitudes, conservation, bear the costs of conservation are understandably unsup- costs, Digya National Park, Ghana, Mole National Park, portive (Gillingham & Lee, ). However, when commu- protected areas nities are actively involved they tend to exhibit positive attitudes (Infield & Namara, ), which correlate with conservation success in protected areas (Struhsaker et al., ). Introduction A prerequisite for effective management of protected etting aside priority areas for conservation is viewed as a areas is the inclusion of local communities (Nyahongo, Scrucial strategy in securing dwindling biodiversity ). Moreover, effective management also calls for an un- (Rodrigues et al., ; Geldmann et al., ). However, derstanding of people’s attitudes and the underlying factors the establishment and maintenance of protected areas is that form these attitudes (Allendorf et al., , ; Sarker controversial. Although many people regard protected & Røskaft, ). Understanding attitudes towards conser- areas as an essential conservation strategy, others perceive vation and incorporating these into management interven- them as a threat to their livelihoods (Brockington & tions could further improve attitudes, park–people Wilkie, ). relationships and conservation in general (Allendorf et al., The establishment and maintenance of protected areas ). We assessed the attitudes of fringe communities to- usually involves restricting access to essential resources, wards protected areas in Ghana, using the country’s two lar- evicting communities living within the new boundaries gest National Parks, Mole and Digya, as case studies. Factors and modifying traditional land use rights (Wilkie et al., affecting peoples’ attitudes were assessed and compared ; Cobbinah et al., ). In developing countries areas across the two protected areas to identify similarities and differences. People’s attitudes towards protected areas are largely in- SELASE DEWU (Corresponding author) and EIVIN RØSKAFT Department of Biology, fluenced by the perceived costs and benefits of these areas Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway. E-mail [email protected] (Allendorf et al., ; Tessema et al., ). Attitudes Received May . Revision requested July . tend to be positive when people benefit from a protected Accepted September . First published online February . area (Infield & Namara, ; Mehta & Heinen, ; Oryx, 2018, 52(3), 489–496 © 2017 Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605316001101 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.234, on 28 Sep 2021 at 16:58:13, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316001101 490 S. Dewu and E. Røskaft Scanlon & Kull, ; Cobbinah, ). Conversely, if pro- tected areas threaten the livelihoods of the surrounding communities (e.g. if crops are raided by wildlife from the protected area) their attitudes towards the protected area are usually negative (Baral & Heinen, ; Kideghesho et al., ; Manyama et al., ). Against this backdrop we hypothesized that households benefiting from a protected area would have more positive attitudes towards the protected area (H). Likewise, consid- ering the potential losses incurred by local people, we hy- pothesized that households overwhelmed by these losses would have less favourable attitudes towards the protected area (H). There is evidence that livelihood programmes can have a positive effect on people’s attitudes and beha- viours, making them more amenable to conservation (Abbot et al., ). We therefore hypothesized that house- holds that are aware of or have participated in livelihood support projects would have favourable attitudes towards the protected area (H). We also assessed the effects of socioeconomic and demographic variables on attitudes, as they have been found to influence conservation attitudes (Infield & Namara, ; Holmes, ; Wang et al., ; Karanth & Nepal, ; Sarker & Røskaft, ; Masud & Kari, ). Literature pertaining to local community attitudes to- wards protected areas in Ghana is scant. This study is among the first to assess community attitudes towards Mole and Digya National Parks. The findings will broaden our understanding of the factors that influence the attitudes of local residents and could also serve as a baseline for evalu- ating conservation attitudes in relation to the implementa- tion of new policies. FIG. 1 Locations of communities around (a) Mole and (b) Digya National Parks, Ghana, where interview surveys were conducted to assess local attitudes towards the protected areas. Study areas Ghana has an extensive network of protected areas, span- ning a variety of ecosystems, and conservation dates back Digya National Park (, km ), in central Ghana, is the to the colonial era. The first wildlife policy for the country country’s second largest National Park (Fig. ), spanning