MASTS is an extensible, feature rich, software architecture based on tabu search (TS), a metaheuristic that relies on memory structures to intelligently organize and navigate the search space. MASTS introduces a new methodology of rule based objectives (RBOs), in which the search objective is replaced with a binary comparison operator more capable of expressing a variety of preferences. In addition, MASTS supports a new metastrategy, dynamic neighborhood selection (DNS), which “learns” about the search landscape to implement an adaptive intensification-diversification strategy. DNS can improve search performance by directing the search to promising regions and reducing the number of required evaluations. To demonstrate the flexibility and range of capabilities, MASTS is applied to two complex decision problems in conservation planning and groundwater management. As an extension of MASTS, ConsNet addresses the spatial conservation area network design problem (SCANP) in conservation biology. Given a set of possible geographic reserve sites, the goal is to select which sites to place under conservation to preserve unique elements of biodiversity. Structurally, this problem resembles the NP-hard set cover problem, but also considers additional spatial criteria including compactness, connectivity, and replication. Modeling the conservation network as a graph, ConsNet uses novel techniques to quickly compute these spatial criteria, exceeding the capabilities of classical optimization methods and prior planning software. In the arena of groundwater planning, MASTS demonstrates extraordinary flexibility as both an advanced search engine and a decision aid. In House Bill 1763, the Texas state legislature mandates that individual Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) must work together to set specific management goals for the future condition of regional groundwater resources. This complex multi-agent multi-criteria decision problem involves finding the best way to meet these goals considering a host of decision variables such as pumping locations, groundwater extraction rates, and drought management policies. In two separate projects, MASTS has shaped planning decisions in the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and Groundwater Management Area 9 (GMA9). The software has been an invaluable decision support tool for planners, stakeholders, and scientists alike, allowing users to explore the problem from a multicriteria perspective. / text

This essay is based on a study of the relocation of the G//ana and G/wi San from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. The purpose of the study is to assess the conflicts that have arisen as a result of the relocation-programs, in order to highlight the situation of the San. Addressing issues of nature conservation, eco-tourism and indigeneity, the essay discuss how conservation policies, development programs and eco-tourism projects have been implemented in the Central Kalahari, and the consequences these policies have had for the people who first inhabited the area.

Lately, after Lithuania’s admission to a big unit of countries - the European Union, one of the most important tasks while implementing negotiated EU membership commitments in on country in the establishment of NATURA 2000 the network of protected areas that is of the European significance. In the process of the establishment of the network the system of the protected areas is being changed, new protected areas NATURA 2000 are being created reservations, and biosphere polygons. While implementing the Lithuanian Republic strategy of biological variety protection and it’s plan of actions valuable woodland biotopes, woodland key habitats are distinguished. Namely here, in small woodland areas the biology variety is especially wide and the protection of such territories is a mattes of primary interest. To meet the requirements big change have taken place in the regional park of Tytuvėnai as well. Study object. Territory of the Tytuvėnai regional park. The aim of the study is to determine the territories of NATURA 2000 and the woodland key habitats, to evaluate them preliminarily, to determine the peculiarity of them distribution in the area, and to estimate the variation of the natural protected areas of the existing regional park of Tytuvėnai and in it’s draft version. Study methodology. In the analysis of the protected areas the data from the data basis of the Forest and Land Service organizations was used. To determine the territories of NATURA 2000 The Guide of the habitats... [to full text]

The Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (BANP) is one of the two marine National Parks in Mozambique. It was established to protect marine and terrestrial resources and to provide a basis for social and economic develop of the communities associated with the park. However, after four decades of successful tourist-attracting operation, the communities are still struggling. Poverty, lack of diversified livelihoods, poor soil fertility, lack of education, unemployment and lack of income generation continue. These lead to a reduction of the very natural resources the park was established to protect. They lead also to less sustainable and more vulnerable community livelihoods and a decline in community development. This study, which is the first of its kind on Bazaruto Island, evaluated tourism revenue distribution on communities through assessing its social, economic and conservation impacts on the island. The study also investigated how tourism revenue is distributed and managed and the role of the various stakeholders. The study reveals that tourism revenue distribution has not yet demonstrated substantial tangible impacts on communities. Limited improvement was found in three areas: education, micro-finance for projects and community conservation. However, on the whole, the communities remain poor and jobless; their homes are still in poor condition and subject to weather damage. The study suggests that there are two key factors that have limited progress on Bazaruto Island. Communities have spent their tourism revenue on providing public goods (infrastructure and education) which are government responsibilities. Further, is a practical tension between conservation and livelihoods which is related to the use of tourism revenue for social infrastructure instead of expanding livelihoods. The primary message of the park is about conservation, but there is no real effort to create alternative livelihoods; communities are forced to set aside conservation in favor of basic survival. There is an urgent need to investigate alternative livelihoods for the communities and to formulate policy and programs to ensure that while the goal of conservation is met, communities also see substantial improvements to their livelihoods and general quality of life. / Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (KZN Wildlife) needed to develop a solid waste management policy and strategy for their protected areas, as well as specific solid waste management plans for existing and new developments within these areas. These had to be in keeping with the principles of sustainable development, protected area conservation objectives, best practice and legislative requirements. A pilot study was thus undertaken at two large KwaZulu-Natal protected area visitor facilities, Hilltop Rest Camp in Hluhluwe Game Reserve and Sodwana Bay Rest Camp, to investigate the types and amounts of solid waste generated . In addition, the solid waste disposal methods employed in 1984 and 2000, the disposal options available and the constraints and impacts of solid waste disposal throughout the protected area system were investigated. A comparison was made with solid waste production and management at Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park as well as with various international waste sources. The information was presented in the form of histograms for comparison and tree cluster analysis was used as a heuristic tool to discuss the results. Hilltop and Sodwana Bay Rest Camps produced similar waste although its composition varied according to the specific source of production within the visitor facility . The waste produced at KZN Wildlife protected area visitor facilities had a similar composition to that produced at Skukuza Rest Camp. Audits of waste management practices at Hilltop, Sodwana Bay and Skukuza indicated that KZN Wildlife was not adequately managing the solid waste at their two protected area visitorfacilities. However, solid waste was being responsibly disposed of at Skukuza Rest Camp. The type of waste produced at protected area visitor facilities in a number of other African countries and Australia, was similar in composition to that produced in South African protected areas; all were similar to that produced in developed, westernised countries. A survey in 1984 of waste disposal methods in 32 KZN Wildlife protected areas, indicated that disposal to municipal landfill was only practised by protected areas less than 5 000 ha in size and less than 30 km from a municipallandfill. The current (2000) survey showed that disposal directly to landfill without reduction within protected areas had been discontinued, and that there was an increased proportion of waste disposal to municipal landfill. Such disposal was primarily limited to areas of less than 10000 ha and less than 40 km from such a landfill. The main constraints on the choice of waste disposal method were the cost of transport and limited budgets. A draft solid waste management policy and strategy were developed. The policy set out the