Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Lack of collaboration amongst resource user groups in protected areas undermines effective community participation in protected area management. Currently, collaborative approaches are recognised as a planning tool and less of a management tool. However practice reveals that utmost, participatory approaches are recognised in management plans, but fail in the actual implementation. With this study an attempt was made to identify a possible means of enhancing community participation in protected area management by evaluating the extent to which the community of stakeholders in Lake Malawi National Park effectively engage in the management of the protected area. To achieve this aim, the research identified the stakeholders; their relationships with the park; and their relationships with each other. It further evaluated the present level of collaboration on whether it was adequate to enhance community participation in the sustainable management of the park. This research followed a descriptive-qualitative approach because the researcher was interested in exploring wider perceptions of people. It took the form of a case study to allow for an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon through understanding the participants‟ point of view in their natural setting. A critical review of related literature and a field research were conducted where data was collected from park documents and seven representatives from three stakeholder groups through the use of semi-structured interviews in English and Chichewa (official and national languages respectively); supported by note taking. The study has four findings. Firstly, that the primary stakeholders were the park authority management, lodge operators and indigenous people (villagers). Secondly, that stakeholders were found to have a special relationship with the park as it provided business opportunities, a source of livelihood, a sense of empowerment, relaxation space and employment. Thirdly, that stakeholders were not satisfied with the level of relationships in the park especially towards park authority management. This is a deviation from the expected in that for a long time relations in the park were seen to be faulted by the indigenous people and especially towards lodge operators, yet in this research, the relationship between these two stakeholder groups were found to be satisfactory. Fourthly, the research found that whilst there were reduced levels of conflict and that stakeholders related as and when need arose, the general level of collaboration was below the community‟s expectation. On a positive note, the findings showed the willingness of the stakeholders to form a representative body which they all felt would be better placed to negotiate decision-making and would improve the level of collaboration and management in the park. Five recommendations followed on how collaboration and stakeholder skills could be improved in the park and some of which include: the speedy facilitation of the registration of an already existing umbrella association; and the formal recognition of tour guides by Government. These issues if critically looked at, will create an environment in which stakeholders are able to collaborate and work as a community in the management of the protected area which is necessary for conservation and sustainability of livelihoods, the park‟s objectives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ʼn Gebrek aan samewerking tussen die gebruikersgroepe van hulpbronne in beskermde gebiede ondermyn doeltreffende gemeenskapsdeelname in die bestuur van hierdie areas. Samewerkingsbenaderings word tans gesien as ʼn beplanningsinstrument eerder as ʼn bestuursinstrument. Die praktyk wys egter dat terwyl deelnemende benaderings herken word in bestuursplanne, dit nie geïmplementeer word nie. In hierdie studie is daar gepoog om moontlike maniere te identifiseer om gemeenskapsdeelname te verbeter in die bestuur van beskermde gebiede deur middel van ʼn evaluering van die mate waartoe die gemeenskap van belanghebbendes in die Malawi Meer Nasionale Park doeltreffend betrokke is in die bestuur van dié beskermde gebied. Om dit te bereik, het die navorsing die belanghebbendes geïdentifiseer, sowel as hulle verhouding tot die park en hulle verhouding met mekaar. Verder is die huidige vlak van samewerking geëvalueer om vas te stel of dit voldoende is om gemeenskapsdeelname te verbeter in die volhoubare bestuur van die park. Die navorsing volg ʼn beskrywende-kwalitatiewe benadering omdat die navorser belanggestel het daarin om die breër persepsies van mense te ondersoek. Dit het