Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Abbreviated Key Title: Sch J Arts Humanit Soc Sci ISSN 2347-9493 (Print) | ISSN 2347-5374 (Online) Journal homepage: https://saspublishers.com/sjahss/ Ecotourism and Its Impact on Local Community in Sauraha, Chitwan National Park, Nepal Pratiksha Acharya1, Hom Bahadur Chhetri1, Sandhya Karki1, Puja Sharma2, Shankar Tripathi2, Saru Gahatraj1, Deepa Dahal1, Deepak Gautam1* 1Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Nepal 2Faculty of Forestry, Agriculture and Forestry University, Hetauda, Nepal DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2020.v08i07.003 | Received: 04.05.2020 | Accepted: 28.06.2020 | Published: 18.07.2020 *Corresponding author: Deepak Gautam Abstract Original Research Article Ecotourism is getting popular in Nepal. This study was conducted in Sauraha, buffer zone area of Chitwan National Park (CNP) to access about the ecotourism and its impact. The main thrust of this study was to analyze the positive and negative economic, environmental and socio-cultural impacts of ecotourism on local community. Primary information was collected by using various tools of PRA including semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informants interview. Index of Relative Ranking and Index of Perception Availability were used to analyze the people perception towards ecotourism. Almost all the respondents have positive response towards the economic and socio cultural impact of eco-tourism while some of them have pointed the negative environmental impact. Index of Relative Ranking was received maximum (0.93) for Jungle safari which indicates that most of the tourist visit Sauraha for Jungle safari in CNP. Generation of new employment opportunities, conservation of local culture and emergence of noise and visual pollution were found as impact of eco-tourism in Sauraha. Keywords: Economic, Environmental, Socio-cultural, Employment opportunities. Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. NTRODUCTION sustainable way [8]. It focuses on commercial I development, communal improvement, poverty Tourism industry is growing rapidly mitigation, biodiversity and environmental protection worldwide and is one of the world's largest industries, [9]. Moreover, ecotourism plays a vital role in particularly in the Asia and Pacific region [1]. Among promoting recycling, energy efficiency and water the varieties of the tourism, ecotourism protects and conservation along with evaluating environmental and conserves numerous elements of nature along with cultural factors [10]. Its role has been recognized as a providing employment opportunities to the people [2]. catalyst for encouraging ecologically sustainable Ecotourism has been recognized as one of the development with an amicable relationship with nature, sustainable green economy by United Nations local communities, their cultures and customs [11]. Environmental Programme [3]. It prioritizes tourism industry with sustainable development goals of nature Ecotourism contribute greatly towards Gross conservation, benefitting local people and educating Domestic Product (GDP) for developing countries like tourists towards sustainability [4]. The International Nepal which are rich in natural environment and culture Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as [12, 13]. It raises sensitivity of the host country’s “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the political, environmental and social issues and supports environment, sustains the well-being of the local international human rights and labor agreements [14]. people, and involves interpretation and education” [5]. Nepal is a geographically a small country however it The fundamental function of the ecotourism is to has been blessed by tremendous diversity of flora and incorporate protection of the natural and cultural fauna. The country’s 118 ecosystems harbor over 2% of resources as well as create income generating the flowering plants, 3% of the pteridophytes and 6% of opportunities, educate local people, build capacity of the bryophytes in the world’s flora. Similarly, the local people and increase participation [6]. Tourism country harbors 3.9% of the mammals, 8.9% of the growth rate was total 28% in 2004 [7]. It incorporates birds and 3.7% of the world’s fauna of butterflies [15]. conservation with involvement of local people in a © 2020 Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | Published by SAS Publishers, India 353 Pratiksha Acharya et al., Sch J Arts Humanit Soc Sci, July., 2020; 8(7): 353-360 Moreover, Nepal has been harboring over 100 species explore how ecotourism is being practiced in Chitwan of medicinal herbs, 30 species of rhododendrons, 89 National Park and also study positive and negative taxa of saxifraga, 77 taxa of prim land and over 350 impacts of ecotourism on the local community. This species of orchidaceous species [16]. Nepal is an ideal research will also demonstrate perception of local country for promoting ecotourism with its natural people towards the positive-negative effects of beauty further amplified by lofty mountains, rich ecotourism in terms of environment, socio-culture, and biodiversity and elegant landscapes. Ecotourism has economics. Moreover, this study will also assist in gained popularity in Nepal and has played important generating awareness for the conservation and role in national economy and environment improvement of natural and cultural values and conservation. However, it has also brought a series of maintaining its sustainability. negative impacts on environmental and cultural aspects. There is deforestation, pollution and cultural MATERIALS AND METHODS degradation in the protected areas due to tourism Study area development activities [17]. The significant decline in Chitwan National Park was established in 1973 the scenic beauty and greenery has been observed in the and is the first national park of Nepal [20]. It was listed environment due to the construction of roads and other in World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 932 infrastructures disturbing the flow of tourist in the area. km2 (360 sq. m) and is located in the lowlands of south- Local tradition and plain cultures has been intruded by central Nepal in four districts i.e., Nawalparasi, Parsa, the foreign cultures brought by tourists [18]. The Chitwan and Makwanpur. Chitwan Nepal Park is rich in enormous increase in number of tourist in the Sauraha biodiversity and consists of more than 50 mammal leads to increased demand on resources like fuel and species, over 525 birds, and 55 amphibians and reptiles water and on the other hand causes impact on [20]. Sauraha is the main entry point of Chitwan economic, environmental and socio-cultural aspects of National Park and one of the most important tourism the area [19]. Moreover, tourism has also demand for destinations in Nepal. It is 170 kilometers away from the construction of sophisticated infrastructure in and the capital city Kathmandu, 155 kms from Pokhara, 160 around Chitwan National Park which has indirect kms from the Indian border at Sunauli and 23 kms from impacts on wildlife. Narayangarh city with geographic location 27°34′29″N 84°29′37″E. It is popular among tourists for jeep safari, Ecotourism is the fastest expanding industry in elephant safari, jungle walk, bird watching, elephant Chitwan National Park which utilizes and conserves bath, Tharu culture, etc. environmental resources. This research project will (Source: Kafle et al [36] & Wikimedia and edited) Fig-1: Protected area of Nepal and Study area Sauraha of Chitwan national Park DATA COLLECTION various impacts imposed were derived from the Reconnaissance survey was carried out for thorough visit of the study area. The information thus general understanding and collecting preliminary obtained was collected and recorded for further information of the ecotourism in the site. General Field analysis. A semi-structured questionnaire was observation was conducted to analyze impacts of eco- developed to collect information from local people. The tourism and rough format was prepared for each interview was conducted with park staff, working. Key Informants Interviews with forestry environmentalist, hotel owner, and women. Relevant staffs, local leaders, teachers, government employees and necessary data archival information was taken from etc. were carried out to obtain factual data about the various books, research articles, journals. study area and to verify the collected information. The Administrative and publicly available documents different occupations carried out by local people and concerning ecotourism and articles, reports of © 2020 Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | Published by SAS Publishers, India 354 Pratiksha Acharya et al., Sch J Arts Humanit Soc Sci, July., 2020; 8(7): 353-360 Department of National Parks and Wildlife RESULT AND DISCUSSION Conservation (DNPWC) and District Development Socio-economic condition of the respondent: Committee (DDC), Village Development Committee The household survey was conducted in 10% of the (VDC), National Park office (Kasara, Chitwan), IOF total households. The given table provides information library, and municipality profiles were reviewed and about socio-economic condition of the respondent. taken as