Assessing the Sustainability of Grazing in Protected Natural Areas by Means of the ANP: A Case Study In the Cotopaxi National Park (Ecuador)

Abstract

The protected natural areas of Ecuador face several environmental threats; grazing is one of them in several national parks (NP) including the Cotopaxi National Park (CNP). National Park managers are proposing action alternatives to reduce grazing environmental impact while promoting social and economic development of cattle ranchers and the other stakeholders. For the success of any of these actions, as much consensus as possible is needed among all involved stakeholders. In this paper, the Analytical Network Process (ANP) is used to modeling the decision problem and helping stakeholders to participate assessing the sustainability of the solution alternatives. In the presented methodology, a panel of experts in natural areas management was arranged to determine the decision model i.e. the network of criteria and alternatives structured into clusters. Ten criteria were set in 6 clusters: 3 environmental-atmospheric, soil and water contamination-, 1 social, 1 economic and 1 cluster of alternatives. The alternatives, included in the revision of the NP management plan, were: Physical delimitation of the park and control of the entering livestock, Development of productive alternatives to grazing, and Pasture subsidies. The findings confirm that stakeholders hold different interests, approaches to sustainability and sensitivities. After ANP all stakeholders understand better their interests and the others'. Thus, an improved participation is obtained and consensus or at least general agreements are more likely. Also a better commitment to the overall objective is achieved as the decision model facilitates improving the alternatives design in order to lessen the possible burdens for specific stakeholders or the environment.