Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

All over the world, scientists agree that to succeed with a conservation project, it is important to have a good relationship with the local people. If they do not receive a good impression of the project, they will not be willing to collaborate and the project will probably fail.

According to previous studies, there are different factors affecting attitudes to conservation, like the level of education of the participant. Many studies have shown that the higher education the people have, the more positive attitude they have to adjacent conservation areas. Economical factors are also important, it is often stated that having more money results in a better attitude. The source of the income also has an effect. Those who earn money from conservation are more positive than those who earn money from other sources. Age and gender also affect the attitudes.

In this study the attitudes of local people in two different areas in Kenya was examined. There are conservation work going on in both areas but they area managed in different ways. In the study a group of employees was also included, who all worked with conservation in one of the two areas.

In general the results agreed with the literature and the participant thought that the adjacent conservation area worked well and fulfilled its purpose. As expected was the group with the employees most positive towards conservation. There was also a big difference in attitudes between those who had an income from the conservation area and/or an education and those who had neither. Having both income and education gave the most positive attitude.

This study indicates that education is a very important part in conserving animals and plants. At the same time it is also very important that the local people can receive their rightful part of the benefits and income that conservation can generate.