scholarly journals Exploring evaluation methods for integrity and authenticity of terrestrial natural ecosystems in national parks: The case of Qianjiangyuan National Park system pilot

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1295-1307
Author(s):  
Yangjing Peng ◽  
Zhihao Huang ◽  
Lele Lin ◽  
Ruifeng Wang ◽  
Guofa Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
National Park System

Are We Loving Our National Parks to Death? A Call for Research on Crime and Law Enforcement in the U.S. National Park System

2021 ◽  
pp. 073401682110157
Author(s):  
William Andrew Stadler ◽  
Cheryl Lero Jonson ◽  
Brooke Miller Gialopsos
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Current State ◽  
Park Service ◽  
Service Data ◽  
National Park System ◽  
The U.S

Despite a recent surge of visitation and frequent media accounts of lawlessness in America’s national parks, little empirical research has been dedicated to crime and law enforcement in the U.S. national park system. The absence of systematic crime and justice research within these protected spaces should raise concern, as recent park service data and intra-agency reports suggest visitor growth, funding and personnel declines, operational shortcomings, and technology constraints may endanger the capacity of the National Park Service (NPS) to adequately address anticipated crime threats in the 21st century. This call for research aims to raise awareness of the contemporary law enforcement challenges facing this federal agency and encourage the study of crime and justice issues within the U.S. national park system. We briefly examine the evolution and current state of NPS law enforcement and its associated challenges and conclude with a conceptual road map for future research occurring in these protected spaces.

scholarly journals Partnerships and Stakeholder Participation in the Management of National Parks: Experiences of the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 399
Author(s):  
Walter Musakwa ◽  
Trynos Gumbo ◽  
Gaynor Paradza ◽  
Ephraim Mpofu ◽  
Nesisa Analisa Nyathi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Parks Management ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

National parks play an important role in maintaining natural ecosystems which are important sources of income and livelihood sustenance. Most national parks in Southern Africa are managed by their states. Before 2007, Gonarezhou National Park was managed by the Zimbabwe Parks Management and Wildlife Authority, which faced challenges in maintaining its biodiversity, community relations and infrastructure. However, in 2017 the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zimbabwe Parks Management and Wildlife Authority formed an innovative partnership under the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust (GCT). This study examines the relationship between GCT management, Gonarezhou National Park stakeholders and communities as well as the impact of the relationship on biodiversity and ecosystems. The study also highlights challenges faced and lessons learned in managing Gonarezhou as a protected area. To obtain the information, key informant interviews, Landsat satellite imagery, secondary data from previous studies and government sources were utilized. The results indicate that the concerted efforts of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust to manage the park are starting to bear fruit in improving biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and engaging communities. However, challenges such as governance obstacles, problematic stakeholder management, maintaining trust in community relations, ensuring sustainability, managing the adverse impacts of climate change and human-wildlife conflicts must still be navigated to ensure the park’s sustainable management. Notwithstanding challenges, we argue that a partnership arrangement such as the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust is a desirable model that can be applied in national parks in Zimbabwe and Africa for better biodiversity management and tourism.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Prioritized Natural Landscape Conservation Areas for National Park Planning in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ao Du ◽  
Weihua Xu ◽  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Tong Cui ◽  
Tianyu Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Landscape Conservation ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Park Planning ◽  
Natural Landscapes ◽  
Four Levels

Protecting representative natural ecosystems, rich biodiversity, and unique natural landscapes are the main considerations in China’s national park planning. Here, we mapped the distribution of China’s natural landscapes and evaluated their protection values for national park planning and construction. Grading evaluation methods combining standard comparison, inventory method, and expert consultation were used, and four levels of natural landscapes were identified. Furthermore, priority areas for national parks establishment were also proposed. Of all the landscapes evaluated, 76 were extremely important, 481 were important, 2070 were moderately important, and 1213 were slightly important. A total number of 67 priority areas for natural landscapes were identified with a total area of 1,218,000 km2. They comprised land and sea areas of 1,148,000 and 69,000 km2, respectively. We suggest strengthening natural landscape protection by establishing natural parks in priority areas. Our study will contribute to the effective protection of natural landscapes in China.

Introduction

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Martin Blatt
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Native Americans ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
National Park Service ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
World War ◽  
Natural Park ◽  
Park Service ◽  
National Park System

Abstract These four essays critique Ken Burns's PBS documentary series The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Burns has over the last several decades established himself as the central producer of PBS multi-part documentaries, addressing such topics as the Civil War, baseball, jazz, and World War II. National Park Service (NPS) leadership recognized the promotional opportunities for the NPS and aligned themselves closely with Burns and PBS. Critical discussion in the essays focuses in three areas: the treatment of Native Americans; the reverential treatment of “nature” in the national parks, and the distorted focus on the natural park in the West as the embodiment of the National Park system.

scholarly journals Developing Co-management for Conservation and Local Development in China’s National Parks: Findings from Focus Groups in the Sanjiangyuan Region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Ma ◽  
Brent Swallow ◽  
J. Marc Foggin ◽  
Linsheng Zhong ◽  
Weiguo Sang
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
The People ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Local Officials ◽  
National Park System

