Driven by data: Improved protected area effectiveness in Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan

Conservation Science and Practice

Singye Wangmo¹  Sonam Wangdi¹  Jampel Lhendup¹  Kuenley Tenzin²  Alexander Wyatt³  Rohit Singh⁴ 

[1] Department of Forests and Park Services, Bhutan;World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF‐Bhutan Thimphu Bhutan;World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF‐Cambodia Phnom Penh Cambodia;World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF‐Singapore Singapore Singapore;

关键词: adaptive management;    Bhutan;    monitoring tools;    patrol;    ranger;    SMART;   

DOI  :  10.1111/csp2.503

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract The necessity of rangers and other frontline staff for ensuring the protection and effective management of protected areas is well documented. The Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) was developed as a law enforcement monitoring tool with the aim of assisting management in the allocation of resources and strategic deployment of ranger patrols. The ability of SMART to contribute to improved protection depends heavily on effective application through an adaptive management framework. Royal Manas National Park (RMNP), Bhutan, presents an opportunity to review the use of a protected area law enforcement monitoring tool for improving the detection and reduction of illegal activities within a protected area through effective ranger patrols. Results from the analysis of 5 years of monitoring data collected by rangers indicates a marked improvement in patrol effort in RMNP and suggests that the effective deployment of law enforcement monitoring tools, when used as part of an adaptive management framework, can improve the detectability of poaching related threats, potentially resulting in an overall reduction of poaching threats through enabling the informed and targeted allocation of staff and resources.

【 授权许可】

Unknown