Garrard, Rodney; Kohler, Thomas; Wiesmann, Urs; Price, Martin F.; Byers, Alton C.; Sherpa, Ang Rita (2012). Depicting community perspectives: repeat photography and participatory research as tools for assessing environmental services in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. Eco.mont - journal on protected mountain areas research, 4(2), pp. 21-31. Wien: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press 10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s21
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Efforts have been made to provide a scientific basis for using environmental services as a conceptual tool to enhance conservation and improve livelihoods in protected mountain areas (MtPAS). Little attention has been paid to participatory research or locals’ concerns as environmental service (ES) users and providers. Such perspectives can illuminate the complex interplay between mountain ecosystems, environmental services and the determinants of human well-being. Repeat photography, long used in geographical fieldwork, is new as a qualitative research tool. This study uses a novel application of repeat photography as a diachronic photo-diary to examine local perceptions of change in ES in Sagarmatha National Park. Results show a consensus among locals on adverse changes to ES, particularly protection against natural hazards, such as landslides and floods, in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. We argue that our methodology could complement biophysical ecosystem assessments in MtPAS, especially since assessing ES, and acting on that, requires integrating diverse stakeholders’ knowledge, recognizing power imbalances and grappling with complex social-ecological systems.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Geographies of Sustainability > Unit Critical Sustainability Studies (CSS) 10 Strategic Research Centers > Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Garrard, Rodney, Kohler, Thomas, Wiesmann, Urs Martin |
ISSN: |
2073-106X |
Publisher: |
Austrian Academy of Sciences Press |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Users 124 not found. |
Date Deposited: |
04 Oct 2013 14:43 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:13 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1553/eco.mont-4-2s21 |
Web of Science ID: |
000312525200004 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.17759 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/17759 (FactScience: 225584) |