Nature-based tourism is centered on the idea that local communities living within and around protected areas should derive benefits from nature resources. Likewise nature resources will simultaneously benefit from their interaction because the community will develop an understanding and appreciate the importance of conserving nature through various benefits derived. The research focus was on assessing the perception of residents of Chiawa, Zambia, regarding the benefits derived from nature-based tourism. This is the first study of this nature to be conducted in Chiawa. The overall aim of the research study was to examine the perceptions of the Chiawa community of the impacts of nature based tourism and its implications on the livelihood of the Chiawa residents and on the conservation of nature, upon which tourism is anchored. The three specific objectives were:- 1. To examine the perceptions of the community on economic impacts of nature based tourism on the livelihood of Chiawa Community. 2. To examine the perceptions of the community of the effects of nature based tourism benefits on support towards conservation of nature in Chiawa and Lower Zambezi National Park. 3. To examine perceptions on nature and extent of constraints limiting household participation in nature-based tourism. Various research methods were used to address the objectives of this study. These methods included quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Structured questionnaires with multiple choice type answers were administered to households and safari operators to collect data. These techniques were complemented with five focus group meetings conducted in village action groups (VAGs) of Chiawa GMA, and both participant and direct observation techniques were used during household surveys. The elements of analysis of the study looked at various factors that influence the perception of households on tourism benefits and conservation efforts by the community. Elements such as tribe, gender, education, length of stay, age and spatial distribution were analyzed. Elements of analysis from tour operators looked at business types, types of benefits filtering to the community through employment and community projects. It was established during the course of the research that both positive and negative perceptions on the impacts of nature-based tourism on residents of Chiawa GMA exist. However, the few residents who derived benefits from nature based tourism operations were positive and the rest were negative. The perceptions of the respondents on support towards conservation are above average. The study found that the most significant silent factor that may influence negative attitudes or perceptions is high levels of human – wildlife conflicts. This is not surprising considering that farming is the major livelihood strategy for most households. Demographic variables were not found to be useful predictors of perception responses. Several factors were established as limiting to household participation in nature based tourism, these established factors included, lack of working and start up capital, lack of understanding of nature based tourism business, lack of interest and lack of support from tourism agencies. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study discloses Shinto’s experiential and existential significance and aims to articulate Shinto’s sacred objective. It shows that Shinto, by way of experience, communicates being in the world with nature and with others as a sacred objective. This suggests that Shinto, in communicating its objective, appeals to the emotions more so than to the intellect; and that Shinto’s sacred objective does not transcend the natural world of both nature and everyday affairs. This study pursues this goal by showing the experiential and existential dimensions of the three primary features of Shinto: it shows how kami (or kami-ness) is thought of as an awe producing quality of being/s that are mostly associated with the natural world; how Shinto shrines’ aesthetics and atmosphere are thought to evoke a feeling of the natural world’s sacredness; and how festivals are thought to be ecstatic and effervescent occasions that regenerate an affirmation of being in the world with others. Though this study does not employ a strict methodological approach—insofar as the conclusions herein are based primarily on literature review—it was motivated by an existential outlook on the study of religion and assumes that the term “religion” refers primarily to an existential phenomenon that pertains not necessarily to socio-historical institutions but to a way of being in the world.

Concerns were raised over the past decades, on the degradation condition of arid and semi-arid rangelands in South Africa, mainly in areas under communal land management. Baseline information on soil quality is essential to monitor changes in land conditions and assess impacts of land uses and management over time. The objectives of this study, initiated within the framework of the Desert Margins Program, were to characterize and establish baseline indicators of soil quality health, and to investigate the potential effects of grazing and exclusion management (hypothesized as grazing effect) on selected soil properties in the western Bophirima District in South Africa. Soils were characterized for physical, chemical, enzymatic activity and microbial biomass properties, and grazing effects were evaluated on selected properties. The aboveground herbaceous species composition and biomass production were also determined. Sandy, poor fertile soils (low organic carbon and phosphorus) characterized all sites. Various levels of enzymatic and microbial biomass were recorded at the sites. Grazing had no significant effects on most of soil chemical properties, but did affect selected enzymatic activities, site-specifically. No significant differences of grazing effects were observed on soil microbial biomass. The inconsistent responses of soil properties across the sites prompt to caution regarding the generalization and/or extrapolation of grazing effects to other areas, without consideration of the prevailing environmental and management characteristics to each site. Notwithstanding the alarming plea about degradation at these communal sites, indicators of soil quality did not significantly differ between communal and surrounding commercial and/or game managed areas, despite their apparent vegetation degradation. The results showed that rangeland under the communal management were characterized by increaser species of low grazing value, but this situation did not necessarily interpret severe soil degradation as tacitly described. Soil degradation depends on land use, management and environmental conditions, and references are needed to assess degradation. Important interrelationships between the aboveground vegetation and soil belowground activity were observed. This emphasized the need to integrate both soil and vegetation into rangeland monitoring, as these interrelationships and associated ecological processes sustain rangeland health. Further research is needed to re-examine the "inferred degradation of rangelands in communal areas, taking into consideration their history, and using appropriate baselines and references sites. Only then, can degradation trends and hotspots be identified and thereof, appropriate management decisions (through participatory research) taken locally to combat degradation and sustain long-term rangeland resources uses. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The design of a waste collection system affects public health, the extent of participation in the system by residents, the recovery of resources from waste, and the cost of collection. Many developing countries use communal container collection [CCC] systems in which large containers are dispersed throughout neighbourhoods for the storage of waste until collection. These systems tend to have limited success as they often do not garner viable amounts of participation and containers are prone to being overfilled. The communal container waste collection system in the city of Aguascalientes, AGS, Mexico was assessed according to the Integrated Solid Waste Management [ISWM] principles of social acceptability, environmental effectiveness, economic affordability and effective management. Information was collected through seven interviews with waste-related managers, 282 residential questionnaires, and 12 informal collector questionnaires. The collection system garners a high participation rate (99%) attributed to: non-burdensome one-way distances from residences to containers (mean 114+/-71m); thorough, daily collection; and a culture of cleanliness. Factors of adherence to waste collection regulations were found to be public knowledge, social acceptability, convenience and perception of importance. The collection system was assessed by rational-intuitive consideration of all indicators and principles, to be mostly acceptable from an ISWM framework due to: a high collection rate (~100% daily) which is enabled by effective monitoring and efficient operation; a high participation rate; similarity of the resource recovery rate to that of other developing and developed countries; and long-term affordability. Areas for improvement in equality of service provision, collaboration with informal collectors, and communication were identified. Lessons learned about communal container collection are applicable to lower-middle and upper-middle income countries.

