Integrating People and Nature: A Perspective for Environmental Conservation and Livelihoods in the Context of Nepal

In Nepal, protected area approach to environmental conservation has been a highly contested issue,particularly in view of the conflicts between local people and conservation authorities. Presenting evidences and insights from Royal Chitwan National park and reviews of relevant theoretical knowledge, the paper argues that the protected area approach involves enormous local social costs in terms of limiting livelihoods opportunities to local people, as well as ignoring the potential of local institutions in the conservation. It then suggests a social ecology perspective to balance conservation and local livelihoods.