Abstract Environmental protection in China has progressed significantly in the past decades, including introduction of more collaborative approaches in the management of protected areas and the establishment of a new national park system. Many milestones have been achieved. While such developments are driven largely by national and global goals, the people who are most affected are those who reside in the protected landscapes. A range of strategies have been proposed and tried in relation to local development, with many important lessons learned, yet little has been heard to date directly from the community stakeholders themselves. In this study we report on feedback and recommendations received from focus groups in vicinity of China’s first national park, Sanjiangyuan, regarding lived experiences of “community co-management” by Tibetan herders and local officials. Overall, the most recent National Park model is deemed successful, albeit with some notable perceived limitations. Focus group participants recommend more balanced compensation opportunities including for communities living outside but in close proximity to the paranagement and health care) and establishing a more effective compensation or insurance system to offset econok, eased restrictions on ecotourism, provision of public services for communities in the park (especially waste mmic losses due to wildlife damage.

scholarly journals National Parks in Colombia

Oryx ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 441-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Hunsaker
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Peace Corps ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government ◽  
Hunting Regulations ◽  
National Park System ◽  
Vast Range

Colombia has one of the largest bird faunas in the world – over 1550 species, over 300 mammals, including the endangered spectacled bear and mountain tapir, 350 reptiles and over 1000 fish, and a vast range of habitats, from the tropical rain forest of the Pacific coast and lowland swamps to the spectacular peaks of the high Andes, 20,000 feet and more. In recent years Colombia has set aside over 3½ million acres for national parks and reserves, which are described here by Dr Hunsaker, Conservation Co-ordinator with INDERENA (the Government department concerned) for the Peace-Corps-Smithsonian Program in Bogotá. Colombia's conservation efforts began in 1919 with the passing of the first laws protecting the fauna and flora. In 1941 the Government introduced hunting regulations, and in 1948 the first biological reserve, La Macarena, was set aside. A law passed in 1954 made the condor the first fully protected species. Since then government, universities and interested people have worked to coordinate, in so far as possible, the national park system, the wildlife service and university projects to protect wilderness and wildlife in this extremely critical region of South America.

scholarly journals Landscape Connectivity Analysis and Optimization of Qianjiangyuan National Park, Zhejiang Province, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5944
Author(s):  
Yangjing Peng ◽  
Minghao Meng ◽  
Zhihao Huang ◽  
Ruifeng Wang ◽  
Guofa Cui
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Landscape Connectivity ◽  
Gravity Modeling ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Habitat Patches ◽  
Functional Zoning ◽  
Ecological Conservation

As natural ecosystems in most parts of the world come under increasing human influence, fragmentation is becoming the major driving factor of the global biodiversity crisis. Therefore, connectivity between habitat patches is becoming even more important. China began building national parks with the primary purpose of protecting nationally representative natural ecosystems and maintaining the integrity of their structure, processes and functions. Research is necessary to improve the internal connectivity of national parks and to propose suggestions for existing functional zoning and biological corridors. In this study, Qianjiangyuan National Park was selected as an example park, and landscape fragmentation was evaluated exponentially and simulated visually. The habitat characteristics of protected species in the region, morphological spatial pattern analysis and the delta of the probability of connectivity were used together to identify key habitat patches and their importance levels in the study area. Potential habitat corridors in the region were then obtained using least-cost path analysis and gravity modeling methods based on the distribution of key habitat and the migration costs of target species. The results of this study show that the disturbed landscape of the study area is dominated by tea plantations and drylands, with central roads being an important factor affecting the overall landscape connectivity. In terms of the distribution of key habitat patches, the mountains have a high value. In terms of area, their size is not directly proportional to their importance for maintaining landscape connectivity in the region, but large area patches are generally of higher importance. In terms of distance, key habitats that are closer to each other have a stronger correlation and a greater possibility for species migration. Combined with the functional zoning of Qianjiangyuan National Park, the setting of strictly protected areas and recreational areas is reasonable, and traditional use areas and ecological conservation areas could be appropriately adjusted according to the distribution of key habitats. The important corridor in the middle of the ecological conservation area is crucial for the overall connectivity of the national park, and the connectivity between strict protected areas will depend on successful protection of the ecological conservation area.

scholarly journals Moving toward a Greener China: Is China’s National Park Pilot Program a Solution?

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 489
Author(s):  
Gonghan Sheng ◽  
Heyuan Chen ◽  
Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon ◽  
John L. Innes ◽  
Zhongjun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Ecological Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
Institutional Structures ◽  
Natural Landscapes ◽  
National Park System

National parks have been adopted for over a century to enhance the protection of valued natural landscapes in countries worldwide. For decades, China has emphasized the importance of economic growth over ecological health to the detriment of its protected areas. After decades of environmental degradation, dramatic loss of biodiversity, and increasing pressure from the public to improve and protect natural landscapes, China’s central government recently proposed the establishment of a pilot national park system to address these issues. This study provides an overview of the development of selected conventional protected areas (CPAs) and the ten newly established pilot national parks (PNPs). A literature review was conducted to synthesize the significant findings from previous studies, and group workshops were conducted to integrate expert knowledge. A qualitative analysis was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot national park system. The results of this study reveal that the PNP system could be a potential solution to the two outstanding issues facing CPAs, namely the economic prioritization over social and ecological considerations that causes massive ecological degradation, and the conflicting, overlapping, and inconsistent administrative and institutional structures that result in serious inefficiencies and conflicts.

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