There are concerns that many national parks worldwide are ineffective at conserving biological diversity and ecosystem processes, are socially unjust in their relations with Indigenous communities, or both. This dissertation asks: can national parks protect ecological integrity and concurrently address social equity issues? It presents empirical results of a systematic evaluation of six case study national parks in Canada and South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select the six case study national parks. Data sources included State of the Park Reports; park ecological monitoring data; archival data; and semi-structured interviews with park biologists, managers, and Indigenous members of park co-management boards. Status and trend assessments and effectiveness evaluations of park ecological monitoring data were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three ecological integrity criteria. Results show that all six parks effectively addressed the priority indicators for which they had monitoring data. However, the effectiveness ratings of each park decreased when all indicators, including those identified as priorities but lacking monitoring data, were analysed. This indicates that the parks had generally identified more priority indicators than they were actually able to address (for reasons including lack of budget or trained staff, managerial challenges). Thematic coding of semi-structured interview and archival data, and the assignation of numerical ratings to these data, were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three equity criteria. Results show that all but one of the case study parks were equitable, parks with more comprehensive co-management and support from neighbouring Indigenous groups were more equitable than parks with lower levels of co-management, the parks with settled land claims were not necessarily more equitable overall, and a few parks were found to be co-managed in name only. The overall results of this evaluation demonstrate that parks effective at protecting ecological integrity can also successfully address social equity, but that further efforts to integrate these two realms are both possible and necessary. A logical starting point would be to build upon those existing integrative processes already institutionalised in many parks and protected areas: the co-management and integrated conservation and development efforts.

The colonial attitude to traditional hunting practice was harsh and exclusivist and traditional hunting with dogs was therefore outlawed through legislation. This was the case throughout British African colonies and the former Natal colony was no exception. In some state game reserves, game rangers destroyed African dogs and on private farms, farmers shot dogs found there, yet traditional hunting had great cultural significance for African men. The destruction of dogs was a source of conflict and bitterness for rural people in KwaZulu-Natal. Due to the failures of colonial conservation practices to address environmental challenges of the past and present, there has been a shift of conservation philosophy. Unlike in the past, the current conservation practice has sought to address environmental problems by integrating conservation, culture and development. This has given rise to a broader discussion about linking conservation to the process of rural development and the survival of agrarian societies living adjacent to protected areas. In view of these complexities and challenges, this thesis uses the cases of iNhluzani farm and Mpembeni Community game reserve to determine and ascertain whether or not traditional hunting is still significant to rural people, and to explore the effects that either allowing or not allowing such an activity might have on attitudes towards natural resources. The thesis further explores the possibility that recognising culture, and bringing it explicitly into conservation practices, might help to reverse a history of exclusion and bring about greater sustainability. For this reason, the study draws on relevant theories of environmental and social justice, sustainable development as well as Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs. The study also assesses the nature and extent of public participation in natural resource management in the two cases. The findings of the study suggest that the majority of stakeholders agree that cultural practices could be linked to natural resource management under controlled circumstances. In the case of iNhluzani for instance, where the local people are guaranteed equitable access to wildlife resources within the farm, the people have developed a clear desire to protect wildlife within and outside the farm, even though they do not own the land. Contrary to this, in the case of Mpembeni community game reserve, incidents of poaching and illegal hunting are escalating and conflict and tension is still prevalent between the conservation authority and the surrounding community. This study therefore suggests that recognising local indigenous knowledge and cultural practice is essential for creating meaningful stakeholders in Natural Resource Management. The integration of culture should ease the tension between conservation authorities and local communities. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

