Involvement and Participation : Practices and perceptions in collaborative resource management: the case of Bwindi National Park,Uganda

Uganda is one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa. Most of its biodiversity is represented within a system of national parks, wild life reserves and forest reserves. In 1991, Bwindi forest was turned into a National Park which led to conflicts between communities and park managers due to resource use restrictions. In 1996, a strategy of local participation was established by Uganda Wildlife Authority. This strategy included the involvement of local people in benefit sharing, resource use schemes and decision-making processes. This study examines the involvement and participation of local people in collaborative resource management at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It describes practices and local people’s perceptions toward their involvement in these conservation initiatives. Employing theories on Power and participation, an analysis has been made of the findings and in comparison to Pretty’s ladder of participation, local participation at Bwindi has been evaluated. Data has been collected through household and key informant interviews, participatory observation and examination of written material. I found that local people living around Bwindi are involved in three main aspects of collaborative resource management. These aspects are revenue sharing, multiple resource use and problem animal management. Results show that although these aspects provide avenues for local involvement, they do to a limited degree imply active forms of local participation, especially in decision-making aspect. Relying on elected representatives in decision-making structures and institutions is also a challenge due to limited consultation with electorates and accusations of corruption and nepotism. Decision-making power remains in the hands of those in authority and local people have no power to make or influence park related decisions. Thus, there is still need to review the notion of local participation at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in terms of empowerment, equitable sharing of rights and responsibilities