Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia
Despite the significant increase in protected territory globally, there is a common understanding that the designation of protected areas alone does not guarantee their effectiveness nor halt the loss of biodiversity. In addition to biodiversity conservation, protected areas are expected to perform...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/11/1257 |
| _version_ | 1797509649037000704 |
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| author | Henri Järv Raymond D. Ward Janar Raet Kalev Sepp |
| author_facet | Henri Järv Raymond D. Ward Janar Raet Kalev Sepp |
| author_sort | Henri Järv |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the significant increase in protected territory globally, there is a common understanding that the designation of protected areas alone does not guarantee their effectiveness nor halt the loss of biodiversity. In addition to biodiversity conservation, protected areas are expected to perform a number of other functions, such as provide ecosystem services and improve local socio-economic conditions. Therefore, the need to strive towards mixed, decentralized conservation management and stakeholder involvement is increasingly emphasized. Although there is limited research, it has been noted that protected areas have not served wider objectives effectively enough. The current study provides insight concerning socio-economic effects of different governance and management practices of protected areas based on perceptions of residents and stakeholders of five national parks of Estonia. It was found that conservation status has an important impact on local socio-economic conditions largely depending on governance and management practices, resulting in both, positive and negative effects. It was concluded that the centralization of nature conservation and the abolition of protected area administrations have led to a gradual distancing of nature conservation from local conditions and the population, causing concern about the preservation of the living environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:20:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7608f62f9af4414fb09dde6df3d8109f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:20:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-7608f62f9af4414fb09dde6df3d8109f2023-11-23T00:02:33ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2021-11-011011125710.3390/land10111257Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era EstoniaHenri Järv0Raymond D. Ward1Janar Raet2Kalev Sepp3Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaCentre for Aquatic Environments, School of the Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaDespite the significant increase in protected territory globally, there is a common understanding that the designation of protected areas alone does not guarantee their effectiveness nor halt the loss of biodiversity. In addition to biodiversity conservation, protected areas are expected to perform a number of other functions, such as provide ecosystem services and improve local socio-economic conditions. Therefore, the need to strive towards mixed, decentralized conservation management and stakeholder involvement is increasingly emphasized. Although there is limited research, it has been noted that protected areas have not served wider objectives effectively enough. The current study provides insight concerning socio-economic effects of different governance and management practices of protected areas based on perceptions of residents and stakeholders of five national parks of Estonia. It was found that conservation status has an important impact on local socio-economic conditions largely depending on governance and management practices, resulting in both, positive and negative effects. It was concluded that the centralization of nature conservation and the abolition of protected area administrations have led to a gradual distancing of nature conservation from local conditions and the population, causing concern about the preservation of the living environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/11/1257national parkssocio-economic effectgovernance of protected areaslocal communitiescultural landscapesmanagement of protected areas |
| spellingShingle | Henri Järv Raymond D. Ward Janar Raet Kalev Sepp Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia Land national parks socio-economic effect governance of protected areas local communities cultural landscapes management of protected areas |
| title | Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia |
| title_full | Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia |
| title_fullStr | Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia |
| title_short | Socio-Economic Effects of National Park Governance and Management: Lessons from Post-Socialist Era Estonia |
| title_sort | socio economic effects of national park governance and management lessons from post socialist era estonia |
| topic | national parks socio-economic effect governance of protected areas local communities cultural landscapes management of protected areas |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/11/1257 |
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