Postgraduate Thesis: People and park conflicts in China : an observation from Shimentai nature reserve in Yingde, Guangdong Province
| Title | People and park conflicts in China : an observation from Shimentai nature reserve in Yingde, Guangdong Province |
|---|---|
| Authors | Xu, Shaowei, Steve 許韶偉 |
| Issue Date | 2002 |
| Publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
| Abstract | (Uncorrected OCR) Abstract of thesis entitled People and Park Conflicts in China: An Observation from Shimentai Nature Reserve in Yingde, Guangdong Province submitted by Steve Shaowei Xu for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in March 2002 The primary goal of this thesis is to evaluate a global environmental issue of the people-park conflicts in the context of China, taking Shimentai Nature Reserve (SNR) in Yingde, Guangdong province as the case study site. From the perspective of biogeography, the research assesses the extensity and intensity of local resource dependence, and examines local knowledge and responses (including perceptions, expectations and attitudes) in relation to SNR's establishment and management. The statutory and adnimistrative process of designating and designing the SNR is also examined and interpreted. Two in situ surveys were conducted in September and December 1999 respectively, focusing on the level of household. Most local people are Hakka (Han), and the minority Yao. A total of seven village committees were selected to conduct the surveys. Survey methods include questionnaire, interview, in-situ observation and group discussion. A total of 297 households were randomly selected to conduct the questionnaire survey and 284 successfully interviewed. The stratified sampling approach was employed to ensure the proportional representation of households in the majority of villages within each surveyed village committee. The research outputs highlight that the majority oflocal people, to a certain extent, relied on the forest resources, and the resource-dependence may not decline in the near future. This situation enables them to have some direct and indirect interests on the planning and management of the nascent nature reserve. Most local people had neither an extensive knowledge of SNR and its basic features, nor a high level of both benefit and loss perceptions. This unhealthy situation stemmed from the absence of firstly local participation in protected area establishment and management, and secondly the necessary institutional capacity to impose strict regulations and offer substantive park-related benefits to local communities. If local people had high-level knowledge and update information about conservation initiatives and blueprints, most would develop expectations of more benefits than losses. The promise of development opportunities and their attendant benefits contribute to the villagers' present positive attitude. In the absence of substantial official or NGO efforts, SNR's forest could still be maintained and protected due to the widespread practice by local people of traditional conservation mechanisms. Another positive factor is that some households have benefited economically from the remittance brought back by the increasing out-migration of rural young with a by-product of reducing local forest dependence. Based on the results and relevant experience of other developing countries, the following suggestions are offered to three key protected area stakeholders of China. For scholars, research priority could be given to examine the conflicts in different geographical, cultural and ethnical settings. For the government, its working priority could be given to foster a supportive NGO network and continue to devolve some management duties to other stakeholders. For reserve managers, there is an urgent need to replace the 'fences and fines' management paradigm with that of community natural resource management. Another immediate focus could be given to enhance their fund-raising capabilities without having to directly compete with local communities in exploiting natural resources (word count: 495). |
| Advisors | Jim, CY |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Subject | National parks and reserves - China - Guangdong Sheng - Citizen participation. Conservation of natural resources - China - Guangdong Sheng - Citizen participation. Land use - Environmental aspects - China - Guangdong Sheng. |
| Dept/Program | Geography and Geology |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jim, CY |
|---|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Xu, Shaowei, Steve |
| dc.contributor.author | 許韶偉 |
| dc.date.issued | 2002 |
| dc.description.abstract | (Uncorrected OCR) Abstract of thesis entitled People and Park Conflicts in China: An Observation from Shimentai Nature Reserve in Yingde, Guangdong Province submitted by Steve Shaowei Xu for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in March 2002 The primary goal of this thesis is to evaluate a global environmental issue of the people-park conflicts in the context of China, taking Shimentai Nature Reserve (SNR) in Yingde, Guangdong province as the case study site. From the perspective of biogeography, the research assesses the extensity and intensity of local resource dependence, and examines local knowledge and responses (including perceptions, expectations and attitudes) in relation to SNR's establishment and management. The statutory and adnimistrative process of designating and designing the SNR is also examined and interpreted. Two in situ surveys were conducted in September and December 1999 respectively, focusing on the level of household. Most local people are Hakka (Han), and the minority Yao. A total of seven village committees were selected to conduct the surveys. Survey methods include questionnaire, interview, in-situ observation and group discussion. A total of 297 households were randomly selected to conduct the questionnaire survey and 284 successfully interviewed. The stratified sampling approach was employed to ensure the proportional representation of households in the majority of villages within each surveyed village committee. The research outputs highlight that the majority oflocal people, to a certain extent, relied on the forest resources, and the resource-dependence may not decline in the near future. This situation enables them to have some direct and indirect interests on the planning and management of the nascent nature reserve. Most local people had neither an extensive knowledge of SNR and its basic features, nor a high level of both benefit and loss perceptions. This unhealthy situation stemmed from the absence of firstly local participation in protected area establishment and management, and secondly the necessary institutional capacity to impose strict regulations and offer substantive park-related benefits to local communities. If local people had high-level knowledge and update information about conservation initiatives and blueprints, most would develop expectations of more benefits than losses. The promise of development opportunities and their attendant benefits contribute to the villagers' present positive attitude. In the absence of substantial official or NGO efforts, SNR's forest could still be maintained and protected due to the widespread practice by local people of traditional conservation mechanisms. Another positive factor is that some households have benefited economically from the remittance brought back by the increasing out-migration of rural young with a by-product of reducing local forest dependence. Based on the results and relevant experience of other developing countries, the following suggestions are offered to three key protected area stakeholders of China. For scholars, research priority could be given to examine the conflicts in different geographical, cultural and ethnical settings. For the government, its working priority could be given to foster a supportive NGO network and continue to devolve some management duties to other stakeholders. For reserve managers, there is an urgent need to replace the 'fences and fines' management paradigm with that of community natural resource management. Another immediate focus could be given to enhance their fund-raising capabilities without having to directly compete with local communities in exploiting natural resources (word count: 495). |
| dc.description.nature | abstract |
| dc.description.nature | toc |
| dc.description.thesisdiscipline | Geography and Geology |
| dc.description.thesislevel | doctoral |
| dc.description.thesisname | Doctor of Philosophy |
| dc.identifier.hkul | b2505896 |
| dc.language | eng |
| dc.publisher | The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) |
| dc.relation.ispartof | HKU Theses Online (HKUTO) |
| dc.rights | The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights) and the right to use in future works. |
| dc.source.uri | http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B25058964 |
| dc.subject.lcsh | National parks and reserves - China - Guangdong Sheng - Citizen participation. |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Conservation of natural resources - China - Guangdong Sheng - Citizen participation. |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Land use - Environmental aspects - China - Guangdong Sheng. |
| dc.title | People and park conflicts in China : an observation from Shimentai nature reserve in Yingde, Guangdong Province |
| dc.type | PG_Thesis |