The Menindee Lakes are a series of shallow floodplain depressions on the Lower Darling River, approximately 300 river kilometres upstream from the confluence with the River Murray, in southeastern Australia. The system is the fourth largest water storage in the Murray-Darling Basin (1,680 Gl) and comprises of seven shallow deflation basins: Lakes Malta, Balaka, Bijiji, Tandure, Pamamaroo, Menindee, Cawndilla, and Lake Wetherell. Lake Wetherell was created by the construction of the Menindee Main Weir and subsequent flooding of the main channel of the Darling River and surrounding floodplain. Each deflation lake is individually connected to the Darling River with the exception of Lake Cawndilla, which is connected to Lake Menindee by Morton Boolka Channel. The climate of the Menindee area is arid with a mean annual rainfall of 243.7 mm, average maximum temperature in January of 34.1° C and in July of 16.9° C. Due to the flat topography, local runoff is negligible and the impact of precipitation on the water budget of the lakes is negligible in comparison to evaporation, which exceeds 2.5 m year-1. Prior to regulation, the Menindee Lakes would fill when river levels were higher than the sill level of the feeder creeks. When river levels receded, the lakes drained back to the Darling River leaving a residual pool, which would evaporate. The Darling River is one of the most variable rivers in the world and prior to regulation the Menindee Lakes were often dry for extended periods. The large lakes (Cawndilla, Menindee, Pamamaroo and Tandure) would fill on average every once every one to two years and the longest droughts lasted five years. The small lakes (Bijiji, Balaka and Malta) filled on average every two to three years with the longest droughts lasting eleven years. Construction of the Menindee Lakes Scheme was completed in 1968 and is a series of small dams, regulators, weirs, channels and levees designed to conserve Darling River floodwaters. The main structure is the Menindee Main Weir, which raises the level of the river 12 m above the bed level, creating Lake Wetherell and filling Lakes Tandure, Bijiji, Balaka and Malta. This hydraulic head is used to gravity feed Lakes Pamamaroo, Menindee and Cawndilla. The hydrologic regime is now dictated by the operating procedures developed by the New South Wales Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources. The priority of operations is to maximize the potential supply of water for all users and to maximize water quality within the lakes and Lower Darling River for human uses. Now the lakes are inundated for longer periods; rates of drawdown are more rapid and small to medium sized floods downstream of the scheme and in the Darling Anabranch have been eliminated. Despite increased permanency, large water level fluctuations are still common and drying cycles have not been lost entirely. Since the completion of the scheme Lake Malta has dried four times, Lake Balaka three times, Lake Bijiji twice, Lakes Tandure and Pamamaroo once, Lake Menindee five times and Lake Cawndilla four times. Of all of the lakes, Lake Malta is least impacted by regulation. The vegetation dynamics and role of the seed bank have not been extensively investigated in ephemeral systems. The seed bank provides a mechanism for species persistence through unfavourable conditions and colonisation during favourable conditions. In ephemeral lakes, large and aseasonal water level fluctuations are common which may result in long periods of unfavourable conditions. Plants growing in these environments must be able to persist through unfavourable conditions for growth and survival. The main objectives of this study were: - To investigate the seed density, species richness and composition of the seed banks of selected lakes. - To determine if there are any within lake patterns in seed bank density, species richness and composition. - Examine the effect of different water regimes on germination and recruitment from the seed bank. - Determine water regime preferences for germination and recruitment of common species. - Investigate vegetation change during an extended drought. - Determine flood tolerances of Xanthium occidentale, Cyperus gymnocaulos and Ludwigia peploides. - Investigate the interaction between nutrients and water regime on recruitment from the seed bank. No information regarding the seed banks of the Menindee Lakes was available; therefore, a reconnaissance study was undertaken. The aims of this study were to determine the seed density, floristic composition, zonation with respect to elevation, differences between and within lakes and germination strategy (pattern through time) of Lake Malta, Bijiji and Menindee seed banks. Results showed that the seed bank of each lake had a different floristic composition and Lake Menindee had a depauperate seed bank (Lake Malta 27 species and 6,300-43,983 seeds m-2, Lake Bijiji 24 species and 2243-27,417 seeds m-2 and Lake Menindee one species and 117-233 seeds m-2). Within each lake, the seed density, species richness and composition was spatially variable but no zonation with respect to elevation was observed. In Lake Bijiji, the sampling site on the northern shore of the lake had a significantly less dense and less species rich seed bank than the other locations; however, this was not present in Lake Malta. Over 90% of the total germination from the seed bank from all lakes occurred in the first six weeks. This study also provided evidence that the seed bank around the edges of the lakes was concentrated in zones of organic matter deposition (strandlines). The seed bank density and species composition of the strandlines and adjacent sediment was investigated in Lakes Cawndilla, Menindee, Tandure (large highly regulated lakes) and Malta (a small lake minimally impacted by regulation). Three hypotheses were tested in this study: 1. The strandline will have a denser and more species rich seed bank. 2. The strandline provides favourable microsites for germination and recruitment. 