Research Article: Mariyam, Dincy & Gulati, Sumeet & Karanth, Krithi. (2025). Contradictions in Conservation: Education, Income, and the Desire to Live Near Forest Ecosystems. Environmental Management. 1-11. 10.1007/s00267-025-02233-y. 

Blog Author: Kavya Pandey

Key highlights

• Tropical forests are under serious threat from deforestation and other human activities, making it crucial to involve nearby communities in efforts to protect them.

• Researchers surveyed 699 landowners living within five kilometers of Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks in Karnataka to understand how they feel about living near forests and how they view the benefits and challenges of that proximity.

• The study found that people with higher levels of education and income were more aware of the forest’s invisible benefits.

• However, those with more education were also less likely to prefer living close to forests, possibly due to a desire for better infrastructure, job opportunities, or fewer risks.

• Wildlife conflict significantly shaped attitudes, as those affected were 116% less likely to enjoy living near forests and 67% less likely to find the experience pleasant.

Tropical forests are under growing threat from deforestation and other human activities. To protect these forests successfully, it’s essential to involve the local community.

A recent study surveyed 699 landowners residing within a five-kilometer radius of Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks in Karnataka. The goal was to understand how people feel about living close to the forest — and what they see as the benefits and drawbacks.

The study found that people with higher education and income were more aware of the forest’s role in regulating the climate and other unseen benefits. Surprisingly, people with more education were also more likely to want to move away from the forest.

One key finding was that those who had experienced conflicts with wildlife, such as crop damage or livestock loss, were much less likely to enjoy living near forests. They were 116% less likely to feel positive about it and 67% less likely to say they found it pleasant. These experiences clearly shape how people view forest life.

The researchers argue that for conservation and forest protection efforts to work, especially near wildlife reserves, we need to understand what local communities value, what challenges they face, and what motivates their decisions. People are more likely to support forest protection if they see clear benefits from it, like jobs, eco-tourism, or incentives for keeping the land forested. The study explained that as more people in rural areas get access to education, many start to dream of moving to cities for better job opportunities. If local jobs tied to conservation or the forest ecosystem were available, it could help keep young, educated people engaged with forest life, instead of moving away.

The research shows how people’s experiences, both good and bad, shape how they see forests. That’s why conservation efforts must be grounded in local understanding and realities. The study makes it clear: if we want people to support conservation, we need to reduce human-wildlife conflict and create opportunities that help people earn a living from or alongside the forest. These lessons are especially important for other tropical regions working to meet global forest protection goals.

You can access the original article here!

Keywords:. Human-wildlife conflict, Landowner, Regulatory services, Socioeconomic, Livelihoods