Local Communities Attitudes and Perceptions of the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park in Togo

Abstract

The Fazao-Malfakassa National Park was established by forcing the local communities off their land and without taking into considerations their point of view. In addition, the government failed to conduct a good assessment of future population growth. As the population increased and land pressure started to become a problem, local populations moved into the lands that are adjoining the protected area (Barrow, Lembuya, Ntiati, & Samba, 1993). The increase in land competition is putting pressure on the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park and is creating conflict between the local communities and park managers (Soumia, 1990). Today, the local communities are still not included in decision-making, and the relation between the local communities and the park has degraded. I assessed the perceptions and attitudes of the local community towards Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, and how it may impact conservation attitudes in the region. I also developed recommendations on some best practices to create positive conservation attitudes. These finding showed in general that the local population has a negative perception of the park. It is therefore crucial to develop new ways of management such as a multisectoral approach and community based environmental management to bridge the gap between the park and local communities, and to achieve economic benefits for local communities and positive attitudes towards the park.