Socio-economic benefits of protected areas as perceived by local people around Cross River National Park, Nigeria

The main objectives of a national park are environmental and biodiversity conservation. However, in most developing nations local people who reside at the vicinity of the park expect that it should also contribute to the social and economic well-being of the people. This paper examines the contribution of the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park, Nigeria, to the provision of various types of infrastructure and income from tourism. Personal interviews were conducted in 150 households in three villages around the park. The study showed that the park has contributed to the provision of infrastructure. Some of the projects, undertaken by the park management, appear to be capital intensive both in the short and long term, thus, risking to make them unsustainable. The results revealed that only one of the villages in the study area benefits from the income from tourism. We suggest that simple, non-capital intensive and sustainable developmental projects should be undertaken. The tourism sector of the local economy should be developed to make income from tourism attractive for more of the local people. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.