Lic.-avh. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2006. / Härtill 2 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-164). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Communal rangelands occupy 13 percent of the agricultural land in South Africa, and these rangelands serve as a source of feed to livestock. These areas are threatened by bush encroachment due to poor rangeland management. This study was conducted in Alice (Sheshegu communal area) and the objective was to assess farmers' perceptions and the impact of bush encroachment on herbaceous vegetation and soil nutrients. Structured questionnaires were used to assess indigenous knowledge of communal farmers on the impact of bush encroachment on rangelands. Fourty (40) respondents from households who owned livestock were randomly selected and interviewed at Sheshegu village. About 89 percent of communal farmers perceived that change of their grasslands to encroached savannas was caused by unreliable rainfall, prolonged drought, and poor rangeland management. Rangeland assessment was performed at four sites (Scattered, Moderate, Mixed and Dense bushland. 100mx50m were demarcated per site, and four 100m transects were laid parallel to each other, 30m apart. The step point method was used to determine both species composition and basal cover. Biomass production was determined by harvesting forage within randomly-paced a 0.25m2 quadrats. Aristada congesta and Eragrostis obtuse were the most dominating grass species in dense, mixed and moderate bushland. Scattered bushland was dominated by Themeda triandra. Biomass production increases with increase in bush density and basal cover improved from winter to summer season. Increaser grass species increase with the increase in bush density, this indicated that the rangeland was poorly managed and palatable species were being replaced by less palatable ones. Species composition of woody plants was determined within a 200m2 belt transect in all sites. Maytenus polycantha, Aloe ferox, Erehia rigida and lucas capensis were the most dominant woody species in Mixed bushland while Acacia karroo was most dominated in Scattered, Moderate and Dense bushland. Woody density showed no significant differences (P> 0.05) between Dense, Mixed and Moderate bushland. Woody plant density in all these sites exceed 2500 plants/ha, which showed that the rangeland was encroached with woody plants. Soil nutrient content was determined for each site. Five samples of soil were collected per site to test the effect of bush encroachment on soil nutrient composition. The concentration of nitrogen and soil pH increased with increase in bush density, while that of potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium and sulphur showed no significant differences (P>0.05) across all homogenous vegetation units. The study revealed that Sheshegu communal farmers are aware of both negative and positive effects of encroachment on their community, and also argue that the government is not willing to support communal farmers in the process of reducing the spread of bush encroachment. It was concluded that the concentration of nitrogen and soil pH increased with increasing bush density and that bush encroachment had negative effects on herbaceous species. It was recommended that communal farmers should be formulating rangeland rules and regulations to manage rangeland resources. Rangeland rules and regulations should be based on the management of livestock management during grazing and harvesting of rangeland resources. The harvesting of woody and good timing of application of fire can also reduce the spread of bush encroachment. Veld resting and rotational grazing can also improve fuel load which is required for burning of woody plants. Furthermore, Department of agriculture should also provide workshops or training to communal farmers use different approaches or cheap ways of reducing bush encroachment and conserving rangeland resources.