the was adopted in , recognizing the importance of pro- Brong Ahafo, and Eastern and Ashanti regions. It is bor- tected areas as a conservation strategy. In this policy dered to the east by Lake Volta, to the north by the Sene was revised to emphasize the role of communities in wildlife River and to the south by the Obosum River. Vegetation conservation (Ntiamoa-Baidu et al., ). is largely Guinea savannah woodland and transitional semi- Mole National Park (, km ), in northern Ghana deciduous forest. Mean reported annual rainfall is ,– (Fig. ), is the country’s largest National Park. Although pro- , mm. The area was first established as a game reserve tected since , it was not designated a National Park until in and later expanded and gazetted as a National Park (Ntiamoa-Baidu et al., ). The habitat is Guinea savan- in (Twumasi et al., ). The Park is inhabited by ele- nah woodland and the mean annual rainfall is c. , mm phants Loxodonta africana, ungulates, manatees Trichechus (Jachmann, ; Burton et al., ). Over , and senegalensis, and primate species, among others (Twumasi species of mammals, birds and plants, respectively, are et al., ; Jachmann, ). It is fringed by indigenous protected within the Park (Forestry Commission of Ghana). and migrant communities that are engaged in farming There are c. villages in the vicinity (IUCN-PAPACO, and fishing. However, there are conflicts between park b), and these communities are largely engaged in sub- officials and local communities over where people are per- sistence farming that is seasonal and dependent on rainfall. mitted to fish. Oryx, 2018, 52(3), 489–496 © 2017 Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605316001101 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.234, on 28 Sep 2021 at 16:58:13, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316001101 Local attitudes towards protected areas 491 These two protected areas are important for conservation scores of individual statements to produce a composite atti- in Ghana.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Download the Tour Information and Booking Form
    THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUND AND AUDIOVISUAL ARCHIVES (IASA) 49TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE. GHANA POST CONFERENCE TOUR PROGRAMME ONE DAY COUNTRY EXPERIENTIAL TOUR PROGRAMME OF THE CENTRAL REGION OF GHANA ACCRA – KAKUM - CAPE COAST – ELMINA – ACCRA FRIDAY, 5TH OCTOBER, 2018 PACKAGE (US$150) Air-conditioned bus transportation from Accra to Kakum - Elmina - Cape Coast – Accra Buffet Lunch + one soft drink at Elmina Beach Resort Cost of entrance fees to Kakum National Park and Cape Coast Castle Professional Tour Guide PROGRAMME DATE TIME ACTIVITY VENUE/REMARKS FRIDAY Departure Point: YIRI LODGE, OCTOBER Institute of African Studies, 5, 2018 7.00am Departure for Kakum University of Ghana, South Legon 10.00am – Tour of the Kakum National Park Bus goes straight to the Kakum 12.00noon National park from Accra. Tour to include tour of Exhibition Centre, Rain Forest and Canopy Walkway 12.00noon Departure for the Elmina Beach Resort 12.45 – 1.30pm Lunch at the Elmina Beach Resort Bus ride to go through the 1.45pm Departure for the Cape Coast Castle University of Cape Coast en-route to the Cape Coast Castle 2.00 – Tour of the Cape Coast Slave Dungeon UNESCO World Heritage 3.30pm and Castle Monument 3.30pm Departure for Accra 6.30pm Arrival in Accra and end of Tour Bus terminates at YIRI LODGE Please note that tour participants MUST NOT schedule flights departing the same day on October 5, 2018. There is the danger that participants may miss their flights because of outbound vehicular traffic from Cape Coast HERITAGE DEVELOPMENT (EVENT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS AND PRACTITIONERS) P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • Touring Ghana
    Ghana Tour Guide Accra Located on the southern coast of Ghana, Accra is the nation’s capital and largest city with a population of 2 million. Born of multiple villages controlled by a single chief, today Accra it is a sprawling city, extending eastwards almost to the neighboring city of Tema, located 25 kilometers away. Accra is a friendly city that welcomes visitors and is a good introduction to the rest of the country for someone who has just arrived. Some interesting things to see in Accra are the National Museum, the intense and colorful Makola Market, the Independence Square, and the Centre for National Culture. There are also some beautiful sandy beaches around Accra, e.g. La Pleasure Beach (admission fee) east of the city, and Coco Beach (free access) further east. The Coast Along Ghana’s coast there is a chain of forts and castles, an extraordinary historical monument of Ghana’s slave trade history, unique in West Africa. The recommended ones to visit are Cape Coast Castle and its museum, and St. Georges’s Castle at Elmina. Both are Unesco World Heritage Sites. Cape Coast is also the starting point for trips to the Kakum National Park. Located 33 kilometers north of the city, it is one of Ghana’s major attractions. The park protects a mixture of true rainforest and semi-deciduous forest and is an important refuge for several endangered species, including forest elephants. The highlight of the park is the 350 meter rope and cable canopy walkway. It consists of several viewing platforms linked by narrow suspension bridges 30 meters above the forest floor, giving a bird’s-eye view of the forest.
