The theoretical and empirical framework of this study demonstrates the following: firstly, the success of a CBNRM programme relies heavily on the involvement of the communities; secondly, the targeted government policies enable the facilitation of CBNRM in various parts of Southern Africa; thirdly, the involvement of institutions that includes donors, government institutions, academic practitioners, NGOs and the private sector, is crucial; fourthly, capital, in the form of natural, physical, human and financial capital, is necessary in the planning, implementation and management of the projects; and fifthly, CBNRM projects include varied ecotourism products based on the natural capital availability. In this study, a qualitative research approach was followed, where the sample population included the Manavhela reserve management, the workers, and community representatives. Findings of the study provide insights into the way in which the CBNRM programme was implemented in the Manavhela community, detailing the challenges and/or successes that have been faced in the management of the programme. Some insights are also penned on the attitudes of the community towards resource conservation. The conclusion is that the Manavhela community remains aloof regarding the implementation and management of the nature reserve. This is contrary to the CBNRM model, which postulates that the community must be at the centre of the implementation and management of conversation programmes. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Nature Conservation)

Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Government of South Africa is faced with a mammoth task of redressing the imbalances of the past apartheid policies in the rural areas of the country. The Government has developed policies and programmes aimed at alleviating poverty in these areas. The Government has also realised the vital role that natural resources play in the livelihoods of rural people. The vision of Community Forestry as stated in the Forestry White Paper (GOSA, 1996), is to contribute to social and economic upliftment of all people, especially those in the rural areas, by promoting the sustainable utilisation of natural resources. The study was conducted in three rural villages in the Northern Province of South Africa. The three villages were chosen because of their closeness to the Kruger National Park, their remoteness and lack of infrastructure that could provide employment to the villagers. The villages were investigated using Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques and semi structured interviews with households and key-informants. The study reports on the pattern and structure of livelihoods and institutions that govern access to and control of natural resources in the woodlands that surround the three villages. It reports on the vital contribution that natural resources generate to livelihoods of the village communities by providing goods for fuel, shelter, food and medicines which are unavailable or unaffordable elsewhere for many households. The study also reports on the decline in the dependency of the communities on natural resources and the lack of cooperation between village communities and the Kruger National Park authorities, which may lead to serious management problems in the area. Lastly, recommendations based on the study findings, that may bring about possible economic and social upliftment of the communities in the three villages are put forward. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid Afrikaanse Regering staan voor die reuse taak om ongelykhede wat in die verlede onder die apartheids beleid in die landelike gebiede van die land tot stand gekom het, te herstel. Die huidige Regering het 'n beleids en programstelsel ontwikkel met die doelom armoede in die gebiede te verlig. Verder het 'n besef ontwikkel van die integrale rol wat natuurlike hulpbronne in die lewensonderhoud van mense uit landelike gebiede speel. Die visie van gemeenskaps bosbou, soos uiteengesit in die Forestry White Paper (GO SA, 1996), is om deur middel van die bevordering van volhoubare gebruik van natuurlike hulpbronne, 'n bydrae te lewer tot die sosiale en ekonomiese opheffing van alle mense, maar spesifiek die in landelike gebiede. Die studie is uitgevoer in drie landelike dorpies in die Noordelike Provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Die spesifieke dorpies is gekies a.g.v. beide hulle nabyheid aan die Nasionale Kruger Wildtuin sowel as hul afsondering en tekort aan infrastruktuur, wat werksgelenthede aan die inwoners kan verskaf. Die dorpies is bestudeer m.b.v. die Rapid Rural Appraisal tegniek en semigestruktureerde onderhoude met huishoudings en sleutel-informante. Deur middel van die studie word verslag gelewer op die lewensonderhouds patroon en strukture van huishoudings, sowel as die instellings wat toegang tot en gebruik van natuurlike hulpbronne beheer in die boslande rondom die drie dorpies. Dit dui die lewensbelangrike ondersteuning wat natuurlike hulpbronne aan huishoudings in die gemeenskap verskaf aan. Die ondersteuning word gevind in die vorm van materiaal vir vuurmaakhout, skuiling, kos en medisyne wat elders onbeskikbaar of onbekostigbaar is vir baie huishoudings. Verder word verslag gelewer oor die dalende afhanklikheid van gemeenskappe van hierdie natuurlike hulpbronne en die tekort aan samewerking tussen dorpsgemeenskappe en die bestuur van die Nasional Kruger Wildtuin. Dit mag wel tot bestuursprobleme in die nabye toekoms lei. Laastens word voorstelle, gebaseer op die bevindinge soos bespreek in die studie, gemaak wat mag lei tot die moontlike sosiale en ekonomiese opheffing van die gemeenskappe in die drie dorpies.