3. All species present in the seed bank will bet hedge. The strandline seed banks of Lakes Cawndilla (strandline 25,753 seeds m-2 and adjacent sediment 2,730 seeds m-2), Menindee (strandline 7,427 seeds m-2 and adjacent sediment 646 seeds m-2) and Tandure (strandline 8,006 seeds m-2 and adjacent sediment 2,178 seeds m-2) were significantly denser and more species rich than the adjacent sediment, whereas there was large, species rich seed bank outside the strandline in Lake Malta strandline (70,180 seeds m-2 and adjacent sediment 54,266 seeds m-2). The organic component of the strandline may act to reduce evaporation from the soil and provide a favourable microsite for germination and recruitment. Of the 58 species present in all seed banks 37 bet hedged (had persistent seed banks). The effect of water regime on recruitment from the seed bank and the optimal water regime for germination and recruitment of common species were investigated in a pond experiment. This experiment had three aims: 1. To test the hypothesis that different water regimes will give rise to different plant communities from the same seed bank. 2. Determine optimal water regimes for germination and recruitment of common species. 3. To formulate a testable conceptual model describing recruitment from the seed bank under different, controlled water regimes. Different water regimes did give rise to different plant communities from the same seed bank. Myriophyllum verrucosum was the only species that germinated whilst submerged. All other species required exposed soil with high soil moisture to germinate. All terrestrial and floodplain species died if flooded, however several amphibious species were present that persisted whilst flooded, despite requiring exposed soil for germination. The conceptual model consisted of eight states (dependant on whether the soil was exposed or inundated, soil moisture content, duration of inundation and species present) that predicted which species would be present in each of the states (providing they were present in the seed bank). A series of surveys to investigate recruitment from the seed bank in the field during a period of extended drought was undertaken over 488 days. This study had four aims: 1. To investigate the relationship between the extant vegetation and selected environmental variables. 2. To test a conceptual model that predicts how the environment changes with fluctuating water levels. The model consists of five states (windows of opportunity) that the system switches between; depending water level, elevation and the species present in the seed bank and extant vegetation. The five states are: window of opportunity closed due to inundation, window of opportunity open for germination establishment and reproduction (exposed soil with high moisture content in the top 7.5 cm), window of opportunity closed for germination but open for establishment and reproduction (low soil moisture in the top 7.5 cm), window of opportunity closed for germination and establishment but open for reproduction (top 15 cm low soil moisture) and all windows of opportunity closed because the soil is dry (low soil moisture to 40 cm). 3. To test the part of the conceptual model derived from the pond experiment. 4. To investigate the change in the germinable seed bank as the window of opportunity for germination opens, plants recruit and replenish the seed bank. This aim tests the hypothesis that the species that recruit will reflect the seed bank before the window of opportunity for germination opens, then when the window of opportunity for germination opens the seed bank will become less similar and then recover (reflect the recruited vegetation) after the species present have replenished the seed bank. The floristic composition of Lake Malta was correlated with sediment exposure time and clay content, Lake Balaka with sediment exposure time, soil moisture and clay content, Lake Wetherell with elevation, canopy cover and elevation of the water relative to the quadrat and Lake Menindee with sediment exposure time, soil moisture, elevation and clay content. The floristic composition of Lake Cawndilla was not correlated with any of the measured environmental variables. As water levels fell the window of opportunity for germination opened once the sediment was exposed and closed when the sediment surface dried. The window of opportunity for establishment and reproduction did not close until the sediment dried further. For the most desiccation tolerant species the window of opportunity for growth and reproduction remained open. If the species composition of the seed bank was known, the pond model predicted the potential