legal requirements , ecological objectives and constraints of solid waste disposal in protected areas and also the preferred disposal options. The strategy set out the waste disposal methods available and their associated risks, likely impacts, opportunities and implications for management. The use of a simple matrix, that combined transport costs (represented by distance to a municipal landfill site); the size of the protected area (assumed to reflect the amount of solid waste generated); and the environmental risk of leachate production (as indicated by the climatic water balance), with suitable waste disposal options, was recommended. This matrix was designed to assist in the objective implementation of the draft waste management policy and in selection of an appropriate waste disposal method for each protected area. The draft policy and strategy were applied to produce a solid waste management plan for a new development in Umfolozi Game Reserve. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

The uMkhuze Game Reserve in South Africa is a key biodiversity asset which protects diverse natural resources of regional, national and international importance. The park has a notorious history of poaching, which is considered to be the second most important threat to biodiversity. Paramilitary patrol operations are crucial to regulating poaching in the park, and to the collection of data important for the monitoring of the state of biodiversity. The effectiveness of the patrol system as a whole is gauged primarily from enforcement-related data, and it was the intention of this study to present a landscape level perspective that would bolster current evaluation metrics. Home range and use-availability analyses of patrol data collected in 2009 and 2010 were used to construct area coverage boundaries, and to understand whether the distribution of patrol effort within patrol areas was influenced by habitat type. Results suggest that average monthly patrol area coverage ranged from 8.38 km² to 23.15 km². This indicates that although designated patrol areas could be covered with relative ease within a few months, information gaps were consistently occurring in the system. To determine how differences in the amount of area covered by patrol units influenced the quantity of information collected, annual area coverage was correlated with the number of biological sightings, illegal incidents and snares reported. Results show that differences in the size of the area covered did not necessarily influence the quantity of information collected in the field. However, certain areas of the park remained unpatrolled annually. All patrol units visited habitats differently than expected based on the proportion of habitat types that were available to them. The preferential use of habitat types could result in incorrect inferences being made about information outputs generated by the patrol system. The number of biological sightings, illegal incidences and snares reported were associated with the total area of each habitat emphasizing the importance of covering habitats proportionately to their availability in the park. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Die auf verschiedenen Skalen-Ebenen heterogene Verteilung des Artenreichtums fasziniert Naturforscher und Biologen seit Jahrhunderten, so dass eine Vielzahl von Hypothesen zur Erklärung dieser Muster aufgestellt wurde. Es besteht breiter Konsens darüber, dass eine Vielzahl verschiedener Prozesse für die Variation des Artenreichtums verantwortlich ist. Je nachdem welche Taxa, welche Orte und welche räumlichen und zeitlichen Skalen betrachtet werden, wird den verschiedenen Faktoren dabei eine unterschiedlich große Bedeutung zugemessen. Umweltgradienten gelten in diesem Zusammenhang als die wichtigsten, den Artenreichtum bestimmende Faktoren. Da jedoch die Landschaften und damit Habitate der Arten weltweit und vor allem in Mitteleuropa stark anthropogen überprägt sind, sollte der auf den Artenreichtum wirkende Einfluss anthropogener Interventionen in diesem Zusammenhang nicht vernachlässigt werden. Die durch den Menschen und seine Aktivitäten verursachten Landnutzungsänderungen, eine steigende Landschaftsfragmentierung und -degradation sowie die Intensivierung der Landnutzung haben sich bereits im Verlust (halb-)natürlicher Landschaftselemente, dem Rückgang der Biodiversität und der Verschlechterung von Ökosystemfunktionen niedergeschlagen; eine weitere Verschlechterung der Zustände wird vorhergesagt. In diesem Zusammenhang dient die Ausweisung von Schutzgebieten vielfach dazu, den auf die Arten und ihre Habitate wirkenden Druck zu vermindern. Da die Lage dieser Gebiete jedoch häufig nicht auf Grundlage der Kenntnis über das Vorkommen von Arten bestimmt wurde, dürfte die Effektivität der Schutzgebiete für den Artenschutz