Stewardship in South Africa, as it is being implemented within the framework of the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme (BSP), is an attempt by conservation agencies to engage landowners in the voluntary securing of parcels of biodiverse land, through signing a contract for a certain time period, not to develop the landscape in ways that will impact negatively on the biodiversity of the area in question. The focus of this study is the relationship between biodiversity stewardship and social learning, as I hope to ascertain how stewardship practices are helping to resolve the current problems of biodiversity loss in the Western Cape. The overall aim of this research is to gain an understanding of how, in its capacity as a conservation education process, the Cape Nature Stewardship Programme can foster social learning amongst the landowners involved in its implementation, by leading them to a better understanding of their environmental responsibilities. Data was generated through the use of interviews and informal discussions with participants together with document analysis, such as brochures, pamphlets and presentations. My approach to the analysis of my data was two-phased. In the first phase, I analysed the data generated from the interview process and from reviewing the documents the stewardship officials supplied me with. The second phase involved looking into the results of the two case studies, and formulating analytical statements which were then used to review the case evidence within a social learning perspective, derived from Wals (2007). In constructing an analytical framework for the interpretation of my data, I drew heavily on Wals' (2007) notion of social learning occurring in sequential activities. I used this insight as a lens through which to trace the educational effects of the implementation of the CNSP in the two case study areas.The research highlighted evidence that Stewardship initiatives should be based on the foundation of social learning and invest time and effort in building an environmental knowledge capital amongst the landowners involved. By equipping them with these necessary conservation skills, one creates a 'community of practice' where those individuals adopt a sustainability habitus contributing towards a change and environmental understanding and practises in field.

Rapid urbanisation is one of the greatest challenges facing both developed and developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa has historically been one of the least developed and least urbanised areas of the world. However, urbanisation is now occurring much more rapidly in countries that have lower levels of per capita income. Therefore, in the coming decades, urban population growth is expected to be more widespread in the developing countries of the world. Most research on the role of natural resources focuses on rural communities and little is known about the contribution these resources make along the rural-urban continuum in small and medium sized towns as well as the contribution to total livelihoods. This is because researchers and policy makers have often treated rural and urban areas and their residents as distinct entities that should be studied in isolation. This, however, is not a true reflection of household livelihoods which often include both rural and urban elements. This study therefore analysed the impact of urbanisation on livelihoods along a rural-urban continuum with an emphasis on natural resources in South Africa. The main characteristics as well as the livelihood portfolios of respondent households were investigated. Secondly, the coping strategies used by households along the rural-urban continuum were explored, and disaggregated according to the gender of the household head. Data were collected along the rural-urban continuum of two small towns, namely Queenstown, located in the Eastern Cape province and Phalaborwa, located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Sampling covered the town, peri-urban areas, townships and adjacent rural households. A standardised survey instrument was used to capture household details and livelihood activities and a total of 272 interviews were conducted. The rural areas near both towns were poorer than the township and urban areas with regards to assets, access to employment and annual household income across all cash and non-cash income streams. The engagement in land-based activities increased towards the rural areas. The use of natural resources, as well as the number of resources collected, increased along the continuum towards the rural areas, with 12.0% to 49.0% of urban households, 30.0% to 88.0% of township households and between 80.0% and 100.0% of rural households engaging in the use and collection of natural resources. While natural resource use and collection was lowest in the urban areas, a significant amount of resources were still collected by urban households. Income portfolios for all households were calculated to determine the direct-use value of wild natural capital to livelihoods as well as the contribution made from land (arable and livestock farming), welfare grants and employment. Employment, barring one exception in the rural areas of Phalaborwa, was the largest contributor in terms of mean annual income along the continuum in both towns, followed by grants and pensions in the township and rural areas. In Phalaborwa, however, wild natural capital was found to be the