die vorm aangeneem van ʼn gevallestudie om sodoende ʼn dieper begrip van die fenomeen te kry deur die deelnemers se oogpunt in hulle natuurlike omgewing te verstaan. ʼn Kritiese oorsig van verwante literatuur en veldwerk is uitgevoer waar data ingesamel is uit parkdokumente en van sewe verteenwoordigers van drie belangegroepe deur die gebruik van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude in Engels en Chichewa (onderskeidelik amptelike en nasionale tale); asook deur die neem van notas. Die studie het vier bevindings opgelewer. Eerstens, die primêre belanghebbendes is die bestuursowerheid van die park, verblyfoperateurs en die inheemse bevolking (dorpsbewoners). Tweedens is daar gevind dat rolspelers ʼn spesiale verhouding het met die park aangesien dit die bron was van sakegeleenthede, inkomste, ʼn gevoel van bemagtiging, ontspanning en werk. Derdens, die rolspelers was nie tevrede met die vlak van verhoudings in die park nie, veral ten opsigte van die bestuursowerheid van die park. Dit is ʼn afwyking van wat verwag word in soverre daar vir ʼn lang ruk gedink is dat verhoudings in die park deur die inheemse bevolking bederf is, veral ten opsigte van verblyfoperateurs. In hierdie studie is daar egter gevind dat verhoudings tussen hierdie twee groepe rolspelers bevredigend is. Vierdens het die navorsing bevind dat hoewel konflik afgeneem het en dat rolspelers met mekaar skakel indien nodig, die algemene vlak van samewerking nie voldoen aan die gemeenskap se verwagtings nie. ʼn Positiewe punt is dat die bevindings wys dat die rolspelers gewillig is om ʼn verteenwoordigende liggaam te stig wat in ʼn beter posisie is om oor besluitneming te onderhandel en wat die vlak van samewerking en bestuur in die park kan verbeter. Vyf aanbevelings het gevolg oor hoe samewerking en die vaardighede van die belanghebbendes in die park verbeter kan word. Waarvan sommige sluit: die spoedige fasilitering van die registrasie van ʼn reeds bestaande oorkoepelende vereniging, en die formele herkenning van toergidse deur die regering. As hierdie kwessies krities beskou word, kan ʼn omgewing geskep word waarbinne belanghebbendes kan saamwerk as ʼn gemeenskap in die bestuur van die beskermde gebied, en dit is nodig vir die bewaring en volhoubaarheid van lewensonderhoud en die park se doelwitte.

Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Declines in natural capital, such as the degradation of ecosystems and loss of species, are the result of threats created by anthropogenic activities. The concept of sustainable development encompasses the economic and social growth of societies, with limited impacts on the natural environment. Sustainable development initiatives are being implemented in an attempt to mitigate the global decline in natural capital. Biosphere reserves, which are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Programme, aim to be landscape-scale examples of sustainable development. UNESCO requires biosphere reserves to submit a periodic review every ten years to ensure they are meeting their goals. This requires that that they monitor and evaluate their progress towards their sustainable development goals. Sustainability indicators are tools used to assess progress towards ecological, social and economic goals, and can thus be useful tools for biosphere reserves to ensure they are achieving their goals. The Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves are both situated within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR). The CFR, located in the South-West of South Africa, has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot owing to its high plant diversity. About a fifth of the CFR is formally protected, while about three quarters has been transformed, mainly by cultivated lands, urban areas and alien vegetation. The socio-economic dimensions of the region are also diverse. A high percentage of its inhabitants have low incomes and live in informal settlements, while a smaller percentage have high incomes and live in middle to upper-class urban areas. Biosphere reserves aim to encourage their diverse stakeholders to collaboratively develop and work towards sustainable development goals. This research project applied an action research approach. The research objectives were achieved through collaboration with biosphere reserve stakeholders. The first objective was to develop sustainability indicator sets for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. Following the introduction to the research provided in Chapter 1, Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of this thesis describe the stages of the research process undertaken to