Conservation Policy for Effective Local Resource Governance: A Case Study in the Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative

This research project is part of a comparative study on conservation governance in two landscape conservation initiatives: the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in Nunavut, Canada and the Kailash Sacred Landscapes Conservation and Development Initiative in Uttarakhand, India. Hosted by the Wildlife Institute of India, the Uttarakhand component of this project aims 1) to understand the role of local resource users in managing protected areas 2) to identify conditions which support effective governance; and 3) to make recommendations for long-term management which empower local resource governance institutions to work effectively and contribute to conservation goals. The methods will consist of legal analysis, semi-structured interviews, participatory mapping, and focus groups with policymakers, forest managers, and local community members. This research follows community-based participatory research protocols, involving community input throughout the research process. The expected outcomes of this internship are a series of culturally appropriate policy briefs on resource governance, and a set of case-specific recommendations to improve the implementation of forest governance policies in alpine villages within the Kailash project area in Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand, prepared and issued jointly with local partners.

Faculty Supervisor:

David Boyd

Student:

Partner:

Wildlife Institute of India

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Public Service, Policy, and Governance; Aboriginal Affairs

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: