Increasing human population and development in Africa restricts land and resources for African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and threatens the preservation of the species. Despite the importance of conservation for many governments in Africa, many local communities have negative views of elephants and exhibit anti-conservation behavior. By looking at the history of wildlife policy in Tanzania, this paper seeks to understand these opinions through a historical context. Three case studies of conservation initiatives were evaluated to determine what aspects of conservation initiatives promote long-term pro-conservation behavior on the part of the local community. Ultimately, conservation initiatives should establish a framework whereby local communities are empowered through conservation.

Over the past three decades, there has been a global paradigm shift in biodiversity conservation approaches from exclusive protected areas (PAs) towards people-centred conservation. This has encouraged the development of community-based conservation across the world, promoting reconciliation between livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation. However, there is a growing body of literature that demonstrates mixed outcomes of community-based conservation approaches in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods, especially to the communities neighbouring PAs in Africa. This dissertation examines the experience of implementing one community wildlife management area (WMA) in Tanzania, with a particular focus on the effectiveness of Ikona WMA in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods in Western Serengeti. Specifically, the study investigates livelihood benefits and conservation impacts attributed to Ikona WMA in the study area. It also explores the success and challenges of implementing Ikona WMA and suggests areas for improvement. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through field-based research in Nyichoka and Robanda villages, which participate in Ikona WMA, and Rwamchanga village, which does not. Research methods employed in this study include interviews, focus group discussions, and household surveys. With regard to livelihood benefits attributed to Ikona WMA, results show benefits to the communities participating in WMA at the community level, especially improvement of social infrastructure, while few or no benefits were realized at the household level. In addition, findings show variation in perceptions between and among the communities participating in Ikona WMA and the community not participating, and among conservation experts about community access to natural resources and benefits experienced at the household level in the study area. Findings show that the communities participating in the WMA had more positive perceptions of Ikona WMA, and perceived more conservation impact than did the community not participating in the WMA. Both community members and WMA administrators perceived a decline of illegal activities, improvement of habitat, increase of wild animals, and increase of wildlife protection as the major conservation impacts attributable to Ikona WMA. Ikona WMA demonstrates some success in contributing to improved conservation and local livelihoods at the community level. However, the study reveals a number of challenges hindering effective implementation of Ikona WMA, including insufficient power over crucial decision making and ownership of wildlife resources, insufficient involvement of community members, unequal distribution of benefits at the village level, and insufficient transparency, accountability, and monitoring of village development projects. In addition, respondents identified low levels of education among community members and WMA staff members, weak collaboration with other conservation actors, and increases in both livestock and human populations as challenges to the WMA in the study area. The study suggests that broad level participation of community members in decision making about wildlife conservation, empowerment of the local community, particularly with regard to financial resources, skills training, and true devolution of power over wildlife to the community, as well as fostering equity in benefit sharing at the village level, could help to cultivate community interest in wildlife conservation. / Graduate / 0768 / 0478 / 0368