The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the Conservation Education programmes of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (NZG) in Pretoria, South Africa, the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe, Uganda and Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, in order to devise a Model for an effective zoo Conservation Education Programme. A mixed-methods strategy, namely concurrent triangulation, was used for data-collection. The quantitative method was that of surveys by means of group-administered questionnaires. The population for the quantitative study was school groups that visited the zoos. The qualitative research questions were addressed by means of individual semi-structured interviews. Interpretive analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The participants of the qualitative study were staff members at the zoos and other key figures in the zoo – and conservation sector. The impact of Conservation Education programmes of the zoos were evaluated by means of a logic model. The quantitative results indicated that the Conservation Education programmes were successful in increasing the knowledge of the learners and in increasing their intention to change behaviour. This study further indicated that, although attending zoo Conservation Education programmes has the potential to increase the attitudes and values of learners, this was not always the case. Furthermore, the results show that when learners tested high with regard to their knowledge, attitudes and values prior to attending a Conservation Education programme, their knowledge, attitudes and values will not change significantly after they attended a Conservation Education programme. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative study indicated that the evaluation of Conservation Education programmes and the training of zoo educators should receive more attention to ensure the success of these programmes. It can be concluded that the role of zoos have become even more important to conserve biodiversity through their Conservation Education programmes. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

By following a climate-friendly diet, consumers have the potential to reduce climate change. However, despite the growing awareness of the climate-friendly food options that are available, consumers still choose foods with a high carbon footprint. Following a survey design, this study aimed to determine the extent to which four psychological processes (denial, conflicting goals and aspirations, tokenism, and interpersonal influence) limit consumers’ climate-friendly food choices in South Africa. Data were collected from 151 participants using the Climate-friendly Food Choices Scale and the Psychological Barriers Scale. Regression analysis indicated that conflicting goals and aspirations and denial were the two main psychological barriers to climate-friendly food choices. Overall the barriers were negatively associated with climate-friendly food choices. Gender did not produce a significant effect in the study. Different age groups varied with regards to the extent to which they experienced the psychological barriers, but they did not differ significantly with regards to how often they made climate-friendly food choices. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

On the frontier of biodiversity-rich tropical forests, how land is used has an important role in buffering the primary ecosystem. Unsustainable small-scale cattle farming endangers soil quality and degrades the landscape. Silvopasture is a type of agroforestry that provides both ecological and livelihood benefits. A number of projects have been implemented across the tropics to encourage silvopasture adoption, with varying success. This dissertation questions the reasons for variable outcomes among participants within these projects: what motivates smallholders to adopt innovative land-use practices, and what form of incentives may help to overcome obstacles and catalyse adoption. This dissertation contributes to the ongoing debate on payments for ecosystem services, specifically about their suitability and effectiveness. To understand what influences decisions to adopt sustainable land-use practices, I review systematically and quantitatively the literature on adoption predictors, and I empirically analyse participation and short-term adoption in a pilot project for planting fodder trees in the border of a protected forest in Chiapas, Mexico, using primary and secondary data. I focus on subjective perspectives and livelihood strategies of actual and potential participants as explanatory variables, which have received unduly scarce attention in past studies. This lack of attention is partially caused by the difficulties of operationalising internal variables. I address this challenge by developing an analytical approach that increases the precision of the resulting perspectives in Q methodology. I cluster livelihood strategies and model adoption. This in-depth case-study suggests the type of incentives that are adequate to encourage adoption of sustainable land-use practices. Results indicate that payments may not be the best incentive for pioneer adopters, and that the adoption process is composed of separate individual steps, which are influenced distinctly by identifiable predictors, such as livelihood diversity. Uncovering this heterogeneity of motivations towards adoption provides useful knowledge for designing more effective external policy interventions.

Denna studie är en fallstudie av Equmeniakyrkans kampanj Klimatfastan, där de under 40 dagar uppmanade medarbetare och medlemmar att se över sitt klimatavtryck och göra beteendeförändringar utifrån detta. Tidigare forskning visar att religiösa miljöaktioner skiljer sig från sekulära miljöaktioner gällande metoder, fokus och budskap. Studien ämnaratt undersöka hur Klimatfastan genomfördes, vilka effekter kampanjen hade påmedlemmars miljömedvetna beteende samt vilka svårigheter och framgångsfaktorer som kunde identifieras. För attkunna dra slutsatser utifrån ett bredare perspektiv, undersöktes den nationella organisationen och en lokal församling i Equmeniakyrkan. Materialet som användes för att besvara studiens frågeställningar bestod av tre intervjuer med Equmeniakyrkans personal, en enkät riktad till en lokal församling och ett internt dokument. Resultatet visar att Equmeniakyrkansanvändning av resurser förstärktes genom användning av vad Bomberg och Hague (2018) definierar som andliga resursergenom hela processen. Detta identifierades som en framgångsfaktor för kampanjen. En skillnad mellan den nationella organisationen och den lokala församlingen var möjligheten att förutse och hantera hinder för medlemmarnas deltagande i kampanjen. / This is acase study that examines the UnitingChurch in Sweden ́s (UCS) campaign “Klimatfastan” (Climate Fasting), during which members were encouraged to examine their carbon footprints and make lifestyle changes accordingly for40 days. Previous research shows that religious environmental groups differ from secular groups when it comes to methods, focus areas and messages. The aim of this study was to examine how the Climate Fastingwas implemented, which effects the campaign had on members’ pro-environmental behaviour,and which strengths and weaknesses the campaign had. To be able to draw conclusions based on a wider perspective, the campaign was examined through the lens of the national organisation and a local congregation. The material used to answer the study’s research questions consisted of three interviews with staff at UCS, a survey answered bymembers of a local congregation,and an internal document. The results show that UCS ́s use of resources was enhanced by the use of what Bomberg and Hague (2018) define asspiritual resourcesthroughout the campaign. This was identified as a strength. A difference between the national organisation and the local congregation was the ability to identify and counteract barriers for members’ participation in the campaign.

The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the Conservation Education programmes of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (NZG) in Pretoria, South Africa, the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe, Uganda and Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, in order to devise a Model for an effective zoo Conservation Education Programme. A mixed-methods strategy, namely concurrent triangulation, was used for data-collection. The quantitative method was that of surveys by means of group-administered questionnaires. The population for the quantitative study was school groups that visited the zoos. The qualitative research questions were addressed by means of individual semi-structured interviews. Interpretive analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The participants of the qualitative study were staff members at the zoos and other key figures in the zoo – and conservation sector. The impact of Conservation Education programmes of the zoos were evaluated by means of a logic model. The quantitative results indicated that the Conservation Education programmes were successful in increasing the knowledge of the learners and in increasing their intention to change behaviour. This study further indicated that, although attending zoo Conservation Education programmes has the potential to increase the attitudes and values of learners, this was not always the case. Furthermore, the results show that when learners tested high with regard to their knowledge, attitudes and values prior to attending a Conservation Education programme, their knowledge, attitudes and values will not change significantly after they attended a Conservation Education programme. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative study indicated that the evaluation of Conservation Education programmes and the training of zoo educators should receive more attention to ensure the success of these programmes. It can be concluded that the role of zoos have become even more important to conserve biodiversity through their Conservation Education programmes. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)