Institutional sustainability and community conservation: a case study from Uganda

Abstract

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is established to conserve gorillas and their habitats. This is a difficult task given the pressures on natural resources in Uganda and the poverty of the people in its vicinity. Since 1991 a community conservation programme has operated in attempts to foster conservation while contributing to rural development. This paper examines this strategy and makes an assessment of its achievements. Despite its initial success in bolstering support for the Park from neighbouring communities, both the community conservation programme and the Park itself remain fragile institutions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.