How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework

National parks represent a global initiative for biodiversity conservation and environmentally sustainable societal development, with China having launched its own national park program. The establishment and operation of these parks significantly impact local residents’ livelihoods. Based on DFID’s...

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Main Authors: Likun Gu, Guoqing Shi, Yuanke Zhao, Huicong Liu, Xinyu Ye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1501
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author Likun Gu
Guoqing Shi
Yuanke Zhao
Huicong Liu
Xinyu Ye
author_facet Likun Gu
Guoqing Shi
Yuanke Zhao
Huicong Liu
Xinyu Ye
author_sort Likun Gu
collection DOAJ
description National parks represent a global initiative for biodiversity conservation and environmentally sustainable societal development, with China having launched its own national park program. The establishment and operation of these parks significantly impact local residents’ livelihoods. Based on DFID’s Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, an assessment tool introduced by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for evaluating the livelihood standards of residents, this study constructs a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework to analyze how national parks affect residents’ livelihoods, discussing livelihood risk management and feasible capacity-building interventions. Focusing on the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park as a case study, the research reveals that indirect wildlife-inflicted damage poses more pronounced negative impacts on local communities than park establishment policies. Both regulatory land-use restrictions and wildlife conflicts disrupt land-based livelihood activities, ultimately affecting residents’ livelihood stability. Mitigation requires comprehensive measures, including retaining essential farmland; providing vocational skill training; offering specialized loans; diversifying employment channels; and improving compensation mechanisms to safeguard residents’ livelihood security.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2073-445X
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Land
spelling doaj-art-057c6e797204449fa1885d5a0ea98c762025-08-20T03:58:31ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-07-01147150110.3390/land14071501How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID FrameworkLikun Gu0Guoqing Shi1Yuanke Zhao2Huicong Liu3Xinyu Ye4National Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, ChinaNational Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, ChinaNational Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, ChinaNational Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, ChinaNational Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, ChinaNational parks represent a global initiative for biodiversity conservation and environmentally sustainable societal development, with China having launched its own national park program. The establishment and operation of these parks significantly impact local residents’ livelihoods. Based on DFID’s Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, an assessment tool introduced by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for evaluating the livelihood standards of residents, this study constructs a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework to analyze how national parks affect residents’ livelihoods, discussing livelihood risk management and feasible capacity-building interventions. Focusing on the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park as a case study, the research reveals that indirect wildlife-inflicted damage poses more pronounced negative impacts on local communities than park establishment policies. Both regulatory land-use restrictions and wildlife conflicts disrupt land-based livelihood activities, ultimately affecting residents’ livelihood stability. Mitigation requires comprehensive measures, including retaining essential farmland; providing vocational skill training; offering specialized loans; diversifying employment channels; and improving compensation mechanisms to safeguard residents’ livelihood security.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1501national parksustainable livelihoodSEM modellivelihood frameworkhuman–animal conflicts
spellingShingle Likun Gu
Guoqing Shi
Yuanke Zhao
Huicong Liu
Xinyu Ye
How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
Land
national park
sustainable livelihood
SEM model
livelihood framework
human–animal conflicts
title How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
title_full How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
title_fullStr How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
title_full_unstemmed How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
title_short How Are Residents’ Livelihoods Affected by National Parks? A SEM Model Based on DFID Framework
title_sort how are residents livelihoods affected by national parks a sem model based on dfid framework
topic national park
sustainable livelihood
SEM model
livelihood framework
human–animal conflicts
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1501
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AT guoqingshi howareresidentslivelihoodsaffectedbynationalparksasemmodelbasedondfidframework
AT yuankezhao howareresidentslivelihoodsaffectedbynationalparksasemmodelbasedondfidframework
AT huicongliu howareresidentslivelihoodsaffectedbynationalparksasemmodelbasedondfidframework
AT xinyuye howareresidentslivelihoodsaffectedbynationalparksasemmodelbasedondfidframework