There are concerns that many national parks worldwide are ineffective at conserving biological diversity and ecosystem processes, are socially unjust in their relations with Indigenous communities, or both. This dissertation asks: can national parks protect ecological integrity and concurrently address social equity issues? It presents empirical results of a systematic evaluation of six case study national parks in Canada and South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select the six case study national parks. Data sources included State of the Park Reports; park ecological monitoring data; archival data; and semi-structured interviews with park biologists, managers, and Indigenous members of park co-management boards. Status and trend assessments and effectiveness evaluations of park ecological monitoring data were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three ecological integrity criteria. Results show that all six parks effectively addressed the priority indicators for which they had monitoring data. However, the effectiveness ratings of each park decreased when all indicators, including those identified as priorities but lacking monitoring data, were analysed. This indicates that the parks had generally identified more priority indicators than they were actually able to address (for reasons including lack of budget or trained staff, managerial challenges). Thematic coding of semi-structured interview and archival data, and the assignation of numerical ratings to these data, were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three equity criteria. Results show that all but one of the case study parks were equitable, parks with more comprehensive co-management and support from neighbouring Indigenous groups were more equitable than parks with lower levels of co-management, the parks with settled land claims were not necessarily more equitable overall, and a few parks were found to be co-managed in name only. The overall results of this evaluation demonstrate that parks effective at protecting ecological integrity can also successfully address social equity, but that further efforts to integrate these two realms are both possible and necessary. A logical starting point would be to build upon those existing integrative processes already institutionalised in many parks and protected areas: the co-management and integrated conservation and development efforts.

This thesis provides the first direct comparison between – and integration of – community-based and science-based approaches to the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are one potentially effective conservation tool, but are being established very slowly. My research shows that community involvement in placing MPAs can help meet many ecological goals, although biophysical data improve the conservation value of sitings. To assess the need for MPAs in British Columbia (BC), Canada, I mapped stressors resulting from human activities. This produced a powerful rationale for MPAs: very little of the ocean, and almost none of the continental shelf of BC, lies beyond the reach of human stressors. My work helps reconcile differing perspectives about the efficacy of community-based vs. science-based MPA selection. I explored and analyzed these approaches, separately and together, in two areas in BC. First, I generated a community-based plan for MPA placement through partnerships with two First Nations (indigenous peoples) in BC. They offered strong support for spatial protection measures, and individuals nominated overlapping areas. Second, I applied a decision support tool (Marxan) to determine MPA placement under scientific precepts. Conservation planning usually lacks detailed ecological information but the Marxan approach was robust to some missing data; in such cases, it was best to use available abiotic and biotic data to ensure that both habitats and species were represented. Third, I integrated community-based and science-based approaches, to find that they verified and complemented each other. Indeed, an integration of the two was preferred by participants and also achieved all conservation objectives. Finally, I took a novel and pragmatic approach to ocean zoning. I used spatial data for thirteen commercial fisheries on Canada’s west coast to select areas where fishing should be permitted, rather than prohibiting fishing under a MPA paradigm. The results revealed that small reductions in fisheries yields, if judiciously selected, could allow creation of large unfished areas that embraced diverse biophysical regions and habitat types. Such a pragmatic approach could achieve remarkable conservation gains.

During the research it was established that restrictions of economic activity in protected areas make negative influence on the amount of money got from economic activity in those areas and that it is essential to compensate losses of those restrictions in order to follow restrictions of economic activity in protected areas.

