Nurturing Seeds of Association: Nurturing Seeds of Association: Democracy and Conservation through Civil Democracy and Conservation through Civil

Society at Society at Masoala National Park, MadagascarMasoala National Park, Madagascar

Focus on Ch IV: Focus on Ch IV: Civil Society and Masoala National ParkCivil Society and Masoala National Park

Kate MannleKate MannleBates CollegeBates College

Lewiston, ME USALewiston, ME USAFor the TBPARI Teleseminar SeriesFor the TBPARI Teleseminar Series

12 May, 200412 May, 2004

Masoala National Park, Masoala National Park, MadagascarMadagascar

Masoala National ParkMasoala National Park Habitat Types of the Masoala Peninsula Habitat Types of the Masoala Peninsula Source: (Ormsby 2003)Source: (Ormsby 2003) Source: (Rubel Source: (Rubel et alet al 2003) 2003)

Social and Political Factors to Social and Political Factors to Understanding Madagascar and the Understanding Madagascar and the

Masoala RegionMasoala RegionMadagascarMadagascar► urban/rural divideurban/rural divide

► national motto “Unity national motto “Unity Amongst Diversity”Amongst Diversity”

► deeply felt but deeply felt but unspoken unspoken ethnic/regional divideethnic/regional divide

► influences of British influences of British and French colonialismand French colonialism

Masoala RegionMasoala Region► domination of domination of

Betsimisaraka by Betsimisaraka by Merina ethnic group Merina ethnic group

► 2001-2002 political and 2001-2002 political and economic crisiseconomic crisis

► Violence, mass arrests, Violence, mass arrests, and kidnapping in and kidnapping in northern and eastern northern and eastern provinces during the provinces during the crisis have created crisis have created mistrust, fear, and mistrust, fear, and silencing of political silencing of political viewsviews

Primary Research QuestionPrimary Research Question

Can democracy and conservation reinforce each other?Can democracy and conservation reinforce each other?

• Would the park management’s use of participatory Would the park management’s use of participatory methods of conservation make it a more legitimate and methods of conservation make it a more legitimate and possibly more successful as a means of conservation?possibly more successful as a means of conservation?

• Should conservation be used as a tool to promote Should conservation be used as a tool to promote democratization? democratization?

• Is democracy beneficial to biodiversity conservation Is democracy beneficial to biodiversity conservation and is it necessary for biodiversity conservation?and is it necessary for biodiversity conservation?

What roles do international and local What roles do international and local civil society play at Masoala National civil society play at Masoala National

Park?Park?• International Civil SocietyInternational Civil Society

• The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)• CARE InternationalCARE International

• Local Civil SocietyLocal Civil Society• The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and

Association National pour la Gestion des Aires ProtégéesAssociation National pour la Gestion des Aires Protégées (ANGAP)(ANGAP)

• The The dinadina

• Park related associations Park related associations • Association des Guides Ecotouristique du Masoala Association des Guides Ecotouristique du Masoala (AGEM) (AGEM)

(Ecotourism Guides Association of Masoala)(Ecotourism Guides Association of Masoala)

MethodsMethods► Semester spent in Madagascar, Spring 2003 including month Semester spent in Madagascar, Spring 2003 including month

long independent study on ecotourism at Masoala National long independent study on ecotourism at Masoala National Park. Park.

► Interviews with park managers, employees, park guides, Interviews with park managers, employees, park guides, porters, cultivators, hotel and restaurant owners and local porters, cultivators, hotel and restaurant owners and local residents in individual and group formats residents in individual and group formats

► Participant observation used to record the actions and roles of Participant observation used to record the actions and roles of various actors in and around the parkvarious actors in and around the park

► Gray literature such as brochures and park management Gray literature such as brochures and park management plans collected in Madagascarplans collected in Madagascar

► Archival research conducted in Madagascar and the U.S. Archival research conducted in Madagascar and the U.S.

► Interviews with WCS personnel in New YorkInterviews with WCS personnel in New York

What is Civil Society?What is Civil Society?

► ““The realm of organized social life standing The realm of organized social life standing between individuals and political institutions between individuals and political institutions of representation.” of representation.” (Hyden, 1998)(Hyden, 1998)

► Transnational non-government Transnational non-government organizations (NGOs) organizations (NGOs) (Wapner, 1995)(Wapner, 1995) ““disseminating an ecological sensibility”disseminating an ecological sensibility” Help transform national policies and global agreementsHelp transform national policies and global agreements

► Civil society promotes democracy by Civil society promotes democracy by creating an environment for people to learn creating an environment for people to learn and practice democratic behaviorand practice democratic behavior (Marcus, (Marcus, 2000).2000).