I have chosen to conduct an intuitive inquiry into the relationship between a pedagogical focus on epistemological stretching and transformative sustainability learning. The study contributes to theoretical and practical knowledge of teaching and learning about and within the realm of transformative sustainability learning, and contributes to a deepened understanding of epistemological stretching as a pedagogical orientation. Specifically, I have investigated the implications of epistemological stretching as a focal point for teaching and learning for students in ENVS 811: Multiple Ways of Knowing in Environmental Decision Making, a graduate level course in the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) at the University of Saskatchewan. Using the 5 cycles of Intuitive Inquiry, this research records and interprets accounts of eight students who participated in ENVS 811. The course is oriented around critical examination of human-nature relations with an emphasis on epistemology. The goal for this research is to investigate the ways in which a focus on epistemological stretching can enable three things: (1) prepare students to engage in interdisciplinary and sustainability knowledge creation; (2) help alleviate the epistemic incongruence in resource co-management arrangements; and (3) bring multiple ways of knowing to bear on complex environmental issues. This research is focused on answering three questions: 1. In what ways can a focus on epistemology help enable perspective transformation implicit in a transformative learning experience? 2. In what ways can educating for epistemological stretching result in new ways of thinking, valuing, doing? 3. In what ways can epistemological stretching help students engage in more effective and ethically appropriate ways with Indigenous peoples and their knowledges? This research concludes that epistemological stretching can contribute to transformative sustainability pedagogy in meaningful ways and develops 5 lenses for describing the conceptual spaces in which learning occurs: acknowledgement and deconstruction of power, relationship reconceptualization, change in perspective and action, worldview bridging, and validation of previously held views.

Managing natural resources and socio-ecological systems sustainably is one of the greatest challenges for society today. In order to deal with the complexities and uncertainties inherent to this challenge, adaptive management, collaborative (participatory) management and adaptive co-management have been advocated as governing tools instead of a traditional top-down approach. Much research has advocated that the crucial element of these three alternative management approaches is social learning. While a lot of research has investigated the preconditions, contents and outcomes of social learning, little is known about the processes of social learning. This thesis explores how social learning processes unfolded in a regional collaborative project, the Resolve project, carried out in Sweden. The methodological approach used is action research. The data was collected mainly by observing the project team’s internal workshops and also through observing interviews and official workshops in which diverse local stakeholders participated. The present study makes several noteworthy contributions to existing knowledge about social learning by providing detailed descriptions of social learning processes. The significant findings of thesis were that social learning was facilitated and encouraged through the opportunity to ask critical questions and to engage in collective decision-making. These findings enhance our understanding of social learning processes.

Co-management agreements for land and resource management can be viewed as emerging forms of a participatory planning model. They strive for equal aboriginal involvement and result not only in more equitable management strategies, but also incorporate aboriginal worldviews and traditional knowledge. This type of planning model is an iterative learning process for all parties involved and is most effective when mechanisms and processes to develop a co-management agreement are situational and contextually appropriate to each location and aboriginal group involved. Co-management agreements should be valued as interim forms that bridge restrictions on and exclusion of aboriginal peoples’ use and influence in relation to land and natural resources, on one side, and complete control through self-government, on the other. This practicum assesses levels of co-management for two case studies by: reviewing relevant literature, analyzing the co-management agreements and plans of management and surveying key personnel at Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia and the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site in Canada. The study does conclude that the degree of involvement of aboriginal participation is still wanting, but is higher than it would be if no such framework had been applied. To achieve the full benefits of equality in power distribution, the author suggests that co-management at the highest level should be negotiated either within or as part of land claims agreement or as part of a land title transfer to traditional owners.

Co-management agreements for land and resource management can be viewed as emerging forms of a participatory planning model. They strive for equal aboriginal involvement and result not only in more equitable management strategies, but also incorporate aboriginal worldviews and traditional knowledge. This type of planning model is an iterative learning process for all parties involved and is most effective when mechanisms and processes to develop a co-management agreement are situational and contextually appropriate to each location and aboriginal group involved. Co-management agreements should be valued as interim forms that bridge restrictions on and exclusion of aboriginal peoples’ use and influence in relation to land and natural resources, on one side, and complete control through self-government, on the other. This practicum assesses levels of co-management for two case studies by: reviewing relevant literature, analyzing the co-management agreements and plans of management and surveying key personnel at Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia and the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site in Canada. The study does conclude that the degree of involvement of aboriginal participation is still wanting, but is higher than it would be if no such framework had been applied. To achieve the full benefits of equality in power distribution, the author suggests that co-management at the highest level should be negotiated either within or as part of land claims agreement or as part of a land title transfer to traditional owners.

