"In a world beset by conflict and division, peace is one of the cornerstones of the future. Peace parks are building blocks in this process, not only in our region, but potentially in the entire world." These words of the l ate- former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa on the concept of Peace Parks, underl ines their importance beyond the na tural into the human domain . This disser ta tion focusses on an understanding o f Peace Parks or Transfrontier Conservat ion Areas (TFCAs) in the context of southern Africa and shows how c ol laboration can be used as a tool for the development o f these a re as . T h e t hr ee m ai n a im s of “TFC As ” are t o co nse rv e bio lo gic al d iversity, crea te a plat form for pover ty allevia tion and most importantl y, to promote a culture of peace amongst all nati ons i nvol ved in their development. In order to address this concept, the Great Limpopo Transfront ier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) i s used as an example of how South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are col laborating their ef for ts towards common goals in terms of biological conserva tion and pover ty alleviation as wel l tou rism and economic development . I n sum, this dissert ation ana lyses col laboration and cooperation in depth as a tool f or t our ism development wi thin the context of t ransfrontier conservation areas in sout hern Africa. / Dissertation (MHCS)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Historical and Heritage Studies / MHCS / Unrestricted

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Wetlands are unique ecosystems that are acknowledged among the world’s most productive and valuable ecosystems. They are recognized as being essential to sustainable development and human welfare due to their unique environmental and socio-economic value. These highly productive ecosystems provide functions such as recycling of nutrients, watershed protection and flood control as well as grazing resources. Wetlands provide the basis for human livelihoods in Africa through ecosystem services. However, these ecosystems are affected by internal and external factors within and outside their catchments, hence the importance of monitoring those changes around these wetlands.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is titled "Community participation and sustainable development in the establishment of the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park". lt encompasses the area and stakeholders on the South African side of the Transfrontier Conservation Park (TFCP), which falls within the Richtersveld municipal area. lt covers the whole process of the development of the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld TFCP, from its Conceptual Phase to the signing of the International Treaty to formally establish the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld TFCP1 . This development is expected to hold numerous benefits for the stakeholders that are involved in its process, especially job creation through increased tourism. lt is an exceptional project, as the main stakeholders are the communities who are the legal landowners of the Richtersveld National Park. The management structure of the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld TFCP allows full participation by the local communities through elected members from the four towns in the surrounding area (Khuboes, Eksteenfontein, Lekkersing and Sanddrift) as well as local pastoralists. The theoretical approach that will be used in this study is that of sustainable development. The key components required for sustainable social, economic, and environmental development will be discussed, and are used as yardsticks against which the actual process of establishment of the TFCP will be 'measured'. Participation is regarded as a main aspect of sustainable development and is highlighted in this study. The methodology that was employed included interviewing and participant observation as well as an in-depth documentary analysis of aspects of the TFCP. The benefits and value of the methods used is discussed, as well as the limitations of the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die titel van die studie is "Community participation and sustainable development in the establishment of the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park". Dit omvat die area en rolspelers aan die Suid-Afrikaanse kant van die oorgrenspark, wat binne die Richtersveld Munisipale area val. Dit dek die volledige proses van die ontwikkeling van die oorgrenspark, vanaf die Konsepsuele Fase tot en met die ondertekening van die lnternasionale Verdrag om die IAi-IAis/Richtersveld Oorgrenspark formeel tot stand te bring2 . Die verwagting is dat hierdie ontwikkeling veelvoudige voordele sal inhou vir diegene wat in die proses betrokke is, veral deur middel van werkskepping as gevolg van toenemende toerisme. Dit is 'n besondere projek aangesien die hoofrolspelers, die gemeenskappe, die wettige grondeienaars van die Richtersveld Nasionale Park is. Die bestuurstruktuur van die oorgrenspark laat volle deelname deur die gemeenskappe toe deur verkose lede van die vier dorpies in die area (Kuboes, Eksteenfontein, Lekkersing en Sanddrift) asook plaaslike veeboere. Die teoretiese benadering wat in hierdie studie gevolg word is 'volhoubare ontwikkeling'. Die hoofkomponente wat vereis word vir volhoubare sosiale, ekonomiese, en omgewingsontwikkeling word bespreek en word as maatstawwe gebruik waarteen die werklike proses van die totstandkoming van die IAi-IAis/Richtersveld oorgrenspark 'gemeet' word. Deelname word beskou as die hoofkomponent van volhoubare ontwikkeling en word uitgelig in hierdie studie. Die metodologie wat toegepas is, sluit onderhoudvoering, deelnemende waarneming en indiepte dokumentere analise van aspekte van die oorgrenspark in. Die voordele en waarde van hierdie metodes word bespreek, asook die beperkinge van die studie.

