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Date of Award

Winter 2024

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Environmental Studies

First Advisor

Wang, Grace A.

Second Advisor

Darby, Kate J.

Third Advisor

Rossiter, David A.

Abstract

Rural alpine communities in Nepal and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation both face the challenge of balancing economic needs with conservation and environmental goals. Both Sagarmatha National Park and Makalu-Barun National Park in northeast Nepal are popular tourist destinations, and the tourism economy is both vital to local communities and residents of the parks, and also can be detrimental to conservation and environmental goals of the parks. This research set out to assess the concerns of residents of both protected areas and to compare the concerns of residents between three major valleys, Hinku, Gokyo, and Khumbu. This research conducted 63 interviews with residents from these valleys and found that overall, their concerns and opinions did not vary by valley, and that the majority of participants understood the need for tourism as well as the need for conservation. This study shows that community-based conservation strategies in the Sagarmatha and Makalu-Braun National Park are viewed mostly positive by residents, and that park management and future conservation policy and action should continue to address the concerns of the residents, primarily resident’s perceived importance of the tourism industry and the importance of community-based organizations.

Type

Text

Keywords

community-based conservation, conservation management, ecotourism, community-based organization, attitudes towards conservation, sagarmatha national park, makalu-barun national park

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1426855853

Subject – LCSH

Community-based conservation--Nepal--Sagarmāthā National Park; Community-based conservation--Nepal--Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area; Natural resources conservation areas--Nepal--Sagarmāthā National Park; Natural resources conservation areas--Nepal--Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area; National parks and reserves--Nepal--Sagarmāthā National Park--Management; National parks and reserves--Nepal--Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area--Management; Ecotourism--Nepal--Sagarmāthā National Park; Ecotourism--Nepal--Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area; Community organization--Nepal--Sagarmāthā National Park; Community organization--Nepal--Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area

Geographic Coverage

Sagarmāthā National Park (Nepal); Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area (Nepal)

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

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