There are concerns that many national parks worldwide are ineffective at conserving biological diversity and ecosystem processes, are socially unjust in their relations with Indigenous communities, or both. This dissertation asks: can national parks protect ecological integrity and concurrently address social equity issues? It presents empirical results of a systematic evaluation of six case study national parks in Canada and South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select the six case study national parks. Data sources included State of the Park Reports; park ecological monitoring data; archival data; and semi-structured interviews with park biologists, managers, and Indigenous members of park co-management boards. Status and trend assessments and effectiveness evaluations of park ecological monitoring data were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three ecological integrity criteria. Results show that all six parks effectively addressed the priority indicators for which they had monitoring data. However, the effectiveness ratings of each park decreased when all indicators, including those identified as priorities but lacking monitoring data, were analysed. This indicates that the parks had generally identified more priority indicators than they were actually able to address (for reasons including lack of budget or trained staff, managerial challenges). Thematic coding of semi-structured interview and archival data, and the assignation of numerical ratings to these data, were used to evaluate how effectively the parks addressed three equity criteria. Results show that all but one of the case study parks were equitable, parks with more comprehensive co-management and support from neighbouring Indigenous groups were more equitable than parks with lower levels of co-management, the parks with settled land claims were not necessarily more equitable overall, and a few parks were found to be co-managed in name only. The overall results of this evaluation demonstrate that parks effective at protecting ecological integrity can also successfully address social equity, but that further efforts to integrate these two realms are both possible and necessary. A logical starting point would be to build upon those existing integrative processes already institutionalised in many parks and protected areas: the co-management and integrated conservation and development efforts.

This thesis investigates the participation of Maori (New Zealand�s indigenous people) in the impact assessment process. Traditionally, Maori have had limited involvement in the management of New Zealand�s environment. One possible solution to this could be through the adoption of a collaborative management framework. Unfortunately, there is limited information and research on tools that could facilitate collaborative management between iwi and applicants for resource consent (including, developers, planning consultants and local authorities). Therefore, this research attempts to fill in a gap in current literature and to investigate the potential of the cultural impact assessment as a tool for collaborative management. Despite some criticisms of collaborative management, there are examples where this form of communicative planning has resulted in a very positive outcome for indigenous groups. Therefore, the specific aim of this research is to analyse the extent to which cultural impact assessments can be used as a tool to promote collaborative management between iwi and applicants. In achieving the research objectives of the thesis, the theoretical background of collaborative management and impact assessment theories are explored. In addition, democracy and participation theories are also investigated. In particular, in the discussion of these theories emphasis is placed on the potential involvement of indigenous peoples. The thesis argues that the application of collaborative management via the use of cultural impact assessments may potentially increase Maori involvement in planning. Analysis of collaborative management and impact assessment theories is supported by empirical research. This includes; 1) an exploration of the New Zealand setting for the two theories, 2) a content analysis of cultural impact assessments from eight different iwi authority in New Zealand, and 3) a case study analysis of two iwi organizations that have an established system for undertaking cultural impact assessments (Kai Tahu ki Otago and the Wellington Tenths Trust). The research finds that cultural impact assessments are very similar to other impact assessment reports. However, they should be viewed as evolving documents, as there are some areas of the assessment process that need to be improved upon. The research concludes by suggesting that cultural impact assessments do have the potential to be a tool for collaborative management between iwi and applicants. Further research and education in relation to the content, value and process of cultural impact assessments is required. It is also argued that increased resourcing, training and legislative requirements are needed to further increase Maori participation in planning.

Master of Science / The objective of this research is to employ Geographical Information Systems to fisheries management in the Mekong River Basin. The study uses artisanal fisheries practices in Khong district, Champasack province Lao PDR as a case study. The research focuses on integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge in fisheries management; how local communities use indigenous knowledge to access and manage their fish conservation zones; and the contribution of scientific knowledge to fishery co-management practices at village level. Specific attention is paid to how GIS can aid the integration of these two knowledge systems into a sustainable management system for fisheries resources. Fieldwork was conducted in three villages in the Khong district, Champasack province and Catch per Unit of Effort / hydro-acoustic data collected by the Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre was used to analyse and look at the differences and/or similarities between indigenous and scientific knowledge which can supplement each other and be used for small scale fisheries management. The results show that GIS has the potential not only for data storage and visualisation, but also as a tool to combine scientific and indigenous knowledge in digital maps. Integrating indigenous knowledge into a GIS framework can strengthen indigenous nowledge, from un processed data to information that scientists and decision-makers can easily access and use as a supplement to scientific knowledge in aquatic resource decision-making and planning across different levels. The results show that when scientific and indigenous knowledge are both stored digitally in GIS databases, a variety of analysis can be done. Multiple layers or visualising functions in ArcGIS are an example of ways in which indigenous and scientific knowledge can be combined in GIS. Maps of deep pools and important fishing grounds gathered using GPS and indigenous knowledge provide base maps of aquatic resources in the study area. The attribute table associated with the map links characteristics of each point, including fishing gear and species found in each pool as well as spawning grounds and migration periods. This information is useful for management and planning purposes. This research illustrates that mental maps and GIS digital maps can be used for fisheries management at different levels. Where mental maps are suitable for communicating with the local community and have the potential for use in fisheries co-management in small-scale fisheries; GIS may be appropriated for data storage and analysis at provincial and national levels, it can be used as a communication tool amongst stakeholders to monitor and understand the aquatic environment.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-11T13:54:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Final Geandro Pantoja.pdf: 1759754 bytes, checksum: 5e22e625ba58946a41262cfe2499c774 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-01-01 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / The intensification of the fishing activity in the Amazonian basin can be attributed the technological changes set off in the sector and to an assembly of political, social and economic factors, emerged the enviromental movement of riverin communities, known as riverin movement of preservation of lakes . This movement developed itself into the several riverin communities, sustaineds by Catholic Church, through Land s Comission, in the process of social and political structuration, organization and mobilization, aiming, as according to every case, to introduce, to fortify or to adapt local initiatives of management of the fishing resources. In the town of Parintins, Amazonas, Brazil, this type of initiative assumed consistence, objectivity, and lawfulness with the creation of the Environmental Group Alive Nature Granav and with the insertion or adaptation of the agreements of fishing in conformity with the proposal of co-management of the fishing resourses. Before this scenery and yours implications, this study search understand, show up and explain contexts, motivations and means of this initiatives, through an interdisciplinary approach, on the basis of a case study about: the proposal of adaptation of the communal agreement of fishing articulated by the Granav (Paraná of Parintins, Valéria, Laguinho, Murituba and Jauari) to the normative instruction 29/2002; and the process of construction of the Macuricanã s intercommunitary agreement of fishing, that corresponds to the first right and fact initiative of the co-management in the referred town. / Com a intensificação da atividade pesqueira na bacia Amazônica, deflagrada por mudanças tecnológicas no setor e por um conjunto de fatores políticos e socioeconômicos, eclodiu o movimento ambientalista de comunidades caboclas ribeirinhas, conhecido como movimento ribeirinho de preservação dos lagos . Este movimento desenvolveu-se em várias comunidades caboclas-ribeirinhas, principalmente com o apoio da Igreja Católica, por meio da Comissão Pastoral da Terra CPT, num processo de estruturação, organização e mobilização sociopolítica, visando, conforme cada caso, implementar, adaptar ou fortalecer instituições locais de gestão do uso dos recursos pesqueiros. No município de Parintins-Am, iniciativas dessa natureza adquiriram consistência, objetividade e legitimidade com a criação do Grupo Ambiental Natureza Viva Granav (1992) e com a implementação/adaptação de acordos de pesca em conformidade com a proposta de co-gestão do uso dos recursos pesqueiros. Diante deste cenário e de suas implicações, este estudo procura compreender, evidenciar e explicar contextos, motivações, meios e resultados concernentes a estas iniciativas, através de uma abordagem interdisciplinar, com base num estudo de caso sobre: a proposta de adequação à instrução normativa 29/2002 dos acordos de pesca comunitários articulados e coordenados pelo Granav (Paraná de Parintins, Valéria, Laguinho, Murituba e Jauari); e o processo de construção do acordo de pesca intercomunitário do Macuricanã, o qual corresponde à primeira iniciativa de fato e de direito da co-gestão no referido município.