Social Capital and Conservation in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam

1. Social Capital and Conservation in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam Thuy Nguyen School of Natural Resources and Environment

2. Outline of Presentation • Introduction • Background of the Study • Cat Tien National Park • Research Problem and Study Objectives • Significance of the Study • Scope and Limitation of the Study • Literature Review • Theoretical Model • Methodology • Timeline for Research

3. INTRODUCTION • Managing human impacts on NP has been major challenge for government agencies and other natural resources managers • ICDP are proposed to help to reduce the incursion pressure on Pas • Social capital are thought to influence households’ behavior toward collective action (Pretty, 2003)

4. INTRODUCTION • Social capital – as a applied concept in environmental conservation and rural development – also means the creation and strengthen of local groups. • Building social capital is viable mechanism to generate collective practice of natural resources

5. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY • Since 1997, WB began to support the project “Vietnam Forest Protection and Rural Development” (FPRD) • Goals: • Protect high priority PA • Manage remaining forests in buffer zone • Reduce forest dependency • Strengthen government capacity

6. INTRODUCTION • For development of buffer zone, the project • Formulate Community Action Plan (CAP) to negotiate conservation agreement • Land allocation Program (LAP) • Social support (basic social infrastructure, income and employment opportunities for the very poor) • Agricultural support activities • Long-term forest protection contracts to HH, joint protect the remaining natural forests • Small scale irrigation, road upgrade to improve service and expand market opportunities

7. The Study Site The study site

8. CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK • CTNP is located in southern Vietnam • Total area: 73,878 ha; buffer zone areas: 183,479 ha • 3 sectors: Nam Cat Tien (38,100 ha); Tay Cat Tien (5,143 ha); Cat Loc (30,635 ha) • Approximate coordinates: • 11o20’50’’ – 11o50’20” N Latitude • 107o09’05”-107o35’20” E Longitude

9. CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK • CTNP received protected status in1978 • Become National Park 1992 • Cat Loc received protected status 1992 • 1998, integration Nam Cat Tien, Tay Cat Tien and Cat Loc to become currently know Cat Tien National Park

10. CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK • Annual rainfall 2,300 mm – 2,850 mm • Flora is typical to for Southeastern part of Vietnam • Rich biodiversity: 76 mammals, 320 birds, 74 reptiles, 35 amphibian, 99 fish species • Key species: Javan Rhinocerus: the rarest large animal in earth less then 7 only found in Cat Loc; the Oranged-necked Partridge; Siamese crocodile; Asian elephants …

11. CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK • 11 ethnic groups can be divided into 3 main groups: • Mainstream Kinh (lowlanders); • indigenous ethnic minorities (Stieng and Chau Ma); • recently migrated minorities from the North (Tay, Nung, Hoa..) • Indigenous minorities have a long history of shifting cultivation • The recently migrated minorities from the northern provinces started arriving around 1987-1988, but most settled after 1990, their traditional livelihood: fishing, hunting, and shifting cultivation but now mainly engaged in farming

12. Research Problem and Study Objectives • General question: How do households’ social capital and household’s participation in FPRD project affect households’attitude and behavior towards CTNP? • Specific questions: • How does households’ social capital affect its general conservation attitude and its specific behavior towards CTNP? • How does social capital affect the level of participation in FPRD project? • How does participation of HH affect their conservation attitude and behavior?

13. Significance of the Study • Contribute to the policy formation and help effective implementation of sustainable rural development and conservation program in BZ of PAs in Vietnam • Knowledge on human population of the Park • Contribute to very limited knowledge on social capital literature in Vietnam, provide a perspective to compare with social capital with post-communist countries

14. REVIEW OF LITERATURE • Social Capital and Conservation

15. REVIEW OF LITERATURE • Household characteristics and social capital

16. Theoretical Model • CONSERVATION • ATTITUDE • BEHAVIOR SOCIAL CAPITAL H1 H2 H3 H3 LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION • HOUSEHOLDS’ CHARACTERISTICS • ethnicity • religion • length of residency • education • occupation • income • age • marital status • gender

17. Methodology • Concept: Social Capital • Variable 1: Community group/social organization membership • Variable 2: Involvement in community activities • Variable 3: Perception of your community

18. Methodology • Concept: Participation in FPRD activities • Variable 1: Conservation-related activities • Variable 2: Agricultural support activities • Variable 3: Infrastructure development activities • Variable 4: Credit support

19. Methodology • Concept: Attitude towards biodiversity conservation • Variable 1: General perception about biodiversity conservation • Variable 2: Issues/ problems associated with biodiversity conservation • Variable 3: Impacts of conservation activities

20. Methodology • Concept: Conservation behavior towards the Park • Variable 1: Access to the Park • Variable 2: Time spent/frequency of going to the park

21. Methodology • Control Variables/Demographics • Variable 1: Ethnicity • Variable 2: Religion • Variable 3: Length of residency • Variable 4: Education • Variable 5: Household composition • Variable 6: Household income • Variables 7: Age • Variable 8: Marital status • Variable 9: Gender

22. Timeline for Research

23. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CRITIQUES?

31. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CRITIQUES?