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Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

Received: 22 April 2022     Accepted: 11 August 2022     Published: 26 August 2022
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Abstract

Ecosystems can only be preserved if there is an inter-link of ethics in conservation. An assortment of literature exists that encompasses ecological ethics which at times is also referred to as ecological integrity that involves the ethics of research as well as environmental ethics. The study set out to investigate how ecological ethics interlinks with conservation of the ecosystems or environment. The challenge was that ecological ethics implementation together with local community engagement were not strong which negatively affected the ecosystem conservation. The study was guided by three specific objectives that included; i) to investigate the trends in key policies linked to ecological ethics and ecosystem conservation in VNP; ii) to ascertain the impact of ecological ethics on ecosystem conservation in VNP; iii) to determine the benefits of engaging the local community in ecological ethics approach to ecosystem conservation. The literature focused on environmental ethics, policies linked to ethics and local community engagement. Under the methodology section the study used the descriptive research design and purposive sampling technique. The population of study was 52 households while the sample was 42 households living within 200 meters from the park boundary. The findings showed that ecological ethics were crucial in influencing how humans conserved the ecosystems. Further, the study findings found out that there were challenges encountered especially when lack of awareness of ecological ethics among the local community and less engagement affected ecosystem conservation. However, the findings also indicated that as much as there were challenges, on the hand ecological ethics if well embraced, can generate a number of benefits both for the park and local community. In conclusion, conservation cannot be successful without incorporating the ecological ethics. It was recommended that VNP should engage all the stakeholders in ecological ethics particularly in line with conservation to achieve sustainable ecosystem conservation.

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14
Page(s) 101-108
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ecological, Ethics, Engagement, Community, Ecosystem, Conservation

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Wanyera Francis, Mutugi Chira Robert, Najma Dharani, Gichuki Nathaniel. (2022). Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 10(4), 101-108. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14

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    ACS Style

    Wanyera Francis; Mutugi Chira Robert; Najma Dharani; Gichuki Nathaniel. Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2022, 10(4), 101-108. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14

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    AMA Style

    Wanyera Francis, Mutugi Chira Robert, Najma Dharani, Gichuki Nathaniel. Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2022;10(4):101-108. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14,
      author = {Wanyera Francis and Mutugi Chira Robert and Najma Dharani and Gichuki Nathaniel},
      title = {Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
      volume = {10},
      number = {4},
      pages = {101-108},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20221004.14},
      abstract = {Ecosystems can only be preserved if there is an inter-link of ethics in conservation. An assortment of literature exists that encompasses ecological ethics which at times is also referred to as ecological integrity that involves the ethics of research as well as environmental ethics. The study set out to investigate how ecological ethics interlinks with conservation of the ecosystems or environment. The challenge was that ecological ethics implementation together with local community engagement were not strong which negatively affected the ecosystem conservation. The study was guided by three specific objectives that included; i) to investigate the trends in key policies linked to ecological ethics and ecosystem conservation in VNP; ii) to ascertain the impact of ecological ethics on ecosystem conservation in VNP; iii) to determine the benefits of engaging the local community in ecological ethics approach to ecosystem conservation. The literature focused on environmental ethics, policies linked to ethics and local community engagement. Under the methodology section the study used the descriptive research design and purposive sampling technique. The population of study was 52 households while the sample was 42 households living within 200 meters from the park boundary. The findings showed that ecological ethics were crucial in influencing how humans conserved the ecosystems. Further, the study findings found out that there were challenges encountered especially when lack of awareness of ecological ethics among the local community and less engagement affected ecosystem conservation. However, the findings also indicated that as much as there were challenges, on the hand ecological ethics if well embraced, can generate a number of benefits both for the park and local community. In conclusion, conservation cannot be successful without incorporating the ecological ethics. It was recommended that VNP should engage all the stakeholders in ecological ethics particularly in line with conservation to achieve sustainable ecosystem conservation.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Ecological Ethics and Community Engagement Approach to Ecosystems Conservation: A Case Study of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda
    AU  - Wanyera Francis
    AU  - Mutugi Chira Robert
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    T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
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    JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-7536
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20221004.14
    AB  - Ecosystems can only be preserved if there is an inter-link of ethics in conservation. An assortment of literature exists that encompasses ecological ethics which at times is also referred to as ecological integrity that involves the ethics of research as well as environmental ethics. The study set out to investigate how ecological ethics interlinks with conservation of the ecosystems or environment. The challenge was that ecological ethics implementation together with local community engagement were not strong which negatively affected the ecosystem conservation. The study was guided by three specific objectives that included; i) to investigate the trends in key policies linked to ecological ethics and ecosystem conservation in VNP; ii) to ascertain the impact of ecological ethics on ecosystem conservation in VNP; iii) to determine the benefits of engaging the local community in ecological ethics approach to ecosystem conservation. The literature focused on environmental ethics, policies linked to ethics and local community engagement. Under the methodology section the study used the descriptive research design and purposive sampling technique. The population of study was 52 households while the sample was 42 households living within 200 meters from the park boundary. The findings showed that ecological ethics were crucial in influencing how humans conserved the ecosystems. Further, the study findings found out that there were challenges encountered especially when lack of awareness of ecological ethics among the local community and less engagement affected ecosystem conservation. However, the findings also indicated that as much as there were challenges, on the hand ecological ethics if well embraced, can generate a number of benefits both for the park and local community. In conclusion, conservation cannot be successful without incorporating the ecological ethics. It was recommended that VNP should engage all the stakeholders in ecological ethics particularly in line with conservation to achieve sustainable ecosystem conservation.
    VL  - 10
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Author Information
  • Department of Tourism, University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies, Kigali, Rwanda

  • Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

  • School of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

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