achieve this objective. With the aim of investigating monitoring and evaluation within biosphere reserves, Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature and Chapter 3 presents the results of interviews with managers of South African biosphere reserves and a web-based survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Chapter 4 describes the collaborative process of conducting local stakeholder workshops and specialist focus groups to develop sets of sustainability indicators; one set each for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. The second objective was to formulate a national protocol for the development of sustainability indicators for South African biosphere reserves. This was developed through a synthesis of the results and lessons learnt in Chapters 2 to 4. This national protocol was designed to be flexible enough to be adapted to the local circumstances and needs of individual South African biosphere reserves. The global review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature revealed that monitoring and evaluation studies in biosphere reserves are mostly conducted in the developing world by authors from the developed world and many of the studies and indicators that were developed focused on ecological dimensions. These results show that biosphere reserves need to enhance their local capacity for the development and implementation of improved monitoring and evaluation methods and frameworks. The outcomes of the interviews with representatives of the management of South African biosphere reserves and a survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves found that many biosphere reserves identified in this survey are reportedly implementing monitoring and evaluation, but few have developed sustainability indicators. It was found that there are many similar challenges with regards to monitoring and evaluation in biosphere reserves, most notably the lack of capacity and funding Lastly, the collaborative process used to develop sustainability indicators for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves proved to be useful and produced the desired outcomes. The local stakeholder workshops produced large sustainability indicator sets, with many indicators that were immeasurable, but most were relevant to the biosphere reserves. The specialist focus groups produced more focused and feasible indicator sets. The local stakeholder and specialist indicator sets were integrated to produce a final set for each biosphere reserve that was relevant to the social-ecological systems of the biosphere reserves, with indicators that could feasibly be implemented. The action research approach applied in this study delivered a pragmatic set of sustainability indicators that can be implemented by both biosphere reserves. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, and the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve co-ordinators have encouraged and supported the development of the sustainability indicator sets and the national protocol. Supporting these with a social learning institution within each biosphere reserve will be required for ensuring their on-going utility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dalings in natuurlike kapitaal, soos die degradasie van ekosisteme en die verlies van spesies, is die gevolg van die bedreigings wat geskep word deur menslike aktiwiteite. Die konsep van volhoubare ontwikkeling behels die ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling van samelewings, met beperkte impak op die natuurlike omgewing. Volhoubare ontwikkelings inisiatiewe word geïmplementeer in 'n poging om die afname in natuurlike kapitaal te verminder. Die doel van biosfeerreservate, wat aangewys is deur die Verenigde Nasies se Opvoedkundige, Wetenskaplike en Kulturele Organisasie (UNESCO) se Man en die Biosfeer-program, is om landskap-skaal voorbeelde van volhoubare ontwikkeling te wees. UNESCO vereis dat biosfeerreservate 'n periodieke hersiening elke tien jaar voor te lê om te verseker dat hulle op pad is om hul doelwitte te bereik. Dit vereis dat hulle moet hul vordering monitor en evalueer teenoor hul volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte. Volhoubaarheid aanwysers word gebruik om vordering ten opsigte van ekologiese, sosiale en ekonomiese doelwitte te bepaal, en kan dus nuttig wees vir biosfeerreservate om te verseker dat hulle hul doelwitte bereik. Die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate is beide in die Kaapse Floristiese Omgewing (KFO) geleë. Die KFO, wat in die Suid-Wes van Suid-Afrika geleë is, is geïdentifiseer as 'n biodiversiteit-brandpunt as gevolg van sy hoë plant diversiteit. Oor 1/5 van die KFO is formeel beskerm terwyl ongeveer 3/4 omskep is, hoofsaaklik deur bewerkte landerye, stedelike gebiede en uitheemse plantegroei. Die sosio-ekonomiese aspekte van die omgewing is ook uiteenlopend. 