Working without a good understanding of the communities and stakeholders bordering PUWR means protecting, restoring, and transforming the landscape will not succeed. The communities living alongside PUWR depend on its resources for their livelihoods. Without adequate management and an understanding of needs, this landscape has become increasingly degraded through agricultural encroachment, deforestation, overgrazing, and poaching.

To empower the community and uphold traditional resource rights amidst economic development, the project aims to thoroughly identify and understand stakeholders in the protected area. A comprehensive socio-economic survey, utilising household surveys, focus groups & interviews, will explore demographics, resource needs, perceptions & the reserve's impact on wellbeing. This data will tailor conservation strategies that address diverse community needs while achieving conservation outcomes.