largest contributor to local livelihoods, contributing 48.0% of the mean annual income. Household portfolios become more diversified in the poorer, rural areas as well as in households headed by females. The main shocks reported along the continuum in both Queenstown and Phalaborwa were death in the family, followed by a loss of employment, which was concentrated in male-headed households. Coping strategies resulting in the attainment of cash income fast, such as borrowing money from friends/relatives and cashing in retirements savings were favoured over longer term strategies such as finding local wage employment. Female-headed households were found to rely significantly on social groups or clubs as a coping strategy, highlighting the importance of social capital and social relations in female-headed households

This study sets out to analyse the relevance of cultural values and perceptions, which form the basis of the "local knowledge" of grassroots people, in the natural resource management of the Laka of Mapela who live in the former Lebowa homeland in the Northern Province of South Africa. Due to the fact that political transitions affect the traditional authority system, it further explores the role of traditional leaders regarding control and decision-making over natural resources as well as the activities of oppositional groups at local level, and their attitudes towards land tenure issues. Natural resource management is approached holistically because, in grassroots perceptions, the natural world does not "stand on its own" and is not dissected into manageable units but forms part of a wider cosmos which is made up of human beings, nature and the supernatural. A happy life of people, fertile soils and rich botanical resources are inseparable from harmony in the cosmos. Misfortune, natural resource degradation and scarcity are consequently explained with a state of flux, or imbalance, in these cosmic relationships which have to be restored by people in order to survive. The general conclusions suggest that these local perceptions of natural resource management cannot be ignored from the development arena as well as by outside scientists and practitioners. Rather, in order to develop more progressive approaches for sustainable management in the former homelands, policies and plans have to be compatible with the worldview of local people to enhance their acceptance and implementation. / Anthropology and Archaeology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Anthropology)

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Johannesburg 1997 / South Africa has recently begun a number of conservation Initiatives which link conservation with the development of people This follows a worldwide trend in which it is acknowledged that conservation cannot be undertaker without the participation of local communities who are most affected by the establishment of protected areas The Thukela Biosphere Reserve In KwaZulu/Natal South Africa iS such an Initiative The research provides an assessment of the potential of the TBR to successfully introduce a sustainable land use strategy in the region This assessment is achieved through an investigation of the historical situation as well as local communities perceptions and attitudes toward the TBR and environmental degradation These attitudes are compared to a more scientific analysis of land degradation The research made use of participatory methodologies to assess these perceptions Findings indicate that local Afrrcan communities are intensely aware of environmental degradation in the TBR A number of factors however prevent them from accepting the TBR as an effective land use option These include oppressive historical polices leading[Abbreviated [ Abstract. Open document to view full version]

This study is concerned with the availability and adequacy of environmental information resources to support field workers at the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa's (WESSA) four environmental education centres in KwaZulu-Natal. It begins by examining the environment, the environmental crisis and environmental education as a response to the crisis, before giving an overview of the history of WESSA. To provide a wider context within which to view the study, literature dealing with environmental education, environmental education centres in South Africa and environmental information was examined. A study population consisting of 18 field workers and eight management staff, based at the four environmental education centres, was surveyed by means of interviews. This allowed for selected attributes such as length of employment at the centre, highest education qualification and previous environmental education experience to be elicited from field workers. Other information asked ofthe population concerned available environmental information resources, the environmental information support required by field workers and the adequacy of this support to field workers. Results were then analysed. With the responses to the open-ended questions, content analysis was used to determine categories which were subsequently tabulated, together with the responses from closed questions. The results revealed that WESSA provides a number of ongoing, in-house training opportunities which expose field workers to environmental information resources; WESSA publications dominate the environmental information resources used during the training offield workers and consequently, during the preparation and conducting of courses by field workers; booklets, books and colleagues are considered valuable information resources by field workers; and there is a recognised lack of environmental information by both field workers and management staff. Recommendations for improving the environmental information resource support to field workers are made in light of the results of the survey and the literature review. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This dissertation is an attempt to analyse and address some of the many and complex issues revolving around protected area - community relationships. The success of these relationships are essential if the mission of protected areas are to be achieved. Due to large scale agriculture, high density populations and environmental degradation protected areas are often looked upon as a means to conserve biodiversity. It is for this reason that they play an important role in the natural environmental of South Africa. However, there is a growing realisation that protected areas will not survive unless they become relevant to the communities that surround them. These cOI11nlunities are often characterised by high density populations and low levels of infrastructural and economic development. These developmental requirements need to be considered by protected area management, and a dedicated effort is required by protected areas to assist in meeting these needs. However, the relationship between protected areas and C0111nlunities should not simply focus on meeting the developmental needs of the community, relationships need to allow for communities to participate in decisions and activities that directly impact of their lives. Benefits need to accrue to communities from protected areas for them to support the concepts of conservation. Benefits need to be tangible, intangible and empowering for them to have real meaningful impacts on the communities. Communities need to be actively involve in all aspects of the protected area management and links need to be forged between conservation and development, so that the socio-economic condition of those living closest to protected areas improves. This study uses the relationship between Mthethomusha Game Reserve and the surrounding Mpakeni conmunity, and the Pilanesberg National Park and the neighbouring Bakgatla community to investigate many issues, including the manner in which communities participate and benefit from conservation. The findings of this study reflect that the relationships between communities and protected areas are dependent on a number of factors including~ ownership~ socio-economic condition of the surrounding community~ institutional structures and capacity of the community formal agreements; history of the fonl1ati~n of the protect~d a~ea~ reliance on the protected area for survival and the meaningfulness and appropriateness of the benefits received from the protected area. The experiences of the two case studies has been analysed and compared to develop a theoretical model for community - protected area relationships. This model indicates the primary prerequisites which will contribute to effective and equitable relationships between protected areas and surrounding communities. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

Thesis (MFor)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The reliance of firewood demand on indigenous trees such as Acacia erioloba is a continuing phenomena despite the concern that over-exploitation of these resources will degrade the environment. This study tested the hypothesis that the cutting of A. erioloba in the Northern Cape is driven by (a) market demand in the Western Cape, (b) ignorance of the long-term ecological consequences and/or (c) ignorance of legislation along the chain of custody of this product. The assumption is that whoever is involved in the A. erioloba firewood industry (resource owner, trader or user) is neither aware of the protected status of the resource nor the negative consequences associated with the over-exploitation of the resource or they are driven by short term monetary gains. Therefore, there is a need to understand the needs of every participant in the chain and to further find out if there may be substitutes for A. erioloba firewood. The results of this study show that there is a market for firewood in the study area and that this demand is driven mainly by the availability rather than the quality of firewood. It will also be shown that Acacia mearnsii which is available in the study area is a better product than A. erioloba and therefore it can be a suitable replacement but consumers were found to bum almost everything that would give them embers. The most preferred firewood in the study area is A. cyclops. The concept of indigenous trees is not clearly understood by retailers and consumers. The major role players in the supply chain were found to be the retailers and the transport owners who may be targeted when firewood trade is to be stopped in the short-term. The results further highlighted the fact that the majority of consumers were aware that indigenous trees were protected in South Africa but the majority of retailers were not aware. The study recommends that firewood trade should be stopped completely by strict enforcement of the law or by the involvement of every role-player and/or that the trade should be regulated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fenomeen