'n Hoë persentasie van die bevolking het 'n lae inkomste en woon in informele nedersettings, terwyl 'n kleiner persentasie het 'n hoë inkomste en woon in middel tot bo-klas stedelike gebiede. Biosfeerreservate streef daarna om hul diverse rolspelers aan te moedig om saam volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte te ontwikkel. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het 'n aksie-navorsing nadering toegepas. Die navorsing doelwitte is bereik deur middel van samewerking met biosfeerreservaat rolspelers. Die eerste doelwit was om volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel. Na aanleiding van die Inleiding tot die navorsing wat in Hoofstuk 1, Hoofstuk 2, 3 en 4 van hierdie tesis beskryf die fases van die navorsing wat onderneem is om hierdie doelwit te bereik. Met die doel van die ondersoek van monitering en evaluering binne biosfeerreservate, Hoofstuk 2 bied 'n sistematiese hersiening van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur aan en Hoofstuk 3 bied die resultate van onderhoude met bestuurders van Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n web-gebaseerde ondersoek van die wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate aan. Hoofstuk 4 beskryf die saamwerkende proses van die uitvoer van plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels en spesialis fokusgroepe stelle van volhoubaarheid aanwysers te ontwikkel; een stel elk vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate. Die tweede doelwit is om 'n nasionale protokol vir die ontwikkeling van volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate te formuleer. Dit is ontwikkel deur middel van 'n sintese van die resultate en lesse wat geleer is in Hoofstukke 2 tot 4. Hierdie nasionale protokol is ontwerp om buigsaam genoeg te wees om aangepas te word by die plaaslike omstandighede en behoeftes van individuele Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate. Die globale oorsig van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur het gewys dat monitering en evaluering studies in biosfeerreservate word meestal in die ontwikkelende wêreld uitgevoer deur die skrywers van die ontwikkelde wêreld en baie van die studies en aanwysers wat ontwikkel word is gefokus op ekologiese dimensies. Hierdie resultate dui aan dat biosfeerreservate hul plaaslike kapasiteit vir die ontwikkeling en implementering van monitering en evaluering metodes en raamwerke moet verbeter. Die uitkomste van die onderhoude met verteenwoordigers van die bestuur van die Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n ondersoek van die Wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate dui aan dat baie van die biosfeerreservate wat in hierdie ondersoek na berig word implementeer monitering en evaluering, maar min het volhoubaarheid aanwysers ontwikkel. Daar is gevind dat daar baie soortgelyke uitdagings met betrekking tot monitering en evaluering in biosfeerreservate, veral die gebrek aan kapasiteit en befondsing Ten slotte, die gesamentlike proses wat gebruik is om die volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel het bewys om nuttig te wees en het die verlangde uitkomste gelewer. Die plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels het groot volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle geproduseer, met baie onmeetbare aanwysers, maar meeste van die aanysers was relevant tot die biosfeer-reservate. Die spesialis fokusgroepe het meer gefokusde en uitvoerbaar aanwyser stelle geproduseer. Die plaaslike rolspeler en spesialis aanwyser stelle is geïntegreer in 'n finale stel vir elke biosfeerreservaat wat relevant is tot die sosiaal-ekologiese stelsels van die biosfeer-reservate, met aanwysers wat uitvoerbaar is. Die aksie-navorsing benadering wat in hierdie studie toegepas is het 'n pragmatiese stel van volhoubaarheid aanwysers afgelewer wat sal deur beide biosfeerreservate geïmplementeer word. Die Nasionale Departement van Omgewingsake, en die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeer Reservaat koördineerders het die ontwikkeling van die volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle en die Nasionale Protokol aangemoedig en ondersteun. Ondersteuning van hierdie uitsette met 'n sosiale leer instelling binne elke biosfeerreservaat sal vereis wees om hul deurlopende nut te verseker.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

No description available.

