The Role of Community Participation in Sustainable National Park Management: Insights from the Giant Panda National Park, China

As a special type of protected area, national parks are crucial for conserving global natural resources and biodiversity. However, over the past few decades, the management of some national parks has faced the dilemma of ‘biological successes and social failures’ due to difficulties in balancing natural conservation with the well-being of local communities. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have been seeking sustainable management models that harmonize environmental, social, and economic objectives. Extensive research has found that promoting community participation in the management of national parks is a key determinant in achieving this goal. Although community participation in national park management has been widely discussed globally, empirical research remains scarce in China where the national park system was only recently established. The Giant Panda National Park (GPNP), one of China's first five national parks, was established in 2021 with a strict policy prioritizing protection. Given the large local populations within the GPNP who rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods, the management authorities are facing challenges related to both local survival and natural conservation. Therefore, integrating sustainable management with community participation is crucial. This study aims to investigate the key factors influencing local community participation activities to support the management of the GPNP. Guided by the pragmatism research paradigm, the researcher employs an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. The initial qualitative phase involves semi-structured interviews with 25 key stakeholders to explore and understand potential contexts and factors. The subsequent quantitative phase uses online questionnaires administered to 548 community residents across 26 selected communities to validate the hypotheses. The results culminated in a conceptual framework centred on five key factors: perceived benefits, community perceptions, management activities, community supports and participation limitations. This framework recommends that authorities focus on equitable benefit-sharing, increasing community awareness, refining management systems, and easing participation barriers. Furthermore, it stresses the importance of enhancing community empowerment and fostering better collaboration and communication among stakeholders. This study fills the knowledge gap regarding community participation in national park management in China. By integrating stakeholder theory, good governance theory and social exchange theory, this research provides new theoretical tools for coordinating diverse interests in the GPNP management. Practically, it offers empirical guidance and recommendations for balancing ecological conservation with community development in China's new national park system, helping managers find win-win strategies for conservation and development.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

dba

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Zhao, Wei

• GV Hamdden Adloniant
• HD Diwydiannau. Defnydd tir. Llafur

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3657