Magistrinio darbo objektas – Krekenavos regioninis parkas. Šio darbo tikslas – išnagrinėti Krekenavos regioninio parko dabartinę situaciją, siūlomus pokyčius ir tolimesnes parko perspektyvas. Taip pat tiriama, su kokiomis problemomis susiduria parko teritorijoje gyvenantys žmonės, pateikiami pasiūlymai, kaip gerinti jų gyvenimo ir veiklos sąlygas. Darbe taip pat aptariami Krekenavos regioninio parko gamtinės aplinkos ypatumai, saugomi gamtos ir kultūros paveldo objektai, analizuojamos parko funkcinės zonos ir numatomi jų pokyčiai. Tyrimams naudoti šie metodai: monografinis, analitinis, palyginimo, statistinis bei grafinio vaizdavimo. Taip pat naudotasi žemės reformos žemėtvarkos projektais bei kartografine medžiaga. Krekenavos regioninis parkas buvo įkurtas 1992 metais. Jo tikslas -- išsaugoti Nevėžio vidurupio paslėnio kraštovaizdį, jo gamtinę ekosistemą bei kultūros paveldo vertybes, jas tvarkyti ir racionaliai naudoti. (Lietuvos...,1992). Patvirtintas regioninio parko plotas – 11 968 ha. Parko teritorijoje įsikūrę apie 4 tūkst. gyventojų. Krekenavos regioninis parkas priklauso 1992 metais Lietuvoje pradėtai kurti saugomų teritorijų sistemai. Saugomos teritorijos – tai sausumos ir (ar) vandens plotai nustatytomis aiškiomis ribomis, turintys pripažintą mokslinę, ekologinę, kultūrinę ir kitokią vertę, ir kuriems teisės aktais nustatytas specialus apsaugos ir naudojimo režimas (tvarka). (Lietuvos..., 2001). Atrodytų, valstybės sprendimą kurti saugomas teritorijas –... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The subject of master thesis is Krekenava Regional Park. The aim of the thesis is to analyse the current situation of Krekenava Regional Park, suggestions for changes and future perspectives of the park. The problems of people residing in the territory of the park are also examined and the suggestions for improving the quality of their life and activities are presented. The paper discusses the peculiarities of natural environment of Krekenava Regional Park, natural and cultural heritage protected and analyses the functional zones of the park and the expected changes. The research methods: monographic, analytical, comparison, statistical and graphical. Land use projects of land reform and cartographic material were also used. Krekenava Regional Park was established in 1992. Its aim is to protect the landscape of the Middle Nevezis valley, its natural ecosystem and valuable cultural heritage, take care of it and exploit it rationally (Lietuvos...,1992). The official area of the regional park is 11 968 ha. There are approximately four thousand inhabitants in its territory. Krekenava Regional Park is part of the Lithuanian system of protected territories that was initiated in 1992. Protected territories are the areas of land and/or water with precisely determined borders of acknowledged scientific, ecological, cultural or any other value and require special protection and usage procedures according to legislation (Lietuvos..., 2001). It seems that the decision of the State... [to full text]

Gražutės regioninis parkas įkurtas siekiant išsaugoti ežeringą ir miškingą Šventosios upės auštupio kraštovaizdį, jo gamtos ir kultūros paveldo vertybes. Gamtos vertybes sudaro 15 draustinių ir gausūs pavieniai objektai: 15 gemorfaloginių, 12 hidrologinių-hidrografinių ir 85 botaniniai-zoologiniai. Kultūros paveldo vertybes sudaro 42 archeologiniai, 21 architektūros, 59 memorialiniai, 26 dailės ir 5 etnografiniai objektai (viso157).Taigi, Gražutės regioniniame parke saugomas gausus paveldas, kuris būdingas visam Rytų Lietuvos regionui. / The park was established on purpose to protect laky and sylvan landscape of the Upper Sventoji and the nugget of its natural and cultural legacy. Protected nature objects combine 15 reservations and numerous unique monuments including 15 geomorphologic, 12 hydrological-hydrographical and 85 botanical-zoological objects. Cultural monument under protection include 42 archeological, 21 architectural, 59 memorial, 26 art and 5 ethnographical objects (total :157).The data leads to the conclusion that the Grazutes national park protects the abundance of nature and cultural inheritance which is typical to all the region of East Lithuania.