Canadian courts, despite recognition in the Canadian Constitution, 1982 that treaties are to govern the Crown-Aboriginal relationship, continue to develop principles of interpretation that narrow Aboriginal and treaty rights, including the taxation provisions of the Indian Act. In Robertson, the Federal Court of Appeal, building on Mitchell v Peguis, articulated a “historic and purposive” analysis, by reliance on a distinctive culture test and an ascribed protection rationale, thereby abrogating the fundamental treaty relationship. As a means to fuller implementation of the spirit and intent of Treaties, taxation provisions must be interpreted in a treaty-compliant manner. The potential for economic participation through a proposed “urban reserve” on the Kapyong Barracks in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of a Treaty 1 settlement, is discussed as a case study, and compared with similar developments in New Zealand, under a Waitangi Tribunal settlement, as an example of treaty compliance in economic development. / May 2017

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) of Agenda 2030 calls for an increase in the use of renewable energy sources, among other targets. The percentage of fossil fuel-fired thermal generation for electricity is increasingly being reduced as renewable energy technologies (RET) advance in cost-competitiveness, and as greenhouse gas and industrial air pollutant emission limits become more stringent. In certain cases, renewable energy contributes to energy security by improving a nation’s trade balance, since local resources are harnessed and imports are reduced. RET investments are becoming more frequent gaining a sizeable share in the electric power mix of numerous countries. However, RET is affected by existing fossil fuel-fired electricity generation, especially in countries that have domestic reserves. While coal may be dirty, others such as natural gas provide multiple benefits, presenting a challenge to renewables. Additionally, RET endowment varies for each geographical location. This often does not correspond to the location of major electricity demand centers.  Therefore, large scale RET adoption and integration becomes logistically more cumbersome, as it necessitates existence of a developed grid network. Utilizing a series of analyses in two different settings – Africa and Cyprus – this thesis draws insights on RET growth policy and the level of technology representation in long term energy models. In order to capture specific challenges of RET integration, enhancements in traditional long-term energy system models are called for and carried out.  The case of Africa is used to assess adoption of RET under various trade scenarios. It is home to some of the world’s greatest RET resource potential and the single largest potential RET project, Grand Inga.  While, the island of Cyprus has goals of introducing large percentages of RET into its electric power mix. Each have important idiosyncrasies which are reflected in the analysis. On the one hand, natural gas competes with RET in Cyprus and forms a key transition fuel away from oil. On the other hand, lack of cross-border interconnectors limit RET project development across Africa. / <p>QC 20170519</p>

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology: Information Technology, Durban Institute of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2005. / Throughout Africa, growing human populations and resulting loss of wildlife habitat is a critical issue for most animal species. It is more and more common for privately owned small or medium sized farms to reintroduce wildlife on their land and such protected areas are fast becoming the only refuges available to wild animals. However a comprehensive understanding of the complex ecological processes taking place is vital for the effective management of restricted areas and the conservation of biodiversity. Due to the enormous complexity of an ecological system and the long periods of the related dynamics, it is very difficult to analyse the interaction between animals and plant populations without suitable computer models. In this thesis, the dynamics between elephant and trees (a major food source) are considered using computer simulations. / M

As First Nations establish new reserves in urban areas, it creates opportunities for “intergovernmental” land use planning relationships between First Nations and adjacent local governments. However, at present, limited resources exist to guide practitioners through these new relationships. This research explores the practical realities of intergovernmental planning in Manitoba, and analyses current practice’s congruence with pre-established principles for a renewed relationship between First Nations and Non-First Nations. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect “practice stories” about practitioners’ grounded experiences with intergovernmental planning work in Manitoba. Findings suggest that relationship building between local governments and First Nations is taking place largely due to the informal initiatives of individual staff, often in absence of formal organizational support. Despite the challenges associated with this work, intergovernmental planning relationships have promising opportunities to bring about mutual benefits for both parties, and to contribute to reconciliation between First Nations and non-First Nations peoples. / October 2016

The purpose of this Master's thesis is divided into two steps. The first step sums up all the relevant theory about financial crises and monetary policies. The second step analyzes not only the past but focuses mainly on the global financial crisis which started in 2007. The cornerstones of this analytical bloc are monetary policies of central banks in China, Venezuela, Denmark and the Czech Republic. Two hypotheses are stated in the beginning of this Master's thesis. These focus on fixed exchange rate regimes and foreign exchange reserves. The analytical part of Master's thesis tries to prove whether these hypotheses can be marked as valid or invalid.