    [Show full text]
  • Benefits and Challenges of Community-Based Ecotourism in Park-Fringe Communities: the Case of Mesomagor of Kakum National Park, Ghana
    Tourism Review International, Vol. 21, pp. 81–98 1544-2721/17 $60.00 + .00 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/154427217X14866652018947 Copyright © 2017 Cognizant, LLC. E-ISSN 1943-4421 www.cognizantcommunication.com BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY-BASED ECOTOURISM IN PARK-FRINGE COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF MESOMAGOR OF KAKUM NATIONAL PARK, GHANA ISHMAEL MENSAH Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana Community-based ecotourism (CBE) is seen as a viable model for achieving conservation and improved livelihoods for park-fringe communities. In view of that, many communities in Ghana, including Mesomagor, have embraced the concept. Yet, most studies have employed quantitative methods and failed to examine the challenges of community participation in ecotourism development. Therefore, this study employed qualitative methods to analyze the benefits and challenges of CBE in the Mesomagor community of the Kakum National Park. This involved key informant interviews of 15 stakeholders using a semistructured interview guide. The results of the study show that though the community had made some modest economic gains, especially in infrastructural development, the project was confronted with a number of challenges including apathy towards participation, limited employment and revenue-sharing opportunities, lack of local capacity to manage the project, and destruction of farms by stray elephants from the park. Key words: Community-based ecotourism (CBE); Community; Revenue sharing; Kakum National Park (KNP); Ghana Introduction miners, hunters, and gatherers, the pursuit of their economic activities could eventually result in the Community-based ecotourism (CBE) projects have depletion of natural resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Panthera Pardus) Range Countries
    Profiles for Leopard (Panthera pardus) Range Countries Supplemental Document 1 to Jacobson et al. 2016 Profiles for Leopard Range Countries TABLE OF CONTENTS African Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus)...................................................... 4 North Africa .................................................................................................. 5 West Africa ................................................................................................... 6 Central Africa ............................................................................................. 15 East Africa .................................................................................................. 20 Southern Africa ........................................................................................... 26 Arabian Leopard (P. p. nimr) ......................................................................... 36 Persian Leopard (P. p. saxicolor) ................................................................... 42 Indian Leopard (P. p. fusca) ........................................................................... 53 Sri Lankan Leopard (P. p. kotiya) ................................................................... 58 Indochinese Leopard (P. p. delacouri) .......................................................... 60 North Chinese Leopard (P. p. japonensis) ..................................................... 65 Amur Leopard (P. p. orientalis) ..................................................................... 67 Javan Leopard
    [Show full text]
  • Explore Nature, History, and Culture in Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi and Akosombo
