Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Grazing management in the semi-arid communal areas of Namaqualand is investigated in this study. Paulshoek, situated in the Leliefontein Communal Reserve area, is delineated as the study area and consists of 20 OOOha.Cattle farming is practised by most households primarily on a subsistence basis. It is also used as a source of income when financial problems arise. The management of grazing-land in terms of formal rules and regulations is non-existent with only mutual relationships between farmers. The aim of this study is to develop a spatial framework for the management of a sustainable grazing regime with the aid of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. This aim is reached through three overlapping goals which are researched individually. The goals are to create a spatial image of the physical resource base as well as resource usage and from this the development of a computerised (Excel spreadsheet) spatial management framework for sustainable grazing management. Through the use of existing data available from the National Botanical Institute (NB!) as well as other sources and with the aid of GIS technology, coupled with Indigenous Knowledge, these goals were reached. The stockpost as individual entity is studied to give a broader understanding of how the herdsmen see their immediate environment. The grazing management system, as presented in this thesis, consists of a simple Excel Spreadsheet, with inputs from GIS technology and Indigenous Knowledge. The area is overgrazed, as is seen in the widespread occurrence of kraalbos cross the Paulshoek landscape. The recommendations are that this management system should be implemented, which could minimize the futher overgrazing of the area. The management system relies heavily on the cooperation of the community and the integration of existing management systems and policies. It will give a more detailed account of who may own how many stock and where they may graze in the communal rangelands which will also help in the establishment of new permanent waterpoints in the area. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weidingsbestuur in die semi-ariede gemeenskaplike gebiede van Namakwaland is in hierdie studie ondersoek. Paulshoek, geleë in die Leliefontein Gemeenskapsreservaat gebied, word as studiegebied afgebaken en beslaan ongeveer 20 OOOha.Veeboerdery word deur meeste van die huishoudings primêr as bestaansboerdery beoefen. Dit word ook gebruik as 'n bron van inkomste wanneer finansiële probleme ondervind word. Die bestuur van weivelde in terme van formele reëls en regulasies is glad nie ter sprake nie, slegs onderlinge verhoudinge tussen veeboere bestaan. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n ruimtelike raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die bestuur van 'n volhoubare weidingsregime deur die aanwending van Geografiese Inligting Stelsels (GIS). Hierdie doel word behaal deur drie oorkoepelende doelwitte wat elk afsondelik behandel word. Die doelwitte is om 'n ruimtelike beeld van die fisiese hulpbronbasis asook die benuttingsregime van die hulpbron te skep, en hieruit 'n rekenaar-gesteunde (Excel sigblad) ruimtelike bestuursraamwerk vir volhoubare weidingsbestuur te ontwerp. Deur gebruik te maak van bestaande inligting afkomstig vanaf Nasional Botaniese Instituut (NBI) asook ander bronne en met die koppeling van GIStegnologie en Inheemse Kennis (IK) is die doelwitte bereik. Die veepos word as entiteit behandel om 'n beter verstandhouding op te bou van hoe die veewagter sy onmiddelike omgewing bestuur. Die weidingsbestuurstelsel, soos voorgestel in hierdie tesis, bestaan uit 'n eenvoudige Excel sigblad, gekoppel aan GIS-tegnologie en Inheemse Kennis. Die gebied is oorbeweid, soos gesien kan word aan die verspreiding van kraalbos regoor die landskap van Paulshoek. Die aanbevelings is dat die bestuurstelsel geïmplementeer moet word om te verhoed dat die gebied verder onderhewig sal wees aan intensiewe beweiding. Die bestuurstelsel berus op die samewerking van die gemeenskap en die integrasie van bestaande bestuurstelsels. Dit sal tot gevolg hê 'n meer volledige opname van wie hoeveel vee mag besit en wie waar mag vestig in die weiveld gebied, wat gevolglik ook die skepping van nuwe permanente waterbronne sal vergemaklik.

Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: Protected areas do not always achieve the desired level of biodiversity conservation, while often reducing the welfare of indigenous communities by reducing availability of land for subsistence. Traditional agricultural landscapes are significant biodiversity refugia and can contribute meaningfully to conservation. Rangelands comprise one-third to one-half of the world’s terrestrial surface, providing livelihoods for around 220 million people, usually in a communal subsistence system. Colonial practices impinged on traditional land-use practices with far-reaching social and environmental impacts. This has resulted in management based on assumptions regarding vegetation dynamics and traditional lifestyles that are increasingly shown to be inaccurate. A comparison of a vegetation survey based on conventional scientific methods and a survey of the perceptions of pastoralists was undertaken to highlight differences and similarities between the two knowledge systems with the hope of providing guidelines for more sustainable land-use practices in the communal rangelands of Namaqualand, South Africa. Vegetation responses to removal of grazing pressure revealed complex interactions that do not correspond with the prevailing management paradigm. Rather than a predictive relationship between livestock and vegetation, environmental factors play a large role in determining plant composition, abundance and cover. Pastoralists’ perceptions reflected this complexity in rangeland resource dynamics. The impact of livestock on rangeland resource dynamics was perceived by herders to be secondary to a range of environmental and climatic factors. Both sets of results were at odds with the theories that currently govern management in this system. Studies in rangeland systems must take the complexity of the subject into account. Research into such socio-ecological systems must take a multiplicity of factors – social, environmental, economic, political and other – into account. Implications for management are that it is inappropriate to adhere strictly to the conventional, conservative strategies that are prescribed by conservation and agricultural authorities. Rather, a more flexible, opportunistic grazing strategy would allow the persistence of traditional subsistence livelihoods without serious negative consequences for biodiversity conservation. / AFRIKAANSR OPSOMMING: Die instelling van beskermde gebiede lewer nie altyd die gewenste vlak van biodiversiteitsbewaring, terwyl die welvaart van plaaslike gemeenskappe dikwels daaronder ly deur die afname in grond beskikbaar vir bestaanspraktyke. Tradisionele landboulandskappe is beduidende biodiversiteitshawens wat ‘n belangrike bydrae tot bewaring kan maak. Weivelde bevat ‘n derde tot ‘n helfte van die wêreld se landsoppervlakte en ondersteun rondom 220 miljoen mense, gewoonlik binne ‘n gemeenskaplike bestaansstelsel. Kolonialisasie het inbraak gemaak op tradisionele bestuurspraktyke, met verrykende sosialeen omgewingsimpakte. Dit het gelei tot bestuurspraktyke gebaseer op standpunte oor plantegroeidinamika en traditionele lewenswyses wat toenemend verkeerd bywys word. ‘n Vergelyking van ‘n plantegroei opname gebaseer op konvensionele wetenskaplike metodes en ‘n opname van die standpunte van veewagters is onderneem om die verskille en ooreenkomstes tussen die twee kennisstelsels uiteen te lê met die hoop om riglyne vir meer volhoubare bestuurspraktyke in die meentgronde van Namakwaland, Suid-Afrika te verskaf. Plantegroei reaksies tot die verwydering van weidingsdruk wys op komplekse interaksies wat nie ooreenstem met die heersende bestuursparadigma. Eerder as ‘n voorspelbare verwantskap tussen vee en plantegroei, omgewingsfaktore speel ‘n groot rol in die bepaling van plantgemeenskapsamestelling, -getalle en grondbedekking. Die veewagters se standpunte het hierdie kompleksiteit in plantegroeidinamika weerspiëel. Die impak van vee op die weiveldhulpbron is deur veewagters as sekondêr beskou teenoor ‘n reeks omgewings- en klimaatsfaktore. Beide stel resultate is in teenstelling met die teoriëe wat tans bestuur in hierdie stelsel bepaal. Studies in weiveldstelsels moet die kompleksiteit daarvan in ag neem. Navorsing oor hierdie sosio-ekologiese stelsels moet ‘n verskeidenheid faktore – sosiale-, omgewings-, ekonomiese-, politiese- en ander – in ag neem. Implikasies vir bestuur is dat dit onvanpas is om te volhard met konvensionele, konservatiewe strategiëe voorgeskryf deur bewarings- en landboukundige gesagte. ‘n Meer aanpasbare, voordeelnemende weidingsstrategie sal die voortbestaan van traditionele bestaanslewenspraktyke toelaat sonder ernstige negatiewe nagevolge vir biodiversiteitsbewaring.