Contribution Of Benefit Sharing Mechanism To Conservation Attitudes: A Case Of Arusha National Park, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

This work is about contribution of benefit sharing mechanism to conservation attitudes, a case of Arusha National Park, Tanzania. The issue of community attitude in conserving environment around park areas has gained profound importance all over the world particularly where there has been the increase of pressure over resource uses. The aim of this dissertation was to provide the experience of conservation attitude under benefit sharing mechanism particularly to society living adjacent protected areas.

Sample sizes of eighty (80) respondents were employed in this study. Open and open-ended questionnaire were administered and quantitative data were computed to produce frequencies. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for management of data and analysis. In this study the theories relating to benefit sharing was established to familiarize the reader with paradigms, frameworks and approaches in the field of benefit sharing.

The findings from the study reveal that contribution of benefit sharing mechanism in developing conservation attitude among local communities around Arusha National Park require extra efforts since there is limitations of participations of local communities in developing the mechanism and it is also non-transparent to local communities. The study recommend that the spirit should be built to involve communities during setting up management plans of these protected areas so that some specific benefits to be drawn from protected areas at times of need are properly defined. Also, the benefits accrued from tourism should reach communities in terms of community based project support so that the spirit of conservation is kept alive within communities residing along protected areas.