User’s perception on conservation on communal lands in Cumbres de Monterrey national park, Mexico

Abstract

Little is known about what strategies successfully alter the norms people hold about conservation, particularly when the resources in question are relied upon for subsistence. We surveyed 235 households in communal lands with grazing and forest management in Cumbres de Monterrey national park in Mexico to identify factors that influence conservation perceptions. When asked how the establishment of the park has affected member’s natural resource management practices, 14.7% stated toward less conservation, 43.6% stated no impact and 41.8% stated toward more conservation. We found that; incentives for a limited few can cause negative perceptions of conservation, very clear property/resource boundaries are essential for positive conservation perceptions, land users that practice rotational grazing believe that the park has worsened conservation practices, and the number of trainings received did not significantly improve perceptions. These findings shed new light on the conservation interaction between a protected area and its inner and adjacent communal lands.