While protected areas play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, they can also generate socio-economic tensions for surrounding communities. This article analyzes the perceptions of local populations living near the Mont Sangbé National Park (PNMS) in Côte d’Ivoire, who are confronted with the constraints imposed by park management. Using a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, the study reveals that the PNMS is often perceived as an obstacle to local development due to restrictions on access to natural resources, feelings of social exclusion, and the limited impact of alternative livelihood projects. Local residents have developed various adaptation strategies, ranging from contestation and resignation to forms of social innovation. The article offers insights on how to better reconcile conservation and development, in order to reduce the burden felt by communities and enhance the social acceptability of environmental policies.
Keywords: protected areas, local development, social perception, Mont Sangbé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire