Barriers and Triggers to Adopting a Participatory Model for Conservation in the Cordillera Azul National Park, Peru

<p>Participatory approaches to the conservation management of protected areas are being implemented worldwide due to cost-effective and moral reasons. However, given the wide spectrum of participation, levels of participation across the conservation management process might vary from one stage to another. This study presents a unique analysis of how participation varies through the conservation management process, and provides the first step towards creating multi-variate models containing key determinants of perceived participation. This thesis is based on research in the Cordillera Azul National Park, a relatively new protected area in the Peruvian Amazon, where I interviewed some of the main stakeholders and conducted a questionnaire in three communities of the Park's buffer zone. My main findings are: levels of participation did indeed vary across different stages of the Park's management. Also, the perceived benefits and costs of the National Park together with the attitudes towards conservation were influencing the perceived responsibility for the Park's management. Thus, I suggest that if managers want to increase community participation in the protected area's management, they might need to focus on identifying those community members with particular attitudes and concentrate on the benefits and costs of conservation.</p>

Barriers and Triggers to Adopting a Participatory Model for Conservation in the Cordillera Azul National Park, Peru

<p>Participatory approaches to the conservation management of protected areas are being implemented worldwide due to cost-effective and moral reasons. However, given the wide spectrum of participation, levels of participation across the conservation management process might vary from one stage to another. This study presents a unique analysis of how participation varies through the conservation management process, and provides the first step towards creating multi-variate models containing key determinants of perceived participation. This thesis is based on research in the Cordillera Azul National Park, a relatively new protected area in the Peruvian Amazon, where I interviewed some of the main stakeholders and conducted a questionnaire in three communities of the Park's buffer zone. My main findings are: levels of participation did indeed vary across different stages of the Park's management. Also, the perceived benefits and costs of the National Park together with the attitudes towards conservation were influencing the perceived responsibility for the Park's management. Thus, I suggest that if managers want to increase community participation in the protected area's management, they might need to focus on identifying those community members with particular attitudes and concentrate on the benefits and costs of conservation.</p>

Evaluation for development: the E.A.S.Y. model for empowering actors and stakeholders in curriculum development

This report will discuss the process of evaluation for development in a collaborative project that integrated teaching between the Language Centre and the Law School at the University of Eastern Finland. The focus of this report will be on a model the authors devised for the purposes of developing teaching, called E.A.S.Y, Empowering Actors, Stakeholders and You (in Finnish: kehitysriihi), with its Nutshell Poster. The interactive and participatory model draws on the principles of evaluation for development instead of evaluation of development, steering away from the emphasis on making judgments, and exemplifies a novel, resource-efficient method for curriculum development in higher education in a manner that facilitates agency and implements the principles of a learning organisation. The authors propose that the model, albeit in the example project used within the context of Higher Education, could be widely adapted into other contexts, too.

University students’ strategies of coping with stress during the coronavirus pandemic: Data from Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the functioning of universities worldwide. In Poland, the transfer to online teaching was announced without prior warning, which radically changed students’ daily functioning. This situation clearly showed the students’ helplessness and difficulties with coping with this new, stressful situation, highlighted in many previous studies. A sudden and far-reaching change in daily functioning caused anxiety, depression, and stress in this group. Thus, from a pedagogical and psychological point of view, it is pertinent to examine the students’ strategies of coping with stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, in 2020, a sample of Polish students was anonymously measured using the Mini-COPE questionnaire. Data was gathered from 577 students from 17 universities. The statistical analysis showed that during the coronavirus pandemic, Polish students most often used the coping strategies of: acceptance, planning, and seeking emotional support. Such factors as age, gender, and place of residence influenced the choice of specific strategies of coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also showed that the youngest students had the lowest coping skills. The results allow for concluding that the students’ maladaptive strategies of coping with stress, especially during the pandemic, may result in long-term consequences for their psychophysiological health and academic achievements. Thus, based on the current results and on the participatory model of intervention, a support program for students is proposed which would involve psychological, organizational, and instrumental support.

Local Gin: Through the Lens of Ogogoro Consumers

Globally, several studies had established the effects of local gin in human subjects through laboratory, analytical, experimental and objective research methods. There is however a balancing need to investigate the effects from the prism of the consumers. Aim: To explore the pattern of consumption and effects of prolonged consumption of Ogogoro through a participatory model seeking the opinion of consumers. Methodology: Cross section survey of one hundred (100) consumers of Ogogoro with informed consent obtained from respondents. Results Study revealed that Ogogoro has a significant potential to cause heavy drinking as evidenced by 93% of respondents consumes 90mls to 180 mls daily and 88% consumes to oblige uncontrolled cravings. Significant secular and socio-economic effects were found to be quarrelsome, poor physical appearance, always broke, stigmatization, seen as public nuisance and low circle of friends. Conversely, there were low affirmations for loss of job, poor job performance, fighting and loss of friends. Notably, physiological and health effects were found to be excessive urination; loss of weight, excessive sleeping and appetite for food. Conclusion: While the government had adopted a punitive stance, the author opines advocacy on the potential effects and prevention of Ogogoro would be an achievable primordial strategy for potential consumers. Treatment and rehabilitation of existing consumers could aid as a remedial recovery. Upskilling of brewers and modification of the physico-chemical formulae to make less harmful could bring pragmatic solutions.