    Ghana Explore nature, history, and culture in Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi and Akosombo Lawrence University Alumni Travel February 29 – March 12, 2020 1 HISTORY, NATURE, and CULTURE Ghana has the distinction of being the first African country to become an independent, sovereign state in the 20th century. Formerly known as the “Gold Coast”, Ghana led the world in cocoa production as part of the British Empire; now it has one of the fastest growing economies in all of Africa. Ghana is also a political leader and is perhaps the most stable, democratic country in Africa. Located in West Africa, Ghana is known for its rich cultural traditions and artistic endeavors. In this Alumni tour, our group will sample the best that Ghana has to offer: examining the political history of the country since independence, partaking in the vibrant arts, theatre, and dance scene in Accra, the capital city, exploring the legacy of slavery at the Cape Coast castle, and learning about traditional Ghanaian culture in Kumasi, the center of the Ashanti empire. Visitors to Ghana also quickly encounter its natural beauty -- sea coasts, sandy beaches, tropical rainforests, and mountain waterfalls. On this tour, you can take a treetop hike at the top of the rainforest, climb to the country’s highest peak, or stroll through a botanical paradise at your own speed. Our group will be limited to no more than 20, giving us an intimate look at the culture from the inside, aided by the numerous LU alums who live in the country. I look forward to you joining me in Ghana.
    [Show full text]
  • Kakum Natioanl Park & Assin Attadanso Resource Reserve
    Kakum Natioanl Park & Assin Attadanso Resource Reserve Kakum and the Assin Attandanso reserves constitute a twin National Park and Resource Reserve. It was gazetted in 1991 and covers an area of about 350 km2 of the moist evergreen forest zone. The emergent trees are exceptionally high with some reaching 65 meters. The reserve has a varied wildlife with some 40 species of larger mammals, including elerpahnats, bongo, red riverhog, seven primates and four squirrels. Bird life is also varied. About 200 species are known to occur in the reserve and include 5 hornbil species, frazer-eagle owl, African grey and Senegal parrots. To date, over 400 species butterflies have been recorded. The Kakum National Park is about the most developed and subscribed eco-tourism site among the wildlife conservation areas. Nini Suhien National Park & Ankasa Resource Reserve Nini Suhien National Park and Ankasa Resources Reserve are twin Wildlife Protected Areas that are located in the wet evergreen forest area of the Western Region of Ghana. These areas are so rich in biodiversity that about 300 species of plants have been recorded in a single hectare. The areas are largely unexplored but 43 mammal species including the bongo, forest elephant, 10 primate species including the endangered Dina monkey and the West African chimpanzee have been recorded. Bird fauna is also rich. The reserves offer very good example of the west evergreen forest to the prospective tourist. The Mole national This park was established in 1958 and re-designated a National Park in 1971. It covers an area of 4,840 km2of undulating terrain with steep scarps.
    [Show full text]
  • UNESCO-Hoo Statement Sod-Cutting Ceremony
    Goodwill Message by Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo, Representative of UNESCO to Ghana, at the Sod-Cutting Ceremony of the Pan African Heritage World Museum Date: May 5, 2021 Venue: Pomadze Hills, 2 km from Winneba Junction toward Cape Coast Time: 10:30 AM ______________________________________________________________ Protocol Your Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana Hon. Dr. Mohammed Awal, Minister of Tourism Art & Culture, Hon. Kojo Yankah, Executive Chairman, PAHW, Ehunabobrim Nana Prah Agyensaim VI, Omanhene of Assin Owirenkyi Traditional Area, Hon. Justina Assan, Central Regional Minister, Prof. Kofi Asare Opoku, Chairman Advisory Board, PAHW Ms. Brenda Joyce, Executive Council Member, PAHW, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great honour and privilege for me to attend this sod-cutting ceremony of the Pan African Heritage World Museum, and I would like to begin by extending my heart-felt congratulations to Hon. Kojo Yankah and all others involved for pioneering this historical moment. I would also like to recognize that the presence of Your Excellency, Mr. President, demonstrates the great importance Your Excellency attaches to this monumental heritage museum project as well as Ghana’s firm position at the forefront of the Pan-Africanist agenda. 1 As African Union is celebrating this year the theme, “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for building the Africa we want”, this ceremony is of particular importance as we celebrate also today African World heritage Day celebrated every May 5th. Museums are more than places where objects are exhibited and conserved. Along with the dramatic rise in cultural tourism in recent decades, the number of museums around the world has increased from 22,000 in 1975 to 95,000 today- Africa region hosts less than 1000 museums.