Šiame moksliniame darbe analizuojama rekreacija Lietuvos saugomose teritorijose bei jos poveikis šioms teritorijoms. Pagrindinis šio darbo tikslas – atlikti Nemuno kilpų regioninio parko lankytojų srautų analizę ir ištirti lankytojų poveikį gamtinei aplinkai. Vertinant lankytojus srautus regioniniame parke aptartos vyraujančios rekreacijos rūšys ir formos atskirose Nemuno kilpų regioninio parko dalyse. Panaudojus Nemuno kilpų regioninio parko direkcijos 2006-2008 metų atliktais kraštovaizdžio monitoringo programos rezultatus buvo analizuojamos lankymo apkrovos pažintiniuose, mokomuosiuose takuose, poilsiavietėse, stovyklavietėse. Natūrinių tyrimų metu buvo nustatomas lankytojų poveikis kraštovaizdžiui – rekreacinė digresija. Vertinami rodikliai ir matavimo vienetai – rekreacijos pažeidimo laipsnis (mažas, vidutinis, didelis) ir pobūdis (taškinis, linijinis, arealinis). Matavimai atlikti keturiose Nemuno kilpų regioninio parko vietose: Nemuno upės pakrantė ties Pociūnų kaimu, Žvėrinčiaus miškas prie Prienų estrados, prie Velniablūdžio pelkėje esančio pažintinio tako ir prie Balbieriškio atodangos apžvalgos aikštelės. Didžiausias pažeidimo plotas (arealinis pobūdis) ir mažas rekreacinės digresijos laipsnis užfiksuotas Pociūnų kaime, pušynėlyje, prie Nemuno upės. Labiausiai pažeista rekreacinės digresijos (didelis pažeidimo laipsnis) yra Balbieriškio atodanga prie apžvalgos aikštelės, nes ši parko vieta yra viena labiausiai lankoma lankytojų. Lankytojų anketinis tyrimas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Author of this article analyse environmental management problems which causes the impact of recreation use in protected areas. The purpose of this article is to analyse the impact of visitors and natural surroundings of regional park of Nemunas loops. The author analysed recreation use in regional park of Nemunas loops in terms of sort and form. By using Nemunas loops regional park landscape monitoring statistical data were made comparison load of visitor histograms (in educational and recreational trails, campsites and reviews site). Author did field study and determine visitors influence to the landscape – recreation digression. There were estimated indicators and units of measurements - recreation digression degree (small, medium, big) and character (dotted, linear, areal). Author did questionnaire survey to visitor in regional park of Nemunas loops. the author investigated visitors answers: visitors visiting aim, frequency and opinion about trails signs in regional park of Nemunas loops. There are basic forms of outdoor recreation such as educational, camping, entertainment in regional park of Nemunas loops. The regional park offers nice conditions to holiday making, and particularly to cognitive tourism. The regional park of Nemunas loops is famous among other Lithuanian regional parks for its picturesque, expressive and original landscape. The main accent of the regional park is the Nemunas river with its Great Loops and wide riverbed with high, steep slopes engraved by... [to full text]

An important step for protecting Endangered species is the identification of critical habitat. This can be especially challenging for deep ocean species. Northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) are deep-diving beaked whales of the North Atlantic. A population of this species occurs along the edge of the Scotian Shelf primarily in three submarine canyons that have been identified as critical habitat for the population: the Gully (the largest submarine canyon off eastern North America), Shortland Canyon and Haldimand Canyon. The Scotian Shelf population is considered Endangered mainly due to its small numbers and the anthropogenic threats it faces. The primary objective of my research was to further identify critical habitat of the population using passive acoustic monitoring, increasing knowledge of how the whales use the canyons and adjacent areas throughout the year. A review of the literature on cetacean associations with submarine canyons indicates that various mechanisms may act to attract cetaceans to these features. While many different species occur in canyons globally, they appear to be particularly important habitat for beaked whales. I developed an automated click detection algorithm customized for detecting northern bottlenose whale echolocation clicks, and long-term acoustic recordings were analyzed to examine the presence and relative abundance of northern bottlenose whales on the Scotian Slope over various spatial and temporal scales. The whales occurred in the area consistently throughout the year and all three canyons, as well as the area between canyons, appeared to be important foraging grounds for the population. The whales displayed diurnal foraging patterns. I also investigated niche separation between northern bottlenose whales and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), another deep diving species. The presence of the two species was positively correlated over all spatial and temporal scales examined. These results indicate that areas within and adjacent to the Gully are important foraging grounds for northern bottlenose whales throughout the year. Furthermore, in addition to the canyons themselves, the shelf-edge areas between the Gully, Shortland and Haldimand canyons may constitute critical habitat for the whales. This research will be used to inform management measures relevant to the protection and recovery of this Endangered population.