floristic composition. However, it did not take into account sediment exposure time. Extended drought in the Darling catchment meant that the lakes did not fill during the study period and the effect of flooding could not be investigated in the field. Therefore, a pond experiment to test the effect of flooding on Xanthium occidentale, Cyperus gymnocaulos and Ludwigia peploides was undertaken. Three hypotheses were tested: 1. Xanthium occidentale when top flooded for more than two weeks will die. Plants partially flooded will survive, increase above ground to below ground biomass ratio and grow when water levels fall. 2. Cyperus gymnocaulos when top flooded for two weeks will show no adverse effects and grow when water levels fall. When top flooded for more than two weeks the above ground biomass will senesce and resprout when water levels fall. Plants partially flooded will show no adverse effects. 3. Ludwigia peploides when top flooded will rapidly increase above ground biomass in order to reach the water surface. Each species generally responded as hypothesised. Xanthium occidentale also produced adventitious roots and lost stem rigidity when partially flooded. Cyperus gymnocaulos showed reduced growth rates when partially flooded compared to plants that were not flooded. Water regime is only one factor that may influence the floristic composition derived from the seed bank. A pond experiment was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the combination of different soil nutrient concentrations and water regime will give rise to different plant communities from the same seed bank. The effect of different nutrient loadings however, had no effect on floristic composition and the differences could be explained by differences in water regime. The sediment seed banks of the Menindee Lakes provide a mechanism for survival through droughts and floods. They are spatially variable and the strandline accounted for the majority of seed around the edges of the large regulated lakes. All but one species present in the seed banks of all lakes sampled required exposed sediment with high soil moisture to germinate and many species were very desiccation tolerant (especially terrestrial and floodplain species). Most species were intolerant to flooding as juvenile or adults; however, there were a few amphibious species present. Water regime influences the floristic composition derived from the seed bank but soil texture is also an important factor, whereas nutrients appeared to have no effect. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Earth and Environmental Studies, 2004.

The purpose of this annotated bibliography is to guide middle school and high school students into critical thinking about environmental issues. Through keen observation of their bioregion and through an integration of interdisciplinary literature which focuses on Oregon writers, students will be challenged to think, write, and discuss current issues effecting local natural resources. The bibliography was designed to incorporate integrated learning, collaborative activities, and handson investigation. The students' community becomes a learning laboratory, a place in which to identify, a place to value, and a place to contribute through active participation in restoration of resources and through other positive activities. Learning to respect diverse and complex viewpoints on environmental issues will help develop good evaluative skills. As responsible, participating members of their community, students can be encouraged to lead the way, providing good role models both to families and to younger students. The diverse literary collection will provide access to a broad range of voices about the land and Oregon, in particular. These become invitations for students to write about their place, their home. Writing empowers students to make connections between experience, thought, and word. Students writing, thinking, and reseeing their community as a place to value and protect is the goal of Time to Listen. / Graduation date: 1995

abstract / toc / Geography and Geology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The report identifies a case study in which there was competition for land between conservation and low income settlement users. The nature of these potentially conflicting interests were identified and an evaluation of how these were played out followed. The fact that the interest of the low income settlement users carried the background of apartheid based discriminations, made the situation a sensitive one. Moreover, it was a unique case whereby the needs of a community's rural lifestyle were to be met in an urban environment. The planning process had political overtones which directed the decision-making process and consequential planning. The study informs development and planning, that in post-apartheid planning, there is the need to incorporate social reconstruction within urban and rural reconstruction. In planning and development processes, planning should play a fundamental role of providing input to guide the process. The input provided by planning should be cross-sectional in the context of conflicting interests, in order for the final plan to represent a compromise, serving the better interests of all the interested parties. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1996.

The present context of community based natural resource management is characterized by multiple stakeholder involvement, a situation that presents challenges in aligning vision for common action. A 'systemic intervention' involved the staff and stakeholders of the Farmer Support Group, a non-profit rural development organization based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The 'creative design of methods' guided inquiry in aligning vision of a Landcare ethos amongst the organization and their stakeholders, and in directing action toward the vision. Critical Systems Thinking is outlined as the framework in which the intervention methodology is encompassed. The importance of applying a broad range of environmental education methods to Landcare is established through drawing from present debates and contexts in environmental education and community based natural resource management. The 'organization as community' approach to organizational learning and development is highlighted as a means of creating synergy of purpose across staff and stakeholder boundaries. The intervention's methodology consisted of three phases: drawing out perspectives, forming a common vision in a mission statement, and developing action plans based on the mission statement. Outcomes included: identification of three schools of thought that drove perspectives on the role of environmental education in natural resource management strategies, formation of the FSG Landcare Ethos Mission Statement, which was inclusive of all stakeholder perspectives, and integration of the mission statement into FSG projects through action plans. The intervention found that aligning staff members and stakeholders in common vision and action towards developing a Landcare ethos could be accomplished through a blend of environmental education approaches that facilitate sustainable decision making by building capacity in individuals and communities in a participatory and locally relevant manner that is attentive to predominant perspectives and adaptive to change. / Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

For over a century, wildlife in Southern Africa has come under the exclusive management of states, which tends to centre on the exclusion of local communities from wildlife areas. In many cases, this approach has led to the hostility of wildlife management policies by excluded communities. This widespread dissatisfaction has caused a paradigm shift in conservation thinking towards a more community-based conservation (CBC) approach. A major assumption of this new approach is that providing socio-economic benefits on a sustainable basis to formerly excluded communities will result in conservation. Indeed, some advocates of this management regime have stressed community incorporation and inclusion as the only path to conservation. As a result, numerous CBC initiatives have been implemented throughout the African sub-region over the past ten years with varied success. As there is no alternative to the CBC concept that attempts to enhance all three elements, namely the economic, social and biological components, of the sustainable development premise in conservation areas, it is imperative to ensure that CBC initiatives are monitored and evaluated in order to determine what the recurring problems and challenges are in implementing and running such initiatives so as to achieve the three sustainable development goals. By establishing what these recurring challenges are during the implementation process, a broad framework of necessary principles, criteria, pre-requisites and co-requisites can be established to guide future CBC initiatives. The purpose of this study is to identify the successes, challenges and problems that have either enhanced or detracted from the socio-economic and biological elements of CBC initiatives during the implementation processes of different projects. Previous documented project examples from around the sub-region, as well as two case study examples of CBC initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal, namely the Mabaso Community Game Reserve and the Usuthu Gorge Community Conservation Area, are used in this thesis to best determine how to enhance the social and economic elements of the sustainable development premIse III order to achieve, in theory, the biological components necessary for a successful conservation strategy. The findings within this study, from the case study examples and secondary research, show that there are several recurring challenges and problems shared by initiators of CBC initiatives throughout the sub-continent. Issues include long project implementation periods due to government bureaucracy, planning procedures and the necessity to gain community support; debates over devolution of authority to local municipalities or tribal authorities; the risks of elite capture and/or the free rider concept whereby individuals do not change their hunting practices despite communal benefits accruing from wildlife conservation; community participation and benefit distribution; as well as the need to have clear communication channels between the community and the project implementers. The main conclusions drawn from this study emphasise several needs necessary for making CBC initiatives sustainable for the long term. Firstly, CBC initiatives need to conserve as well as create a variety of different ways for communities to earn a living and to minimise any disruption by CBC projects of pre-existing livelihood strategies carried out by local residents. Secondly, there needs to be a provision of outside assistance to facilitate local projects and to ensure the development of the necessary skills for local communities to eventually take on the initiatives themselves. Thirdly, clearly defined property rights, as well as conflict resolution mechanisms and the enforcement of any rules and regulations are further crucial criteria. Fourthly, it is important for communities to avoid exploitation and to maximise any benefits accruing from private investors utilising local community resources by developing favourable legal contracts. Fifthly, it was found that the inclusion of tribal structures in both the case study examples increased the trust and feeling of ownership by the respective communities. Finally, it was found that CBC projects require specific locations and the right criteria to be in place for their successful implementation. Not all communities or communal areas meet these criteria, which is why CBC should be seen more as an important and necessary supplement to conservation strategies as opposed to a holistic conservation policy tool. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

Colonial conservation emerged as colonial conservationists perceived the threat of deforestation, climatic change and famine. The sense that there were limits to nature's capacity to meet human demands, led to colonial conservationism which portrayed nature as separated from human life. Protected areas (PA's), both forest and game reserves, were created that excluded local people in terms of both access and management. In South Africa the National Forests Act 84 of 1998 has created new conditions in which there is a greater opportunity for communities to benefit from indigenous forests, which apart from their other uses are a valuable resource from the point of view of ecotourism. This study thus seeks to assess moves from exclusivist to community based forms of environmental decision-making (EDM) at Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve. This study provides an example of an ecotourism project started during the democratic period in South Africa and at the height of the global move to community conservation. First however it traces the management history of the forest in order to assess change in the management style over time. The study investigates rural people's attitudes towards the forest and it was found that although the forest was preserved for many years, the rural people still feel much attached to it as a result of the beliefs they have about it. The study contrasts different visions of the forest in terms of competing use and non-use values, and demonstrates that each group exercised its will and attempted to display "ownership" of the forest through a number of activities undertaken at the forest. An analysis of the public participation followed in terms of the ecotourism project was undertaken to determine the extent to which the rural community was involved. Theoretical models of environmental decision-making were applied in order to identify the mode of decisionmaking used historically and in the present. The results of the study show that poor rural people are still marginalized in EDM despite the new philosophies of PA management and the democratising shifts taking place in the country. Resistance to the policies and regulations of the reserve has been observed and this may lead to severe degradation of the resources that the reserve is meant to protect. The study thus recommends strengthening locally based EDM via partnerships as partnerships do not only provide relief for the consequences of conflict, they also strive for a win-win situation. The study concluded that greater involvement of the rural community requires a change in the mindset of conservation authorities, in particular with regard to the issue of representivity in EDM. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2004.

There is growing realisation world wide that the attainment of environmental sustainability is contingent upon reinstatement of community authority over management of natural resources. In acknowledgement of this imperative the government of Mozambique has formulated policies and enacted legislation to promote Community-Based Natural Resource Management. The research reported here considers the prospects for achieving CBNRM in a fishery located in a remote part of the country on the border between Mozambique and Tanzania. The central hypothesis addressed is that the fishery in historical terms was operated under a common property regime and that, under a number of forces , this has changed to an open access regime. The challenge facing government is to return the fishery to a common property regime. A conceptual framework which illustrates transformation of the fishery was developed. This was used to structure the research. Central question posed includes: what evidence is there that the fishery may have operated as common property system? what evidence is there that it now operates as an open access system? • what forces promoted such change, if indeed change has occurred? The findings are that the fishery has changed and now has the characteristics of the prospects for a return to CBNRM. Three issues are considered: who is the community? • what are the resources? and what are the management issues? It is concluded that definition of the 'community' is difficult because of historical precedents of access and use. The resource is shown to be complex including fish, water, land and plants; it also varies in tenure and space. Quite different rights of tenure issues accompany different resources. And management is complicated by international issues and apparent weaknesses in organisational structures, legislation and resources (human and financial). Evidence indicates that the people involved in the fishery are concerned about the state of the fishery and the lack of controls. They express a need for CBNRM. This study exposes the very complex nature of the fishery and suggests that failure to appreciate and understand this complexity encourages simplistic approaches to introduction of CBNRM. These are likely to fail. It is recommended that in light of the complexity elucidated by this research, the government should engage a strategic planning process with the intention of designing and implementing a process for introducing CBNRM which is constructed in the context of what is a very complex system. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

The eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project (eMRRP) is a pilot project started by Umgeni Water (UW) to demonstrate how effective the removal of invasive alien vegetation is in improving the water yield of a catchment. The disturbance of the country's vulnerable wetland and riparian zones is a major factor contributing to water· stress. The study area was eMpofana riparian areas of Kwazulu-Natal midlands. The study was conducted to establish perceptions of property owners and project employees on eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project with regard to control of invasive alien vegetation. Apart from· these two categories of stakeholders, others whose perceptions were included in the study are one official each from MONDI, SAPPI, the National Working for Water Programme (WFWP) and Kwazulu Natal Nature Conservation Services. However, property owners and project employees were· the main respondents of study. Although all .stakeholders play a crucial role in the project, property owners were selected because clearing takes place on their properties. Similarly project employees perceptions were vital as they are physically involved in clearing invader species and are direct beneficiaries of the project through job creation; To enable interviewees to give their perceptions on various steps on the project cycle; the following key issues were selected; Awareness, Process, Water, Biodiversity, . Tourism, Capacity building, Support, and Sustainability of control of alien invasive plants. Based on these key issues, a questionnaire was drawn. There were fifty-two respondents: 25 property owners and 27 project employees.. The approach used in the study was survey research, and social science methods were employed. Survey research was chosen for this research because of its capacity to provide appropriate data on perceptions of stakeholders of the eMpofana project. The method is useful in a variety of situations such as providing solution to a problem of public policy, provide required data for managing a business or simply for testing hypotheses developed by scientists in the social world. The questions on awareness of the eMpofana riparian rehabilitation project (eMRRP). and the National Working for Water Programme{WFWP) revealed low awareness levels of the two projects. Almost half (48%) property owners indicated little awareness of the national WFWP and almost the same percentage i.e. 42% had little awareness of the provincial WFWP. Also 96% of eMpofana project employees indicated no awareness of the WFW national level and 70% said they were not aware of the WFW provincial level. Given that WFW is a national programme with over 200 alien plant control progratmhes countrywide, one wonder why awareness was so low among the respondents. As for involvement in the project conceptualisation, none of the respondents interviewed indicated involvement in that project phase. However all the project employees indicated that the project was successful (85% very successful and 15% successful). Fifty six per cent property ~wners indicated very strong 'support mainlybecause ofreestablishment of biodiversity through ridding the riparian areas of iilvader species. Ninety-five per cent of the project workers indicated that UW solely supports the eMpofana project and that that support is mainly financial. As for job creation, 88% project workers were of the view that eMpofana riparian project was very successful in creating jobs. It is worth noting that both property owners and the employees shared the same view on water users and project employees being the main beneficiaries of the project. The impact of clearing invader species oil water by the eMRRP was rated as being very significant. Moreover, 52% employees and 44% property owners felt that the project's main beneficiaries were water users in the cities and property owners themselves. As for linkage with the National WFW programme, the perceptions of property owners and project employees revealed a general preference for eMpofana project to continue running independently. On. succesSes achieved in various project phases, most property owners felt the planning phase of the project was the most successful, even though most of them were not involved in the phase. Thirty per cent of the employees felt execution was successful followed by financing, 30%. As the responses from both property owners and employees show, most respondents (property owners and project employees) were of the view that the project goal of reinstating biological diversity was very important. The property owners were of the view that the re-establishment of the naturalness of the area would contribute favourably towards tourism in the area, which they rated very high. The rating explain why property owners also rated biodiversity conservation and the naturalness of the area equally high. On the other hand, Umgeni Water's top priority is water security and the differing priorities between UWs and eMRRP could be seen as a weakness of the project. However, as a holistic view of biodiversity conservation necessitates protection of water resource in the area, the difference could be synchronised to become a strength ofthe eMRRP (see recommendations). The eMRRP has opportunities on a number of areas such as the opportunity to participate in the national campain on control of invader species by teaming up with WFWP and other stakeholders. Also joinirig this partnership would accord eMRRP stakeholders the pride of contributing to the national campaign on control of invader species. Although there is marked success made by UW in planning, financial support, job creation, gender equity in the eMRRP, there is need to address sustainability of the project. In conclusion, it is clear that the eMRRP started off with most stakeholders having low awareness ofits activities and those ofWFW Programme. However, by clearing invasive alien plants in eMpofana riparian areas, the project has gained support from property owners and its employees. Property owners support the project mainly because of possible re-establishment of naturalness of the area (biological diversity) and the employees give their support mainly because of the employment that they receive. However, the goal of sustainability of the eMRRP is likely to remain elusive as long as priorities are not harmonised: property owners' priority (based on benefits drawn) is biodiversity conservation whereas that of UW is water security. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

Together with the prospect of global environmental change, biodiversity loss is arguably the most pressing environmental issue of our time. Conserving biodiversity is a complex issue and effectively engaging people in conserving biodiversity, although challenging, is crucial. Various conservation initiatives exist that incentivise landowners to participate in restrictive conservation agreements such as the stewardship programme. From an environmental perspective, stewardship is simply people taking care of the earth and the stewardship programme is an innovative conservation initiative that aims to assist private or communal landowners by making biodiversity conservation more attractive through incentives and providing them with the necessary skills and know-how. In South Africa, landowners can enter into biodiversity stewardship agreements in the following options: A Biodiversity Management Agreement (under National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act No. 10 of 2004), a Protected Environment (under Protected Areas Act No. 57 of 2003) or a Nature Reserve or National Park (under PAA) with the latter two agreements requiring formal declaration and restrictions on the land. The time frames and management requirements are aligned with the degree of conservation protection. Understanding landowner perceptions and motivations is critical for the successful implementation of the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme. The aim of this study was to determine how new participatory conservation systems, such as the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme, can assist in biodiversity conservation on private land within the City of Cape Town. This research made use of a case study methodology with the main research tool being semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted with landowners and managers. This was supplemented with documentation and participant and direct observations. It was evident that predicting pro-environmental behaviour based on characteristics and perceptions is complex and varies from individual to individual. It emerged that certain characteristics can possibly indicate pro-environmental behaviour however pro-environmental behaviour does not necessarily indicate a willingness to participate in restrictive conservation measures such as the Stewardship Programme. Despite a lack of resources and capacity amongst conservation institutions, the research discovered a well-coordinated well-structured conservation system built around constructive partnerships in particular amongst the official conservation organisations. Biodiversity stewardship forms a crucial component of a set of tools to consolidate the protected area network in the City of Cape Town and is playing an increasingly important role in conserving the unique biodiversity within the City. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.