University of Twente Student Theses
Assessing the Feasibility of Adopting Payments for Environmental Services (PES) Framework in Protected Area Conservation: The Case of Hundred Islands National Park, Philippines
Escaño Cabotaje, Charlie (2010) Assessing the Feasibility of Adopting Payments for Environmental Services (PES) Framework in Protected Area Conservation: The Case of Hundred Islands National Park, Philippines.
|
PDF
1MB |
| Abstract: | The study deals with assessing the feasibility of adopting Payments for Environmental Services (PES) framework in a protected area conservation. The viability of conserving a protected area lies in the involvement of different stakeholders. PES is one of the economic strategies that can address trade offs in terms of uses in and conservation of a protected area. The potentials of PES are not limited as a conservation mechanism but also as a framework in strengthening existing conservation programs and policies. This study generally aims to assess the feasibility of adopting PES framework in conserving the coastal and marine resources of a protected area using data on land use, programs and projects, legal instruments, institutional structures, and willingness to accept (WTA) of local fisherfolks. The study was carried out by first doing literature survey on the concepts and emerging trends on PES as a framework for protected area conservation and other related concepts. A case study area in Alaminos City, Philippines was then selected, the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP). For the interest groups, the study focused on the local fisherfolks along the 10 coastal barangays (smallest administrative and political unit in the Philippines) of Alaminos City. Collection of data was done through official documents, conduct of formal and informal interviews, field observations and household surveys. Results of the data gathering were assessed and analyzed based on local situation and the feasibility of adopting the PES framework in conserving the HINP. The existing and proposed land use of Alaminos City provide that the HINP has shifted not just into a protected area but more into tourism use and it affects its surrounding areas which includes the fishing and inland areas of the coastal barangays. The shift in the use of coastal and marine resources of Alaminos City, which have implications on the livelihood of the local fisherfolks, is supported by the legal instruments and institutional arrangements that gave greater autonomy to the City in implementing the programs and projects for conserving the HINP. In this sense, majority of the respondents (77%) from the household survey are willing to accept alternative livelihood aside from fishing. The WTA of the local fisherfolks and the amount needed to accept alternative livelihood statistically depend on two variables. The number of hours spent in a day for fishing is a positive determinant for the fisherfolk’s WTA alternative livelihood. On the other hand, the household’s daily income came out statistically as a positive determinant of the required amount in order for a fisherfolk to leave the fishing activity. In conclusion, adopting PES as an overarching framework for protected area conservation serves as a good complement and enhancement to the existing policy and programs on conservation and protection of the HINP. The PES framework promotes a good model for understanding the conservation process and focusing on the affected interest groups. Utilizing the criteria involved in a PES framework pinpoints the crucial interventions (i.e. regulated activities of the fisherfolks and provision of alternative livelihood) and interactions (i.e., transactions and agreements between the City government and local fisherfolks) needed in implementing conservation programs. Keywords: Payments for Environmental Services (PES); Willingness to Accept (WTA); Protected area conservation; Land use; Legal instruments; Institutional arrangements; Shift in coastal and marine resources use |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | ITC: Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation |
| Programme: | Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation MSc (75014) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/92387 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page