The main objective of this research is to investigate and examine how elementary schools in a medium-sized city in Sweden work to promote participation for students with neuropsychiatric disabilities. The study has three main research questions; how schools encourage and foster participation, how they regard their resources and the difference between resource schools and communal schools. To clarify the scope and these research questions we have conducted a qualitative study with five semistructured interviews with principals and head of unit on three resource schools and two communal schools. The data was then dissected and analysed by deductive analysis method and the system theory. The results show that schools work to promote student participation by first improving their social skills both in class and outdoors, adapting the environment and providing an approach that considers individual needs. We found that the shortage of teachers and staff, as well as the lack of knowledge and experience in such matter, are two main concerns. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur grundskolor från klass 1-9 i en mellanstor stad i Sverige, arbetar för att främja delaktighet för elever med neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar. Studien har tre stycken frågeställningar; hur skolorna främjar delaktigheten, hur de upplever sina resurser och om arbetet skiljer sig mellan resursskolorna och de kommunala skolorna. För att besvara syftet och frågeställningar genomfördes en kvalitativ studie med fem stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer med rektorer och enhetschefer från tre stycken resursskolor och två stycken kommunala skolor. Datan analyserades sedan genom en deduktiv analysmetod. Resultatet visar att skolor arbetar för att främja elevernas delaktighet genom att först utveckla deras sociala förmåga både i klassen och utanför, anpassa miljön och ge individanpassade lösningar anpassad efter alla elevers individuella behov. Brist på personal samt kunskapsbrist hos befintlig personal upplevdes som största resursbristen och den största skillnaden mellan resursskolorna och de kommunala skolorna var personaltätheten.

This essay examines important changes in the jurisdiction of the Republic of the Indians in late colonial Peru by problematizing the concept of possession and usufruct of communal lands in the Indian towns after 1777, when the Bourbon set the sub-delegate courts to replace the former court of the corregidor. The 1784 and 1803 Ordenanzas de Intendencia displaced more firmly the jurisdictional authority of the indigenous Cabildo and its ability to influence the organization of the town’s spatial order. The indigenous Cabildos’ legal advocates and judges waged in court a systematic defense of communal property and created a new sense of community in the urban setting. At the dawn of the nineteenth century, a rather sophisticated lettered culture anchored in the jurisdictional potential of the republic of the Indians and with a long tradition of legal struggles and legal writing revealed itself. Defying the legal authority of the sub-delegate, the council offered a tacit response to the Bourbon project of political control of the pueblos, in an effort to salvage the last vestiges of community that still remained in the Lima valley’s towns at the end of the colonial experience. / Este ensayo examina ciertos cambios críticos en la jurisdicción de la «República de indios» en el Perú colonial tardío. Busca además problematizar el significado del concepto de «posesión» y del derecho de usufructo en el contexto de la propiedad comunal en los pueblos de indios y los cambios producidos en la jurisdicción indígena en 1777 con la creación de las subdelegaturas que reemplazaron el juzgado del corregidor. Las Ordenanzas de Intendencia de 1784 y 1803 desplazaron más certeramente la autoridad jurisdiccional del Cabildo indígena y su capacidad de decisión en cuanto al ordenamiento espacial del pueblo. Los procuradores y jueces del Cabildo de Chorrillos, entre otros, avanzaron una sistemática defensa legal de la propiedad comunal y un nuevo sentido de la etnicidad urbana. Al amanecer del siglo XIX, se profundizaba una refinada cultura letrada anclada en el potencial jurisdiccional de la «República de indios» con una larga tradición de escritura y lucha legal. Desafiando la autoridad del juez subdelegado, el Cabildo respondía tácitamente al proyecto borbón de control político local de los pueblos, intentando rescatar los últimos vestigios de comunidad que permanecían aún en los pueblos del valle de Lima al final de la experiencia colonial.

Esta dissertação trata a questão dos espaços comuns em alguns empreendimentos de habitação de interesse social em São Paulo. Resgata historicamente as diversas manifestações, nas cidades, de espaços comuns próprios de construções residenciais e de conjuntos habitacionais. Com estudos de caso específicos, recupera quatro experiências dos primeiros programas de construção de moradias por mutirão e autogestão realizados em São Paulo, entre os anos 1989 e 2004, em razão de suas peculiaridades e qualidades que os tornaram bons modelos de projetos de arquitetura habitacional de interesse social. Procura, a partir da análise das condicionantes dos projetos de arquitetura e urbanismo, avaliar como os espaços comuns são geridos, como foram apropriados pelos moradores, e em que medida tal apropriação se relaciona ou não com os usos pensados e propostos (ou não) nos projetos originais. / This dissertation covers the matter of communal areas in some public-funded housing projects in São Paulo. It recalls the historical and varied advent, throughout cities, of such communal areas that are usual to residential and housing project construction. Using studies of specific cases, this research analyzes four experiences from the first public occupant-run housing project construction programs carried out in São Paulo, between 1989 and 2004. They were selected because of the peculiarities and features that made them such good models for public-funded architectural housing projects. The aim is to assess, by analyzing the conditioning factors of the architectural and urbanization projects, how the communal areas were put together, how they were utilized by the occupants, and how such utilization is related, or not, to the possibilities previously planned or proposed in the original projects.