Proponents and advocates of transfrontier conservation in southern Africa have postulated rural communities living adjacent to conservation areas as one of the main determinants of the success of such initiatives and thus they should be potential beneficiaries along with the state and the private sector. This assertion is reflected in the various memoranda of understanding (MOU), treaties, policies and agreements establishing transfrontier conservation initiatives. For community participation to be effective, the laws, policies and institutions establishing transfrontier conservation in southern Africa must lead to the empowerment of these rural communities who commonly subsist on local natural resources and perceive them as opportunities to earn a living. I derive a principle and set of criteria and indicators that are used to analyse the legal, policy and institutional framework and its implications for community participation and empowerment in transfrontier conservation in southern Africa. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park provides a case study. I argue that while provisions for community participation are made in the laws, policies and institutions under which transfrontier conservation is being initiated and implemented in the region, they are not sufficiently prescriptive about empowering communities to secure commitment from conservation agencies to enable communities to effectively participate in transfrontier conservation. It is suggested that as presently defined, the laws, policies and institutions may lead to community disempowerment from transfrontier conservation, as they allow too much scope for interpretations that weaken options for censure where agencies are not demonstrating commitment to community participation and empowerment in conservation. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Thesis (MScConEcol)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis I explore how elephant movements are impacted by human activity within the context of the proposed Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) in southern Africa. Being a wide-ranging species, the movements of elephants could be an excellent indicator as to the success of TFCAs in supporting species persistence in an anthropogenic matrix. Understanding which areas beyond protected area boundaries are of heightened conservation importance can provide managers and governments with insights for the management of the elephant population of KAZA TFCA, and assist managers and governments in prioritising conservation efforts. Satellite radio collar data were used to model long-range elephant movement within KAZA TFCA. Movement was compared between land use types (protected and nonprotected areas). Home ranges, core areas and seasonal ranges were calculated from collar data. Core and non-core areas were tested for significant differences in distance to settlements, rivers, protected area, AFRI and elevation as these spatial and ecological variables are believed to play a role in elephant habitat selection. Short-range elephant movements were examined in a heterogeneous, patchy landscape mosaic of settlements and agricultural fields, remnant forest patches, and secondary forests which were surrounded on three sides by protected areas. Elephant penetration of the anthropogenic matrix through the use of pathways was explored through ground-based surveys, and the impact of pathways use on human-elephant conflict calculated. I found that elephant behavioural plasticity allows for their persistence in a spatially heterogeneous landscape. Elephants, especially bulls, penetrated the landscape matrix beyond protected area boundaries. Land use planning initiatives are needed to identify and protect reachable core zones/stepping stones of quality habitat outside of protected areas, particularly in riparian zones. Differing male and female ranging behaviour within the landscape matrix may require separate land use management strategies: bulls travelled at night in non-protected areas at speeds that were four times faster than in protected areas, and made use of core zones necessary for species persistence in a fragmented landscape. A habitat corridor in the Zambian West Zambezi Game Management Area was identified. I found that during short range movements in heterogeneous environments, elephants made use of pathways. Pathways may facilitate penetration of the anthropogenic matrix and optimize foraging strategies by connecting predictable resources, such as crop fields, with landscape features such as preferred shelter/ resting areas, crossing points at roads and preferred drinking spots. Pathways were found to be the only significant