dat die aanvraag vir vuurmaakhout staatmaak op inheemse bome soos Acacia erioloba duur steeds voort ten spyte van die kommer dat oorbenutting van hierdie hulpbronne, ter versadiging van die behoeftes van 'n steeds toenemende populasie, die omgewing sal degradeer. Hierdie studie het die hipotese getoets dat die afsny van A. erioloba in die Noord- Kaap aangedryf word deur (a) die mark aanvraag in die Wes-Kaap, (b) onkunde oor die langtermyn ekologiese gevolge en/of (c) onkunde oor die wetgewing van hierdie produk by die skakels in die verskaffersketting. Die aanname is dat wie ook al betrokke is by die A. erioloba vuurmaakhout-industrie (hulpbron eienaar, handelaar of gebruiker) is beide onbewus van die beskermde status van die hulpbron asook van die negatiewe gevolge geassosieer met die oorbenutting van die hulpbron of hulle is aangedryf deur korttermyn monetêre gewin. Daarom is dit nodig om die behoefte van elke deelnemer in die ketting te verstaan en om verder uit te vind of daar plaasvervangers vir A. erioloba vuurmaakhout is. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat daar 'n aanvraag is vir vuurmaakhout in die studie-area en dat hierdie aanvraag hoofsaaklik gedryf word deur die beskikbaarheid, eerder as die kwaliteit van die hout. Daar salook aangetoon word dat Acacia mearnsii, wat in die studie-area beskikbaar is, 'n beter produk is as A. erioloba en dus 'n geskikte plaasvervanger kan wees, maar dit wil voorkom of die verbruikers omtrent enigiets sal brand wat kole sal verskaf. A. cyclops is die vuurmaakhout van voorkeur in die studie-area. Handelaars en verbruikers verstaan nie die konsep van inheemse bome duidelik nie. Die vernaamste rolspelers in die verskaffersketting is die handelaars en die eienaars van die vervoer en hulle kan die teikengroep wees as die handel in vuurmaakhout in die korttermyn stopgesit word. Die resultate het verder na vore gebring dat die meerderheid verbruikers daarvan bewus is dat inheemse bome beskermd is in Suid-Afrika, maar die meerderheid handelaars is nie hiervan bewus me. Hierdie studie maak die aanbeveling dat handel in vuurmaakhout totaal gestaak moet word deur strenger wette of deur die betrokkenheid van elke rolspeler en/of dat handel gereguleer moet word.

The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative aims to connect formally protected areas in a conservation corridor from the coastal area of the Eden District near Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa to the Addo National Elephant Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The corridor will incorporate government and privately owned land, and will be an attempt to maintain ecological processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. The Langkloof Valley lies between the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Area and the Tstitsikamma National Park; two formally protected areas that will be incorporated into the Eden To Addo Corridor. Spatial prioritization analyses allow conservation planners to select areas that should be targeted for conservation action based on a range of criteria. Historically, ecological criteria have been included mostly alone in spatial prioritization. Recently, the idea of ‘conservation opportunity’ has emerged in the field of conservation planning; the notion suggests that a range of different types of data should be included in processes to spatially prioritise for conservation. By including those data defined as ‘human’ and ‘social’ data into prioritising activities, the feasibility of conservation plans can be accounted for, but historically conservation planners have failed to do so. I conducted a literature review that demonstrated that although the importance of human and social data are acknowledged in the conservation planning literature, these data that define opportunity are rarely actually included in spatial prioritisation analyses. I then carried out a social assessment that allowed me to define the social and human context of our study area and, specifically, what stewardship instruments land managers in the Langkloof would be prepared to engage. We found that land managers were generally willing to engage, but lacked the financial capacity to adopt conservation methods. Using a subset of the social and human data that were collected in the social assessment, I trialled a new Decision Support Software to fuse those data with ecological data in a novel attempt to identify priority areas for conservation action based on ecological integrity and feasibility. We also scheduled (ranked) land managers to approach for conservation action with a focus on local champions and clusters of land managers displaying strong conservation characteristics. Two corridors were identified; a major corridor in the western region of the valley and a secondary corridor closer to the middle. The members of the Initiative have been briefed on the outcomes, which provided them an opportunity to provide feedback; it is hoped that the framework of this study can be used for planning future connections. The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative sent out a stewardship extension officer in February 2011 to approach those land managers areas that were identified. This planning exercise is a good demonstration of how, by collaborating effectively, academic conservation planners can contribute to supporting decision making by organizations that are implementing conservation action.