    [Show full text]
  • Pachyderm 44.Indd
    Probable extinction of the western black rhino An elephant survey in Digya National Park, Ghana, and implications for conservation and management Bright B. Kumordzi1, William Oduro1, Samuel K. Oppong1, Emmanuel Danquah1, Adrian Lister2, Moses K. Sam3 1 Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; email: [email protected] 2 Natural History Museum, London, UK 3 Wildlife Division, Central and Western Regional Office, Takoradi, Ghana Abstract Information on elephant ranges and numbers is vital for their effective conservation and management. This is especially true in West Africa where elephant populations are small and scattered. Digya National Park in Ghana is home to some of the least studied elephant populations in Africa. A dung count of the Digya elephant population was conducted to determine the density and distribution of elephants in the park using a systematic segmented track line design. The mean density of dung-piles was 323 dung-piles per sq km and mean dung survival time was estimated to be 44 days (SD = 2.0 days). An estimated 341±53 (95% confidence interval) elephants with density of 0.41 elephants/km2 were obtained in the study. This makes the Digya elephant popu- lation the second largest in Ghana. Elephants occurred mainly in the south-western forested part of the park. This may be related to local abundance of wild fruits and/or conflict with squatters in other parts of the park. The possibility of the estimate being higher has been discussed. This current baseline information augments the Regional Elephant Database and should facilitate strategic planning and management programmes.
    [Show full text]
  • Ghana Birding Tour: 3 – 16 January 2020
    Ghana Birding Tour: 3 – 16 January 2020 Summary The tour covered most of the southern parts of Ghana, as well as some of the central and north-central habitats. During the tour the temperature ranged from 09ºC to 37ºC. We recorded 24 mammal species, almost 400 species of birds and 9 species of reptiles. The species mentioned in the daily summaries are only some of those seen. Daily Report Day 1: Friday 3 Jan 2020 - Arrival in Accra We all arrived at Kotoka International Airport on the outskirts of the capital city of Ghana, Accra, on different flights. The Gold Coast of West Africa was clearly visible as we came in to land and one could see where the former name for Ghana came from. After clearing the efficient immigration system and picking up our luggage we made our way to our hotel near the town of Tema, situated to the east of Accra. We needed to freshen up from some long flights and enjoyed a good first meal and a good night’s rest before our birding adventure of Ghana began. Day 2: Saturday 4 Jan 2020 - Shai Hills, Sakumono Lagoon Our morning began with the group meeting after arriving on different flights and enjoying breakfast together. We chatted about the day’s plan, caught up on personal news (as most of the group know each other) and soon our birding adventure began with us making our way to Shai Hills. The open grassland savannah of Shai Hills Reserve offers some great birding and a good introduction to birding in Ghana.
