University of Aarhus ECOTOURISM AS A WAY TO PROTECT ...

Ecotourism as a sustainable way to protect nature
Appendix 3: Basic steps to encourage community participation
Understand community’s role: community should exercise to control over their growth and
development. They will in many cases need technical assistance to make appropriate
decisions and should be given adequate information and training in advance. Allocate time,
funds and experienced personnel to work with community well in advance. Avoid allowing
communities to feel they are powerless to influence patterns of development.
Empower communities: Participation is a process that is more than just making communities
the beneficiaries of an ecotourism project. Jobs are an important benefit, but they do not
replace empowerment. Communities must genuinely participate in decision-making process.
This involves more than just consultation. Processes must be initiated to ensure that
communities can manage their own growth and resources wisely.
Urge local project participation: Project manager must identify local leaders, local
organisations, key priorities of the community, and ideas, expectations and concerns local
people already have. Information can be gathered for and by the community. The opinions
gathered should be disseminated and discussed with the community along with other relevant
information such as government market statistics or regional development plans. Training
opportunities must be formulated at this phase to help community members gain planning
skills, and also the entrepreneurial skills required to run small businesses.
Create stakeholders: Participation can be encouraged at 2 levels – for individuals and local
organisations. Investment in project development areas should be encouraged, either in cash,
labours or in-kind resources. Developing logging by local entrepreneurs, and setting standards
for local services by local organisations are 2 good examples.
Link benefits to conservation: The link between ecotourism benefits and conservation
objectives need to be direct and significant. Income, employment and other benefits must
promote conservation.
Distribute benefits: Ensure that both the local community and individuals benefit from
projects.
Identify community leaders: Identify opinion leaders and involve them in the planning and
execution of projects. Identify leaders that represent different constituents to ensure that a
cross-section of society is involved (including both men and women). Be sure that the project
has good information on the local social structure. Strategize on the effects of the projects on
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