Drivers of prohibited natural resource collection in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Household perceptions of invasive plant presence, not actual ecological data, strongly influence prohibited resource collection behaviors in Chitwan National Park. The study combines sociodemographic variables and spatial analysis to reveal how perceptions shape conservation challenges. Researchers used structured interviews, tablet-based data collection, and field surveys to assess collection patterns in community forests and the park. A social-ecological systems approach identified key drivers of illegal resource gathering, offering critical insights for conservation policy that transcend traditional ecological or social frameworks alone.

Yabiku, S. T., Sullivan, A., York, A. M., Zhao, Q., Glick, J. E., Hall, S. J., Ghimire, D. J., & An, L. (2022). Drivers of prohibited natural resource collection in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Environmental Conservation, 49(2), 114–121. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0376892922000121