From Public Participation to Constitutional Legitimacy: Evidence from Tunisia

Does public participation in constitution-making processes enhance constitutional legitimacy? Using an original public opinion survey conducted in Tunisia shortly after the adoption of the 2014 Constitution, this article examines whether public participation in constitution-making activities enhances perceived constitutional legitimacy. The results show that participants are more likely to support the constitution and its institutions than non-participants. We argue that participation increases constitutional literacy among the general public and this increased knowledge impacts the respondents’ perception of the constitution. The empirical findings confirm normative assumptions of participatory model of the democratic theory and suggest that inclusive and participatory constitutional reform processes, in contrast to an elitist approach, are more likely to yield democratic constitutional outcomes which are supported by larger segments of the society.

POTENSI SENI BUDAYA TRADISIONAL UNTUK PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT DI TAMAN WISATA ALAM BUKIT KELAM KABUPATEN SINTANG

Model partisipatif melibatkan masyarakat sebagai pelaku sentral bagi pembangunan pariwisata yang terus berlangsung diperlukan dalam aktivititas perbaikan dan pengembangan lokasi wisata. Pengembangan Kawasan Wisata Alam dapat dilakukan dengan memanfaatkan potensi seni budaya masyarakat di sekitar kawasan untuk terlibat dalam mendongkrak minat wisatawan akibat fenomena berkurangnya kunjungan. Studi menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan in-depth purposive interviews dengan metode the open-ended (unstructured) interview untuk memahami fenomena mengenai kejadian yang dialami subyek penelitian ini. Lokasi penelitian adalah Kawasan Wisata Alam Bukit Kelam yang meliputi empat desa yang berada disekitarnya. Model Pengembangan Kawasan Wisata ini dengan diperkuat melalui kesepakatan menjadi destinasi wisata dengan produk pertanian dan seni budaya lokal yang menarik. Perlunya penguatan citra sebagai destinasi wisata dengan kondisi alami dan masyarakat lokal yang masih terjaga dan produk seni budaya menarik. Pemberdayaan berdasarkan potensi dimiliki dapat dilaksanakan dengan memberi kepercayaan kepada individu masyarakat terhadap suatu kegiatan yang ada pada kawasan wisata. Pemberdayaan secara berkelompok atau organisasi perlu dilakukan agar masyarakat desa di sekitar kawasan Wisata Alam Bukit Kelam dapat membentuk kelompok baru atau pelatihan bagi kelompok seni budaya yang telah berkembang. Masyarakat membutuhkan pengembangan keahlian individu untuk meningkatkan jumlah, kualitas dan nilai produksi. Oleh karena itu, masyarakat membutuhkan fasilitas yang memadai berupa workshop dan showroom produk hasil seni budaya setempat.THE POTENTIAL OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL ARTS AS A LOCAL COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IN THE NATURE PARK OF BUKIT KELAM SINTANG The participatory model involves the community as the central actors for the improvement of sustainable tourism. The potential of the community's arts and culture around the area in the development of the Natural Tourism Area can be done by utilizing and being involved of locals in boosting tourist interest due to decreased visits. The study used a qualitative approach with in-depth purposive interviews with the open-ended (unstructured) interview method to understand the phenomenon of the events experienced by this investigation. The location is in the Nature Park of Bukit Kelam, covering four villages in the surrounding area. The Revitalization model extends the deal as a tourist destination with agricultural, cultural, and local art products. The image as a tourist destination needs to be strengthened by offering natural and local art products. Empowerment is based on community potency can be implemented by giving locals trust to create activities in tourist areas. The implementation of empowerment by encouraging the community to establish new groups or conducting a ToT for the subject of art and cultural products. The community needs to develop individual skills to increase the number, quality, and value of the products. Therefore, the community needs adequate workshops and showroom facilities for the local arts and culture outcomes.

Multi-level storylines for participatory modeling – involving marginalized communities in Tz'olöj Ya', Mayan Guatemala

Unconventional sources of data that enhance our understanding of internal interactions between socio-economic and hydrological processes are central to modeling human–water systems. Participatory modeling (PM) departs from conventional modeling tools by informing and conceptualizing human–water systems through stakeholder engagement. However, the implementation of many PM processes remains biased, particularly in regions where marginalized communities are present. Many PM processes are not cognizant of differentiation and diversity within a society and tend to treat communities as homogeneous units with similar capabilities, needs, and interests. This undifferentiation leads to the exclusion of key actors, many of whom are associated with marginalized communities. In this study, a participatory model-building framework (PMBF), aiming to ensure the inclusiveness of marginalized stakeholders – who (1) have low literacy, (2) are comparatively powerless, and/or (3) are associated with a marginalized language – in participatory modeling, is proposed. The adopted approach employs interdisciplinary storylines to inform and conceptualize human–water systems. The suggested method is underpinned by the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework, which was developed by Geels et al. (2002) to conceptualize socio-technical transitions and modified in this study to accommodate the development of interdisciplinary storylines. A case study was conducted in Atitlán Basin, Guatemala, to understand the relationships that govern the lake's cultural eutrophication problem. This research integrated key stakeholders from the Indigenous Mayan community, associated with diverse literacy ranges, and emerging from three different marginalized linguistic backgrounds (Kaqchikel, Tz'utujil, and K'iche'), in the PM activity. The proposed approach facilitated the participation of marginalized stakeholders. Moreover, it (1) helped develop an understanding of mechanisms governing the eutrophication of the lake, (2) initiated a dialogue between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous stakeholders, and (3) extracted potential solutions targeting the system's leverage points. The participatory model-building activity generated three submodules: (1) agriculture, (2) tourism, and (3) environmental awareness. Each submodule contained socioculturally specific mechanisms associated with nutrient discharge to Lake Atitlán. The delineation of such nuanced relationships helps develop well-targeted policies and best management practices (BMPs). Additionally, the suggested process helped decrease the impact of power imbalances in water resources management and empowered community-based decision-making.