vielfach eingeschränkt sein. Die vorliegende, die norddeutschen Bundesländer Niedersachsen und Bremen umfassende Arbeit untersucht 1.) die Muster des Artenreichtums der Gefäßpflanzenarten in den beiden Ländern; 2.) die Effektivität des Schutzgebietsnetzwerks des norddeutschen Tieflands für den Schutz seltener und bedrohter Gefäßpflanzenarten und 3.) den Zusammenhang zwischen Mustern des Artenreichtums und den ihnen zugrundeliegenden Prozessen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des anthropogenen Einflusses. Die Arbeit basiert auf einem umfangreichen, im Rahmen des Niedersächsischen Pflanzenartenerfassungsprogramms (NLWKN 1982-2003) erhobenen Datensatzes, der räumlich explizite Informationen zur Verbreitung aller in den Bundesländern vorkommenden Arten liefert. Die floristischen Daten wurden für die durchgeführten Analysen mit hochaufgelösten Daten zu Landbedeckung und Umweltbedingungen kombiniert. Damit repräsentiert die vorliegende Arbeit die erste umfassende Auswertung des umfangreichen floristischen Datensatzes. Für die Untersuchung der Muster des Gefäßpflanzenreichtums innerhalb der Untersuchungsregion wurden für die Gesamtzahl der Arten sowie für fünf auf Grundlage des floristischen Status’ und des Gefährdungsgrades der Arten zusammengestellte Untergruppen der Artenreichtum pro Landschaftseinheit (1.762 Messtischblatt-Quadranten à ca. 30 km²) berechnet. Der Artenreichtum aller Gruppen zeigte eine heterogene Verteilung in der Untersuchungsregion, wobei eine Zunahme der Artenzahlen von Nord nach Süd und zum Teil auch von West nach Ost erkennbar war. Die Zentren hoher Artenvielfalt der verschiedenen Gruppen korrelierten miteinander. Die Analyse der Effektivität der Schutzgebiete für den Schutz der seltenen und bedrohten Gefäßpflanzenarten zeigte, dass die Artvorkommen im niedersächsischen Tiefland zu einem relativ hohen Anteil durch Naturschutz- und Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Gebiete abgedeckt sind, wobei letztere Gebiete die erstgenannten sinnvoll ergänzten. Im Rahmen der Analyse konnte jedoch nicht untersucht werden, inwiefern sich der nachgewiesene effektive Gebietsschutz in einem effektiven Artenschutz niederschlägt. Der anthropogene Einfluss auf die Landschaft der Untersuchungsregion wurde im Rahmen zweier separater Analysen untersucht, wobei der Zusammenhang zwischen Artenreichtum und Landschaftsfragmentierung einerseits und dem Grad der Landschaftsmodifikation andererseits analysiert wurde. Die Landschaftsfragmentierung wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit mittels des Landschaftsmaßes der 'Effektiven Maschenweite' (meff; engl. Effective Mesh Size Index) untersucht. Der Zusammenhang zwischen meff und dem Artenreichtum aller Gefäßpflanzenarten sowie fünf weiteren nach ihrem floristischen bzw. Gefährdungsstatus definierten Gruppen wurde mittels einer Varianzpartitionierung ermittelt, die die Effekte der Landschaftsfragmentierung von den durch Umweltvariablen und räumliche Autokorrelation der Daten verursachten Effekten separiert. Der Grad der Landschaftsfragmentierung erklärte einen signifikanten, jedoch unterschiedlich großen Anteil des Artenreichtums aller untersuchten Gruppen, wobei der stärkste Effekt für die Gruppe der Neophyten und der geringste für die Gruppe der seltenen und bedrohten Arten erkennbar waren. Eine Cluster-Analyse auf Grundlage verschiedener, die Komposition und Konfiguration der Landschaft beschreibender Landschaftsmaße identifizierte für die Modellregion einen sechsstufigen 'Landschaftsmodifikations'-Gradienten. Dieser Gradient reichte von stark fragmentierten urbanen hin zu wenig fragmentierten Landschaften mit hohem Waldanteil. Der Gesamtartenreichtum sowie die Artenzahlen von sieben verschiedenen, nach ihrem floristischen Status, ihrer Gefährdung bzw. ihrer Habitat-Bindung bestimmten Artengruppen zeigten signifikante Unterschiede entlang des Gradienten. Die Gesamtartenzahl wie auch der Reichtum der indigenen, der bedrohten sowie der an Waldlebensräume und nährstoffarme Habitate gebundenen Arten war jeweils an den Enden des Gradienten am höchsten. Der Reichtum der Neophyten sowie der an urbane Räume und nährstoffreiche Habitate gebundenen Arten nahm dagegen von den urbanen zu den wenig beeinflussten Landschaften hin ab. Die im Rahmen der Arbeit erhaltenen Ergebnisse können zukünftig als Grundlage für naturschutzfachliche Planungen in der Untersuchungsregion dienen, indem sie die Ausweisung von für den Naturschutz relevante Landschaftsräume unterstützen. Sofern entsprechende, qualitativ mit denen der vorliegenden Arbeit vergleichbare Grundlagendaten vorliegen, eignen sich die im Rahmen der Arbeit angewendeten und entwickelten Methoden, um auf andere Regionen übertragen zu werden und auch dort naturschutzfachliche und landschaftsplanerische Prozesse zu unterstützen.