The goal of the current study was to describe the organizational and institutional foundations within traditional rural communities that facilitate implementation of participatory community poverty reduction programs. The focus was on communities within or adjacent to protected areas. A case study research approach was used to assess community mobilization, participation and analytical capacity and also to evaluate community groups and organizations for their competence to be local implementing agents of poverty reduction programs. The research findings showed that inadequate skills and organizational levels limited the ability of communities to fully utilize protected areas as poverty reduction initiatives. Key determinants of community participation were the ability to mobilize and also to undertake detailed analysis of local situations. Community mobilization depended on the relationship between the mobilizing agent and the community, social cohesion and gender. Analytical capacity was influenced mostly by the level of education, prior experience and gender. Interestingly, community groups that had the highest potential to be implementing agents, had strong ties to traditional institutions, suggesting that groups with well recognized power and legitimacy within the community are better positioned to facilitate implementation of community poverty eradication initiatives. A number of indicators of community competence were identified and these were used to develop an analytical framework that can be used as a diagnostic tool for determining community competence. / Protected Areas and Poverty Reduction - Canada-Africa Research and Learning Alliance Project

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamasis darbas, 65 puslapiai, 28 paveikslai, 4 lentelės, 42 literatūros šaltiniai, lietuvių kalba. Atlikto tyrimo objektas: Metelių regioninio parko sodybos ir pavieniai pastatai. Tyrimo tikslas – ištirti, kaip laikomasi norminiuose dokumentuose nustatytų sąlygų bei žemės ir kito nekilnojamojo turto naudojimo apribojimų ir kokia užstatytų teritorijų įtaka regioninio parko kraštovaizdžiui. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti, kaip laikomasi regioniniame parke nustatytų nekilnojamojo turto naudojimo sąlygų bei apribojimų; 2. Išanalizuoti, kokią įtaką užstatytos teritorijos turi regioninio parko kraštovaizdžiui; 3. Įvertinti sodybų būklę Metelių regioniniame parke ir šių sodybų savininkų nuomonę apie jiems taikomus teritorijų naudojimo apribojimus. Tyrimo metodai: literatūros šaltinių analizė, empirinis pažinimo metodas – stebėjimas, anketinė apklausa. Gauti duomenys apdoroti matematiniais statistiniais metodais ir pateikti lentelėse bei grafikuose. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad iš analizuojamų 73 sodybų 49,3 proc. atitinka nustatytus apsaugos reglamento reikalavimus. 77,7 proc. šių sodybų yra įsikūrusios Barčių ir Obelninkų kaimuose bei Metelių miestelyje. 6,8 proc. sodybų, neatitinka regioninio parko apsaugos reglamento nustatymų. Net 43,8 proc. sodybų yra apleistų ir nebegyvenamų. Daugiausiai apleistų sodybų (62,5 proc.) yra Buckunų ir Nakruniškės kaimuose. Užstatytos teritorijos, kurios sudaro tik 2,3 proc. bendro parko ploto, šio parko... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Final work of University Master Studies: 65 pages, 28 pictures, 4 tables, 42 references, the Lithuanian language. Subject of the research: homesteads and individual buildings in the Meteliai Regional Park. Aim of the research: to investigate compliance with the conditions and use-restrictions of land and other real estate laid down in regulatory documents, as well as the impact of the built-up areas on the Regional Park landscape. Objectives of the research: 1. To determine compliance with the conditions and limitations of the real estate usage in the Regional Park; 2. To analyse the impact of the built-up areas on the Regional Park landscape; 3. To assess the conditions of messuages and their owners’ opinion about the land-use restrictions in the Regional Park. Research methods: review of sources of scientific literature, empirical knowledge (observation), questionnaire. The obtained data were processed using mathematical-statistical methods. The results are presented in tables and graphs. Research results: The results show that 49.3 per cent of the alysed homesteads meet the Protection Regulation Requirements. 77.7 per cent of these dwellings are located in the villages of Barčiai and Obelninkai and in the townsip of Meteliai. 6.8 per cent of homesteads don’t comply with the regulations for the Regional Park protection. Even 43.8 per cent homesteads are abandoned and desolate. Most abandoned homesteads (62.5 per cent) are located in the villages of Buckūnai and... [to full text]

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal