Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-97). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

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This study explores a possible relationship between personality factors and attitudes towards perceived problem animals in a sample of 17 white, male, full-time small- stock farmers in the Eastern Cape district of Cradock. Personality factors were analysed by means of Cattell's l6 Personality Factor Questionnaire, standardised for South Africa. Attitudes were determined by qualitative analysis of data from semi-structured interviews. Specific personality factors associated with positive and negative attitudes towards 'problem animals', including Lynx Felis caracal, eagles and vultures, were identified. Demographic and situational influences and certain world views associated with environmental attitudes are also discussed. Re-orientation of perspectives are recommended for farmers, conservationists and environmental educators.

Social-ecological systems are facing complex social, political, economic and environmental problems beyond the capacity of one group of stakeholders or organization to solve in isolation. Ecosystem degradation causes major environmental and economic concern, due to the loss of ecosystem services which river and wetland ecosystems provide. Stakeholder communities who depend on natural resources need to identify the social processes which are underlying causes to unsuccessful natural resource management and thus environmental degradation. The study is primarily aimed at identifying and understanding the structural and functional properties of the stakeholder network in the Duiwenhoks River catchment in the Western Cape, South Africa. Through analyzing the social network properties the study identifies and describes the main stakeholders involved with natural resource management in the Duiwenhoks water catchment area. How the individual actors from the diverse stakeholder groups are connected through communication ties were assessed. Furthermore, issues and factors which limit the effectiveness of the social network were identified. The main factors include a lack of communication and collaboration between key local resource users and governance officials caused by conflicting perspectives regarding resource management and societal conflicts caused by asymmetries in power distribution favoring government institutions. The lack of collaboration between stakeholders was identified as a contributing factor that links to the resource degradation experienced in the catchment. Ultimately means of overcoming the limitations to effective social networking, in order to manage the challenges related to natural resource management were identified. Management recommendations include the development of bridging ties and collaboration between diverse stakeholders, whilst facilitating participatory processes aimed at participatory problem solving and adaptive co-management of natural resources. Government institutions were identified as being dominant stakeholders in the network and should be mobilized to perform a stronger bridging role to connect disconnected actors. The findings of the study may inform future efforts of researchers and facilitators to implement strategies which promote social networking, social learning and ultimately adaptive co-management in the study area or other similar social-ecological systems. Ultimately, collaboration can be achieved between the diverse stakeholders to successfully improve ecosystem management and resilience in the Duiwenhoks water catchment.

The thesis takes a normative, yet pragmatic approach, in examining how the protection of habitat and ecological functions can be improved through changing current uncoordinated, sectoral decision-making processes into a holistic, cooperative approach to guide planning at the local level. In rapidly growing regions on the urban/rural fringe such as the Sunshine Coast, towns, rural areas and large wildernesses form a complex matrix of land uses across the landscape which require the integration of provincial and local government planning. Thus, a case is made for a decision-making process that generates a conservation strategy, integrating local and provincial planning at the scale of regional districts in British Columbia. The literature is reviewed to identify principles for a conservation strategy approach to decision-making which include: a consensus-based process, cross-sectoral government coordination, broad-based public involvement, and non-governmental partnerships for implementation. Secondly, the literature pertaining to several regional approaches to conservation planning is reviewed including: parks system planning, landscape ecology and bioregional theory. From these two sources of literature, a hybrid model of the regional conservation planning strategy is formed. Using criteria derived from this hybrid model to evaluate the effectiveness of planning processes, the provincial conservation planning framework is evaluated. The policies of the Commission on Resources and Environment, the provincial government’s Land and Resource Management Planning process and the Protected Areas Strategy are evaluated according to the criteria. Fourthly, conservation planning on the Sunshine Coast is examined, and a case study of the Sechelt Inlets Coastal Strategy is evaluated against the criteria. By evaluating both the provincial planning framework and the local case study, conclusions can be drawn on the need for regional conservation planning strategy processes in rapidly developing areas at the urban/rural fringe. Finally, recommendations are made for changes to provincial and regional district policies to facilitate more effective conservation planning for the Sunshine Coast Regional District and other regions in British Columbia. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Two approaches to the formulation of resource management policy sere considered, .The first was to construct a formal mathematical decision-making model of the system and to obtain optimal decisions analytically. The second was to use heuristics. The western tent caterpillar population system was chosen as the resource system on which to compare the approaches. various policies were tested on a computer simulation model of the system. It was found that a combination of the two approaches linear programming and heuristics) led to satisfactory harvesting policies. The results indicate that ignoring the basic biological attributes of the resource could lead to mismanagement, and possibly even destruction of the population. / Science, Faculty of / Mathematics, Department of / Graduate

Bibliography: leaves 110-115. / In 1984, Botswana was an independent country at an early stage of development. It had a limited capital infrastructure, poor agricultural resources, a growing population and low formal sector employment. The country had been politically stable and had made a noteworthy transition from the poor economic position at independence in 1966 to the economic strength prevailing in the country at that time. The positive economic outlook was however, due mainly to a single product, diamonds. Background to the study: The Government of the Republic of Botswana had identified the development of a tourist industry as a means of stimulating and diversifying economic growth. In the absence of other attractions, tourism based upon wildlife - ecotourism - was seen as the area most amenable to such development. Government statistical and financial data does not identify tourism as a discrete activity. Analysis based upon this data suggests that the contribution of tourism to the economy of the country was negligible. It was believed this analysis is erroneous. The hypothesis underlying this study is that tourism was already making a significant contribution to the economy of Botswana in 1984 but that this contribution was not reflected because of the statistical and accounting data collection systems in use in that country. The research showed that the Central Statistics Office of the Government of Botswana produced regular statistical bulletins on tourism in Botswana.

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