spatial variable in crop-raiding. Elephants foraged randomly while in homogenous crop patches, but when travelling through a heterogeneous environment (entering or leaving agricultural locales), movement was directional and non-random. Lastly I suggest that crop attractiveness may be enhanced by water availability. Results indicated that at both the landscape and the regional scale, repeat elephant movements to core zones and along elephant pathways provided landscape ecological variables that need to be considered by conservation managers in land use planning. In addition, research on spatial awareness and navigational capabilities with regards to pathway use by elephants should be encouraged, as this research topic has been largely unexplored in the scientific literature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis verken ek die moontlike impak van menslike aktiwiteite op olifant beweging binne die beoogde Kavango-Zambezi Oorgrens Bewaringsarea (KAZA TFCA) in suider-Afrika. Olifante is wydlopende spesies, en dus kan hul ruimtelike strekking ‘n uitstekende indikator wees van die sukses van oorgrens bewaringsareas in terme van die ondersteuning wat dié programme bied om spesies se volharding in ‘n antropogeniese matriks te verseker. Besturrders en regerings kan insig verkry deur te besef watter areas buiten die in beskermde gebiede, van verhoogde bewarings belang in KAZA TFCA is. Hierdie insig verleen ook bystand aan bestuurders en regerings met die prioritisering van bewarings inisiatiewe. Satelliet-radio nekband data was gebruik om olifante se langtermyn ruimtelike beweging binne die KAZA TFCA te modelleer. Olifant beweging was vergelyk tussen verskillende grondgebruik tipes (beskermde en onbeskermde areas). Tuistestrekking, kern areas asook seisoenale strekking was bereken vanaf nekband data. Kern en nie-kern areas was getoets vir betekenisvolle verskille in afstand vanaf nedersettings, riviere, berskermde gebiede, AFRI, en hoogte bo seevlak, omdat hierdie ruimtelike en ekologiese veranderlikes ‘n belangrike rol mag speel in olifant habitat seleksie. Kortafstand olifant bewegings was bestudeer in ‘n heterogene, gelapte landskap mosaïek van nedersettings en landbougrond, oorblywende woudareas, en sekondêre woude waarvan drie sye grens aan bekermde areas. Olifant indringing binne die antropogeniese matriks deur die gebruik van weë/toegangsweë was verken deur middel van landgebaseerde opnames, waarvolgens die impak van olifante se gebruik van hierdie paaie op mens-olifant konflik bereken kon word. My bevindinge wys dat plastisiteit in olifant gedrag dra by tot hul voortbestaan in ‘n ruimtelik heterogene landskap. Olifante, maar meer spesifiek olifantbulle, penetreer wel die landskap matriks buite beskermde area grense. Grondgebruik beplannings inisiatiewe word dus benodig om bereikbare kern areas van kwaliteit habitat buite beskermde areas te identifiseer en te beskerm – veral in rivieroewer sones. Verskille in bul en koei ruimtelike strekking gedrag binne die landskap matriks, mag afsonderlike bestuur stratgieë vereis: bv. bulle beweeg vier keer vinniger in die aand in onbeskermde areas teenoor in beskermde gebiede, daarby maak hulle ook gebruik van kern areas wat kardinaal is vir die voortbestaan van spesies in gefragmenteerde landskappe. ‘n Habitat deurgang was geïdentifiseer in die Zambiese Wes-Zambesie Wildbestuurarea. Die studie het gevind dat olifante gedurende kortafstand bewegings in heterogene omgewings gebruik maak toegangsweë. Toegangsweë mag penetrasie van die antropogeniese matriks fasiliteer, en verleen ook dat olifant weidingstrategieë die optimum bereik deur voorspelbare hulpbronne soos gewaslanderye te konnekteer met landskap eienskappe soos voorrang skuiling/rusareas, kruisingspunte by paaie, asook voorrang drinkplekke. Toegangsweë was gevind om die enigste betekenisvolle ruimtelike veranderlike in gewasstrooptogte te wees. Olifante wei lukraak in homogene gewaslanderye, maar in teenstelling, wanneer hulle deur ‘n heterogene omgewing beweeg het (binnegang of uittog uit landbou lokaliteite) was die beweging gerig. Laastens, die studie stelvoor dat gewas aantreklikheid verhoog kan word deur water beskikbaarheid. Resultate dui aan dat by beide die landskap- en streekskaal verskaf herhaalde olifant beweging na kern areas en langs olifants togangsweë, landskap ekologiese veranderlikes wat in ag geneem moet word deur bewaringsbestuurders tydens grondgebruik beplanning. Bykomend, navorsing op die ruimtelike bewustheid en navigasie vermoëns van savannah olifante met betrekking tot die gebruik van toegangsweë, moet aangemoedig word aangesien hierdie onderwerp grootliks onverken is in wetenskaplike literatuur.

