Trends in Global Protected Area Governance

Abstract

Governance refers to the interactions among structures, processes, and traditions that determine direc- tion, how power is exercised, and how the views of citizens or stakeholders are incorporated into decision-making. Governance is now recognized as a critical aspect of effective conservation and is a prominent part of the Con- vention on Biological Diversity's work program on protected areas. This study reports on a global survey to assess changes in governance of protected area systems between 1992 and 2002 based on responses from 41 countries. Re- sults indicate that substantial changes have taken place with overall trends towards increased participation of more stakeholders, greater use of formal accountability mecha- nisms, and a wider range of participatory techniques. Many of these changes are supported by legislative and policy requirements and 75% of respondents reported changes in legislation over the past decade. Protected areas are becoming more influenced by global forces. A majority of respondents reported increased involvement of the private sector. Funding is coming from a broader range of sources, with a smaller proportion of income coming from government sources in 2002. Absolute funding amounts have increased, but almost two-thirds report that budgets fall short of requirements. Almost 90% of respondents felt that protected area governance had improved over the last decade; 67% felt that this had also led to improved management effec- tiveness. Respondents felt that secure funding, capacity building, and increased community involvement were the main governance needs for the future.