Abstract
The objective of my research was observation of the establishment and development of the Tree Kangaroo conservation program (TKCP) in relation to the local people's attitudes towards nature conservation in Yawan and Kotet villages in Papua New Guinea. The research aimed to describe mechanisms that determine successful functioning or failure of conservation efforts within local communities in the abovementioned villages.
I tried to find out: a) how do members of the community understand nature conservation; b) what do members of the community expect from the conservation program, and c) what kind of influence does the conservation program have on community life? Therefore, I conducted an ethnography field research stay in 2018 in Papua New Guinea. I gathered data via participatory observation and interviews with the locals and with members of the TKCP conservation program team.
I realized, that if any nature protection interventions are to be successful, they need to be able to properly react to the locals' expectations and hopes for the future. Th ey should also be able to provide business opportunities (or other means of monetary compensation) for the people in the chosen locality.
Lastly, conservationists need to be able to effectively communicate their own expectations and limits and ensure that locals truly understand the process of the project.