Assessing the common welfare in the Giant Panda National Park: From the perspective of stakeholders

Aims: Common welfare is one of the three foundational concepts in the establishment of Chinese national parks. Existing research predominantly focused on theoretical and qualitative analyses, with few empirical explorations and quantitative discussions, resulting in limited scientific guidance and support for the conservation practices. Therefore, this study aims to provide empirical evidence and scientific reference for achieving common welfare in Chinese national parks by proposing a comprehensive indicator framework.

Methods: This study draws on three dimensions, owned by all, participated by all, and shared by all, and proposes 15 common welfare indicators. Using questionnaire surveys and methodologies such as linear discriminant analysis and hierarchical regression analysis, a quantitative assessment of common welfare was conducted based on the perceptions of stakeholders in the Giant Panda National Park (GPNP).

Results: The results showed that the overall common welfare in the GPNP was generally perceived positively. However, perceptions varied among stakeholder groups: local management agencies and governments held the most positive views, local communities had the most negative perceptions, while local enterprises, experts, and visitors maintained a neutral stance.

Conclusion: To achieve common welfare, increased attention should be directed toward the local communities. In particular, comprehensive promotion of community co-management and improvement of the ecological compensation mechanism are essential. Furthermore, enhancing communication among stakeholders and optimizing their participation are crucial steps in this process.