International Civil SocietyInternational Civil Society

► The Wildlife Conservation SocietyThe Wildlife Conservation Society Participates in international environmental regimes, Participates in international environmental regimes,

disseminates a “particular ecological sensibility”disseminates a “particular ecological sensibility” Integral to national environmental policy formation in Integral to national environmental policy formation in

MadagascarMadagascar Acts on behalf of Masoala regionActs on behalf of Masoala region

► WCS policies and practices at MasoalaWCS policies and practices at Masoala Focus on financial assistance, technical advising and Focus on financial assistance, technical advising and

scientific researchscientific research Conservation ethic reflects protectionist argument as Conservation ethic reflects protectionist argument as

defined by Wilshusen defined by Wilshusen et alet al (2002). (2002). Currently lacking a partner organization for development at Currently lacking a partner organization for development at

MasoalaMasoala

Madagascar Government Madagascar Government institutionsinstitutions

►Association National pour la Gestion des Aires Association National pour la Gestion des Aires ProtégéesProtégées (ANGAP)(ANGAP) Responsible for park outreach to local communities Responsible for park outreach to local communities

at Masoalaat Masoala COGES program limitationsCOGES program limitations Park enforcement limitationsPark enforcement limitations

Local Civil SocietyLocal Civil Society► Local civil society in Local civil society in

the Masoala region is the Masoala region is generally weak generally weak (Marcus, (Marcus, 2000)2000)

► AGEM and other park AGEM and other park related organizations related organizations starting to emerge starting to emerge

► Important link Important link between local people between local people and parkand park

►De factoDe facto park management is park management is somewhere between a modified version somewhere between a modified version of fortress conservation and a limited of fortress conservation and a limited protected-area outreach program as protected-area outreach program as defined by Hulme and Murphee (2001). defined by Hulme and Murphee (2001).

►Legitimacy of current conservation Legitimacy of current conservation strategy given political and social strategy given political and social situation? situation? (Wilshusen et al, 2002).(Wilshusen et al, 2002).

Conclusions about Civil Society at Conclusions about Civil Society at Masoala National ParkMasoala National Park

► Local, park related civil society such as AGEM Local, park related civil society such as AGEM has the ability to teach democratic values, has the ability to teach democratic values, encourage other local civil society, and encourage other local civil society, and develop its own non-Western conservation develop its own non-Western conservation ethicethic

► Through the encouragement of local civil Through the encouragement of local civil society associated with the park, international society associated with the park, international civil society can reinforce both democracy civil society can reinforce both democracy and conservation at Masoala National Parkand conservation at Masoala National Park

Possible LessonsPossible Lessons

►Danger of dependencyDanger of dependency

► International civil society just reinforcing the International civil society just reinforcing the status quo? status quo? (Chatterjee and Finger, 1994)(Chatterjee and Finger, 1994)

► Possibilities for forming other independent Possibilities for forming other independent guides associations in Madagascar?guides associations in Madagascar?

► Further research on park related civil society Further research on park related civil society at other protected areas with attention to at other protected areas with attention to specific social and political dynamics specific social and political dynamics

References and References and AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Chatterjee, P., & Finger, M. (1994). Chatterjee, P., & Finger, M. (1994). The earth brokers: Power, politics, and world developmentThe earth brokers: Power, politics, and world development. New York: . New York: Routledge.Routledge.

Hulme, D., & Murphee, M. (2001). Community conservation in Africa. In D. Hulme & M. Murphee (Eds.), Hulme, D., & Murphee, M. (2001). Community conservation in Africa. In D. Hulme & M. Murphee (Eds.), African African wildlife and livelihoods: The promise and performance of community conservationwildlife and livelihoods: The promise and performance of community conservation. Pourtsmouth: . Pourtsmouth: Routledge.Routledge.

Hyden, G. (1998). Building civil society at the turn of the millennium. In J. Burbidge (Ed.), Hyden, G. (1998). Building civil society at the turn of the millennium. In J. Burbidge (Ed.), Beyond prince and Beyond prince and merchant: Citizen participation and the rise of civil societymerchant: Citizen participation and the rise of civil society. New York: Pact Publications.. New York: Pact Publications.

Marcus, R. R. (2000). Marcus, R. R. (2000). Cultivating democracy on fragile grounds: Environmental institutions and non-elite Cultivating democracy on fragile grounds: Environmental institutions and non-elite perceptions of democracy in Madagascar and Uganda.perceptions of democracy in Madagascar and Uganda. University of Florida. University of Florida.

Ormsby, A. A., & Mannle, K. O. (2003). Ormsby, A. A., & Mannle, K. O. (2003). Ecotourism opportunities and challenges at Masoala National Park, Ecotourism opportunities and challenges at Masoala National Park, MadagascarMadagascar. (Forthcoming).. (Forthcoming).

Rubel, A., Hatchwell, M., MacKinnon, J., & Ketterer, P. (2003). Rubel, A., Hatchwell, M., MacKinnon, J., & Ketterer, P. (2003). Masoala-The eye of the forest: A new Masoala-The eye of the forest: A new strategy for rainforest conservation in Madagascarstrategy for rainforest conservation in Madagascar. Zurich: Zoo Zurich Th. Gut Verlag.. Zurich: Zoo Zurich Th. Gut Verlag.

Wapner, P. (1995). Politics beyond the State: Environmental Activism and World Civic Politics. Wapner, P. (1995). Politics beyond the State: Environmental Activism and World Civic Politics. World Politics, World Politics, 4747(April), 311-340.(April), 311-340.

Wilshusen, P. R., Brechin, S. R., Fortwangler, C. L., & West, P. C. (2002). Reinventing a square wheel: Critique of Wilshusen, P. R., Brechin, S. R., Fortwangler, C. L., & West, P. C. (2002). Reinventing a square wheel: Critique of a resurgent "protection paradigm" in international biodiversity conservation. a resurgent "protection paradigm" in international biodiversity conservation. Society and Natural Society and Natural Resources., 15Resources., 15, 17-40., 17-40.

Thank you to WCS, ANGAP and AGEM, Peter Rogers, and The Thank you to WCS, ANGAP and AGEM, Peter Rogers, and The Trans-Boundary Protected Areas Research InitiativeTrans-Boundary Protected Areas Research Initiative

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