<p>This dissertation explores local people's framing of externally driven biodiversity conservation approaches in the context of transfrontier conservation initiatives. It uses data from the Madimbo corridor, a specific locality within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, situated to the northeast of South Africa along the South Africa-Zimbabwe boundary. It shows that livelihoods, historical experiences with external interventions and exclusion from policy-making processes and programme implementation influence local strategies for engaging with external interventions. Thus, an analysis of framing of external interventions at a local level should establish the following: the role of natural resources in sustaining local livelihoods / local historical experiences with an external intervention / iii) the nature of multi-level actor interactions from local resource dependent people, to national, regional and global actors involved in or affected by an intervention. The study uses a detailed case study of Bennde Mutale village to trace local people&rsquo / s ideas, ways of speaking and actions in response to the implementation of a large-scale transfrontier conservation initiative. The study finds that local livelihoods play a central role in local responses to the changes that transfrontier conservation bring upon people's lives. Many see further exclusion, while some also see and hope for a restoration of the socio-cultural border region. The globally significant biodiversity - to be conserved for &lsquo / future generations&rsquo / &ndash / at the same time constitutes the natural resources that sustain local people&rsquo / s livelihoods. Further, local livelihoods are more diverse than is commonly acknowledged in literature advocating for transfrontier conservation. This lack of acknowledgement of local diversification contributes to the main observation made in this study: that current processes of transfrontier conservation end up replicating and re-inventing the multiple forms of exclusion that have characterised state conservation practices for over a century. While transfrontier conservation enables the freer movement of wildlife, it in fact further constrains the movements of people whose mobility within less closely controlled border regions remains centrally important to survival. At the same time, state actors come into the area with contradicting and conflicting demands ranging from the beneficial advocacy role for land rights to the enforcement of conservation through fences and game rangers, experienced as a direct infringement on livelihood possibilities. The study concludes that there is a need to rethink transfrontier conservation interventions. The diversity of local livelihood approaches needs to be considered more centrally and clearer understanding needs to be developed of how the promises of opportunities, betterment of lives and increased human mobility actually unfold in practice. In order to succeed and deliver on site - not only to high-class tourists seeking to view unique biodiversity but to local people - transfrontier conservation efforts need to engage multiple actors directly from the ground up and throughout the process of policy-making, programme conceptualisation and implementation.</p>

<p>This dissertation explores local people's framing of externally driven biodiversity conservation approaches in the context of transfrontier conservation initiatives. It uses data from the Madimbo corridor, a specific locality within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, situated to the northeast of South Africa along the South Africa-Zimbabwe boundary. It shows that livelihoods, historical experiences with external interventions and exclusion from policy-making processes and programme implementation influence local strategies for engaging with external interventions. Thus, an analysis of framing of external interventions at a local level should establish the following: the role of natural resources in sustaining local livelihoods / local historical experiences with an external intervention / iii) the nature of multi-level actor interactions from local resource dependent people, to national, regional and global actors involved in or affected by an intervention. The study uses a detailed case study of Bennde Mutale village to trace local people&rsquo / s ideas, ways of speaking and actions in response to the implementation of a large-scale transfrontier conservation initiative. The study finds that local livelihoods play a central role in local responses to the changes that transfrontier conservation bring upon people's lives. Many see further exclusion, while some also see and hope for a restoration of the socio-cultural border region. The globally significant biodiversity - to be conserved for &lsquo / future generations&rsquo / &ndash / at the same time constitutes the natural resources that sustain local people&rsquo / s livelihoods. Further, local livelihoods are more diverse than is commonly acknowledged in literature advocating for transfrontier conservation. This lack of acknowledgement of local diversification contributes to the main observation made in this study: that current processes of transfrontier conservation end up replicating and re-inventing the multiple forms of exclusion that have characterised state conservation practices for over a century. While transfrontier conservation enables the freer movement of wildlife, it in fact further constrains the movements of people whose mobility within less