Changing perceptions of protected area benefits and costs around Kibale National Park, Uganda

Abstract

Local residents’ changing perceptions of benefits and troubles accrued from living next to a protected area in western Uganda are assessed by comparing household survey data from 2006, 2009 and 2012. Survey findings are contextualized and supported by separate long-term data sources for protected area-based employment (in tourism, research, and reforestation), tourism revenue sharing, resource access agreements, and problem animal abundance. We find that perceptions of benefit from the protected area are decreasing over time and are primarily informed by access to protected area-based employment and resource access, while perceptions of trouble are increasing over time, driven by the perceived increase in crop raiding as the elephant population inside the protected area recovers. People will always hold both positive and negative perceptions about protected areas, but as human and animal populations rise, wildlife authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa will be challenged to balance perceptions and adapt policies to ensure the continued existence of protected areas. Understanding the dynamic nature of local people’s perceptions provides a tool to adapt protected area management plans to react to changing perceptions and externalities, as well as prioritizing limited conservation resources.