Promotion of Local People’s Environmental Awareness and Its Contribution to the Management of Protected Areas: Case Study of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda

A study on Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda reveals that local residents, despite their proximity to the protected area, exhibit low environmental awareness and engage in illegal activities such as poaching and tree-felling. Key challenges hindering community participation include poverty, ignorance, crop-raiding, and a lack of alternative livelihoods. The research suggests that targeted information campaigns and development projects could significantly improve local awareness, reduce reliance on park resources, and foster more sustainable management practices. The study employed mixed methods, including questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews, and field observations, to gather data from 177 households in two sectors bordering the park.

Evariste, M., & Théophile, N. (2024). PROMOTION OF LOCAL PEOPLE’S ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS: CASE STUDY OF NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK IN RWANDA. Journal of Environmental Management and Safety, Vol. 5 No. 1 (2014). https://doi.org/10.83032/JEMS.VOL5NO1.430