    [Show full text]
  • Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation Into the Cocoa Production Landscape In
    COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CREATION REPORT MAINSTREAMING BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION INTO THE COCOA PRODUCTION LANDSCAPE IN SOUTHWEST GHANA PREPARED BY Conservation Alliance No. 36 Odum Street North Dzorwulu, Accra APRIL 2013 Community Education and Awareness Creation Report Executive Summary Environmental services are the benefits that people, society and the economy receive from nature. For example: water provision and purification, flood and storm control, carbon storage and climate regulation, food and materials provision and tourism. Many environmental concerns today, including biodiversity loss, climate change and water availability can be attributed to agriculture. Some agricultural activities that lead to these damages include introduction of invasive species, erosion and deforestation, runoff of pesticides, fertilizers and animal wastes. These interactions must be considered to enable sustainable use of resources like water, soil, biodiversity and fossil fuels. CA with funds from BACP designed a project that will assist farmers to mainstream biodiversity conservation into the cocoa cultivation landscape. As part of the project, a community education and awareness creation campaign was mounted in the area: To create awareness about biodiversity conservation in communities in the Bia Conservation Area. To sensitize the public on the causes and effects of climate change, adaptation and mitigation measures. A series of approaches including community meetings/ durbars/ public meetings, media campaigns, presentations and open discussions were used to reach the communities. In general it was realized that communities possess good knowledge about the environment and processes that occur in it. This knowledge in our opinion can be complimentary to scientific knowledge. The knowledge that these communities possess allows them to detect and react to changes that occur in their environment.
    [Show full text]
  • Estimating the Recreational Value of Kakum National Park in Ghana
    Munich Personal RePEc Archive Estimating the recreational value of Kakum National Park in Ghana Ankomah, Emmanuel and Adu, Kofi Osei Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast 14 September 2014 Online at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/58580/ MPRA Paper No. 58580, posted 14 Sep 2014 23:37 UTC ESTIMATING THE RECREATIONAL VALUE OF KAKUM NATIONAL PARK IN GHANA. EMMANUEL ANKOMAH1 and KOFI OSEI ADU2 1Department of Economics Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana 2Department of Economics University of Cape Coast Cape Coast, Ghana E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Abstract National parks and Conservational area in general play major role in human life. They serve as habitats for animals and insects, protection of water bodies, carbon sequestration, recreational sites, source of income and source of revenue to government. Notwithstanding these benefits there are reports of the destruction and degradation of the natural ecosystem worldwide. This situation has led to serious environmental problems such as loss of biodiversity, global warming, climate change and its attendant effects. If forest reserves come with so many benefits as enumerated above, why then are they being degraded? This study sought to estimate the recreational value of Kakum national park in Ghana. To be able to give an estimate of the recreational value, an economic valuation technique called the Travel Cost method was applied. The travel cost method is a survey based method that uses the cost of travelling to a site to estimate the demand function for the site. The data used for the study was obtained from 300 visitors to the Kakum National Park from August 12 – 14, 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • An Exploration of Policy Implementation in Protected
    AN EXPLORATION OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN PROTECTED WATERSHED AREAS: CASE STUDY OF DIGYA NATIONAL PARK IN THE VOLTA LAKE MARGINS IN GHANA A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Jesse S. Ayivor March 2007 This thesis entitled AN EXPLORATION OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN PROTECTED WATERSHED AREAS: CASE STUDY OF DIGYA NATIONAL PARK IN THE VOLTA LAKE MARGINS IN GHANA by JESSE S. AYIVOR has been approved for the Program of Environmental Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences by Nancy J. Manring Associate Professor of Political Science Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Abstract AYIVOR, JESSE S., M.S., March 2007, Program of Environmental Studies AN EXPLORATION OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN PROTECTED WATERSHED AREAS: CASE STUDY OF DIGYA NATIONAL PARK IN THE VOLTA LAKE MARGINS IN GHANA (133 pp.) Director of Thesis: Nancy J. Manring The demise of vital ecosystems has necessitated the designation of protected areas and formulation of policies for their sustainable management. This study which evaluates policy implementation in Digya National Park in the Volta Basin of Ghana, was prompted by lack of information on how Ghana Forest and Wildlife policy, 1994, which regulates DNP, is being implemented amidst continues degradation of the Park. The methodology adopted involved interviews with government officials and analysis of institutional documents. The results revealed that financial constraints and encroachment are the main problems inhibiting the realization of the policy goals, resulting in a steady decrease in forest cover within the Park.
    [Show full text]