Developing Local Support for Wildlife Conservation through Community-Based Ecotourism: A Study of Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, India

ABSTRACT

The present study examines the role of community-based ecotourism in developing support for wildlife conservation among local communities residing in and around Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, using social exchange theory and stakeholder theory. Data were collected through primary surveys of local households and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that perceived community involvement in ecotourism decision-making has an insignificant impact on support for ecotourism and conservation, whereas it has a significantly positive impact on perceived ecotourism benefits and conservation awareness. Furthermore, the findings showed a significantly positive influence of perceived benefits and conservation awareness and an insignificantly negative influence of perceived costs on support for conservation. Thus, the study contributes to the knowledge by establishing structural links between ecotourism and support for conservation. Ecotourism managers should promote involvement in ecotourism decision-making, benefits, and conservation awareness among local communities as a precursor to their support for conservation.

KEYWORDS:

• Community-based ecotourism
• local support for conservation
• community involvement
• conservation awareness
• stakeholder theory
• social exchange theory

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Chief Wildlife Warden in the Uttarakhand Forest Department and the Director of Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, for permitting us to conduct our primary surveys in and around the reserve. We also thank the heads of each village and presidents of ecodevelopment committees in the selected villages for cooperating and facilitating the household surveys in their respective villages. It was only possible to conduct a household survey successfully with their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Data are not publicly available due to confidentiality and privacy.