Socio-Economic Considerations and Stakeholders’ Attitudes Towards Conservation and Management of Wetland Ecosystem: A Case Study

Abstract

The present study is a field report of a Ramsar site, viz., Loktak Lake of Manipur, India. The Loktak Lake is the largest natural fresh-water lake in the northeastern region of India, and it is distinct from others because of the presence of floating islands known as phumdi and brow-antlered deer, locally known as Sangai. The Lake is also a water source for hydroelectric power project and various benefits are derived, viz., fish, food, fodder, fuel, wild vegetables, materials for thatching, fencing, medicinal plants, religious and cultural matters, etc. The Lake is, however, continuously degrading and facing certain conservation issues. In this paper we had tried to assess the socio-economic characteristics, resource dependency, and attitude towards conservation. A questionnaire survey was inducted for the study and a total of 350 respondents were selected from 25 villages and 7 urban areas surrounding the Lake. The results reveal that majority of the respondents belong to low-income levels with low education levels and are engaged in traditional occupations of fishing and farming. The local community is highly dependent on the Lake resources for their livelihood. The study also revealed that the local communities have a positive attitude towards conservation, and they are willing to participate in the conservation process even by means of monetary contribution. Hence, it is imperative to create an appropriate policy environment to encourage more participatory or inclusive approaches in the conservation of the wetland to avoid any resource use conflicts, which may lead to 'tragedy of commons'.