closely controlled border regions remains centrally important to survival. At the same time, state actors come into the area with contradicting and conflicting demands ranging from the beneficial advocacy role for land rights to the enforcement of conservation through fences and game rangers, experienced as a direct infringement on livelihood possibilities. The study concludes that there is a need to rethink transfrontier conservation interventions. The diversity of local livelihood approaches needs to be considered more centrally and clearer understanding needs to be developed of how the promises of opportunities, betterment of lives and increased human mobility actually unfold in practice. In order to succeed and deliver on site - not only to high-class tourists seeking to view unique biodiversity but to local people - transfrontier conservation efforts need to engage multiple actors directly from the ground up and throughout the process of policy-making, programme conceptualisation and implementation.</p>

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

x, 117 p. : ill. (some col.) / This thesis interrogates the transfrontier conservation areas (TFCA) program of southern Africa. Promoted since the mid-1990s as the solution to the vexing problems of environmental degradation and rural development in the region, these cross-border projects have attracted a broad coalition of supporters including public and private donor groups, regional politicians, and the international conservation community. Though a large academic literature surrounds the program, a holistic understanding of its development--and an accounting of its success--has yet to emerge. This thesis seeks to rectify this by probing the nature and structure of transfrontier discourse, positing the program's success as directly born of its appeal to a triad of interests composed of donors, national politicians, and the regional conservation community. Further, it is argued that the heavy marketing of the program as a "win-win" scenario for conservation and development has effectively displaced once popular community-based narratives/approaches. / Committee in charge: Dennis C. Galvan, Chair; Alexander B. Murphy, Member; Derrick Hindery, Member

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This dissertation explores local people's framing of externally driven biodiversity conservation approaches in the context of transfrontier conservation initiatives. It uses data from the Madimbo corridor, a specific locality within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, situated to the northeast of South Africa along the South Africa-Zimbabwe boundary. It shows that livelihoods, historical experiences with external interventions and exclusion from policy-making processes and programme implementation influence local strategies for engaging with external interventions. Thus, an analysis of framing of external interventions at a local level should establish the following: the role of natural resources in sustaining local livelihoods; local historical experiences with an external intervention; iii) the nature of multi-level actor interactions from local resource dependent people, to national, regional and global actors involved in or affected by an intervention. The study uses a detailed case study of Bennde Mutale village to trace local people's ideas, ways of speaking and actions in response to the implementation of a large-scale transfrontier conservation initiative. The study finds that local livelihoods play a central role in local responses to the changes that transfrontier conservation bring upon people's lives. Many see further exclusion, while some also see and hope for a restoration of the socio-cultural border region. The globally significant biodiversity - to be conserved for 'future generations' - at the same time constitutes the natural resources that sustain local people's livelihoods. Further, local livelihoods are more diverse than is commonly acknowledged in literature advocating for transfrontier conservation. This lack of acknowledgement of local diversification contributes to the main observation made in this study: that current processes of transfrontier conservation end up replicating and re-inventing the multiple forms of exclusion that have characterised state conservation practices for over a century. While transfrontier conservation enables the freer movement of wildlife, it in fact further constrains the movements of people whose mobility within less closely controlled border regions remains centrally important to survival. At the same time, state actors come into the area with contradicting and conflicting demands ranging from the beneficial advocacy role for land rights to the enforcement of conservation through fences and game rangers, experienced as a direct infringement on livelihood possibilities. The study concludes that there is a need to rethink transfrontier conservation interventions. The diversity of local livelihood approaches needs to be considered more centrally and clearer understanding needs to be developed of how the promises of opportunities, betterment of lives and increased human mobility actually unfold in practice. In order to succeed and deliver on site - not only to high-class tourists seeking to view unique biodiversity but to local people - transfrontier conservation efforts need to engage multiple actors directly from the ground up and throughout the process of policy-making, programme conceptualisation and implementation. / South Africa