In recent years, protected areas have come under pressure due to the budget cuts of government. As a result, national parks have had to devise strategies by means of which they are able to generate additional revenue, in order to remain competitive. Such a strategy is the introduction of public-private partnerships, which allows the private sector to operate certain lodging facilities, restaurants and shops within parks. SANParks introduced their commercialization strategy in 2000 and overall it has been a success. However, despite earning much needed revenue; there are many complaints from tourists regarding the food and beverage concessions. Research regarding travel food consumption is in its infancy and is lacking in social science research. The importance of travel dining cannot be understated as it constitutes approximately 25% of tourist expenditure and as such contributes to the economic receipts of a destination. The importance of understanding the wants and needs of tourists with reference to food and beverage will enable destinations to realise the full economic potential of the tourism experience. It has been postulated that food consumption no longer forms part of the ‘supporting’ experience but is in fact a ‘peak’ tourist experience and as such can impair the total tourist experience if tourists are not satisfied with food and beverage consumption at a destination. SANParks does not offer a wide variety of food and beverage facilities and it is of utmost importance that the facilities that are available, cater to the requirements of tourists. The purpose of this study was to construct a model for concessionaire food and beverage operations at SANParks. This was done by targeting tourists who visit SANParks and inquiring as to their preferences with regard to restaurants and shop facilities. The questionnaire for the study was posted on SANParks’ website for a period of three weeks and consisted of four sections, namely a demographic section, a section related to food service brands, a section regarding restaurants and the last section regarding shop facilities. The data was analysed to provide information needed to construct a model for concessionaire food and beverage operations in SANParks. Data provided a demographic profile of tourists to SANParks, factors analysis provided restaurant and take-away factors, ANOVA and t-tests allowed comparisons of factors with demographics and lastly structural equation modelling which provided goodness of fit indices for the proposed model. / Thesis (PhD (Tourism Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

In recent years, protected areas have come under pressure due to the budget cuts of government. As a result, national parks have had to devise strategies by means of which they are able to generate additional revenue, in order to remain competitive. Such a strategy is the introduction of public-private partnerships, which allows the private sector to operate certain lodging facilities, restaurants and shops within parks. SANParks introduced their commercialization strategy in 2000 and overall it has been a success. However, despite earning much needed revenue; there are many complaints from tourists regarding the food and beverage concessions. Research regarding travel food consumption is in its infancy and is lacking in social science research. The importance of travel dining cannot be understated as it constitutes approximately 25% of tourist expenditure and as such contributes to the economic receipts of a destination. The importance of understanding the wants and needs of tourists with reference to food and beverage will enable destinations to realise the full economic potential of the tourism experience. It has been postulated that food consumption no longer forms part of the ‘supporting’ experience but is in fact a ‘peak’ tourist experience and as such can impair the total tourist experience if tourists are not satisfied with food and beverage consumption at a destination. SANParks does not offer a wide variety of food and beverage facilities and it is of utmost importance that the facilities that are available, cater to the requirements of tourists. The purpose of this study was to construct a model for concessionaire food and beverage operations at SANParks. This was done by targeting tourists who visit SANParks and inquiring as to their preferences with regard to restaurants and shop facilities. The questionnaire for the study was posted on SANParks’ website for a period of three weeks and consisted of four sections, namely a demographic section, a section related to food service brands, a section regarding restaurants and the last section regarding shop facilities. The data was analysed to provide information needed to construct a model for concessionaire food and beverage operations in SANParks. Data provided a demographic profile of tourists to SANParks, factors analysis provided restaurant and take-away factors, ANOVA and t-tests allowed comparisons of factors with demographics and lastly structural equation modelling which provided goodness of fit indices for the proposed model. / Thesis (PhD (Tourism Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013