Collaboration played a key role in promoting park stewardship in Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary
The management of protected areas, including AHPs, plays a crucial role in Myanmar’s national strategies for conserving biological resources. Historically, governments and their partner organisations predominantly followed a top-down management approach, where plans were developed at higher levels and passed down to environmental agencies and parks for implementation. However, this approach has been criticised for failing to consider the views and needs of stakeholders directly impacted by these management plans.
In MKWS, the SGP supported the development and updating of a CMP, signalling a pivotal shift from an exclusionary to a participatory framework. MKWS had its first five-year management plan in 2014, following a series of consultations involving representatives from government agencies, park management staff, community-based organisations, civil society groups, and private sector partners. The CMP was officially approved and adopted by the Myanmar Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) in 2018.
This shift from top-down planning to a consultative, inclusive process has been praised as a breakthrough, enabling more effective, long-term solutions to address threats. The collaborative plans emphasise joint decision-making and action between park authorities and local communities, fostering a more sustainable and holistic approach to protected area management.
