Drawing on the work of Agarwal (2001), Paul (1987), and Vivian
(1991), various authors differentiate between levels of participa-
tion, from low to high. Indeed, these levels represent qualitative
differences and degrees with which the voice, or control, of
intended beneficiaries are incorporated. At the lowest and more
passive level is information sharing such as when managers or
administrators share information with the group to facilitate the
action of an individual or group (Khadka and Nepal, 2010) although
this may also serve to enhance the understanding of locals of ac-
tivities taking place around them. This level is also evident during
consultation activities, in which outside planners and conservation
managers adopt tools described as promoting participation in the
design and implementation of management plans although these
have been defined a priori. Such activities may involve the
decreeing, the protection of an area, the presentation of studies
supporting the declaration of the area, or the inclusion of some
local actors in its administration. Moving up in the spectrum are
situations where local people e as those most affected by a pro-
posed intervention e have or exert a “decision-making” role and
thereby have a greater degree of control or influence on a conser-
vation project or process (Agarwal, 2001). Finally, at the highest
intensity is when people are able to take “initiative” in terms of
action or decisions making, manifesting more “proactive” types of
participation. These distinctions provide us with a list of observable
activities for our research.