Linking Institutional Characteristics to Communal Natural Resource Conservation in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

Abstract

National parks in developing countries often have inhabitants that practice communal land management. Potential drivers for sustainable communal land management have been identified in literature, however these drivers appear to vary from case to case and their validity remains to be further tested. The objectives of this research are to understand the factors that promote and deter; park promoted conservation, overharvesting, overgrazing, and trust in members to follow the rules.

This study focuses on Cumbres de Monterrey National Park in Mexico. Household surveys were conducted amongst 14 communities that reside in or have boarders with the National Park. Using survey data, logistic regressions were performed to identify the influencing factors of perceived overharvesting, overgrazing, park promoted conservation, and trust in members to follow the rules. Overgrazing rules were perceived to be just and external government punishment was associated with reduced perceptions in overgrazing. Overharvesting rules were not perceived to be just and external government punishment was associated with perceptions of overharvesting. As a result, rules that are not perceived as just can result in possible retaliation harvesting. Comunidades were more likely to report overgrazing than ejidos. Current compensation for labor in the park is affiliated with reduced perceptions of park promoted conservation. A local compensation program from water fees that is voluntary and has land owner involvement in encouraged. Recipients of government assistance are more likely to report there is overgrazing. There are decreasing levels of trust of members to follow the rules when rule breakers are punished, sustainable harvest allowances are encouraged.