This document is submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree: Master of Architecture (Professional) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2018 / Through increased urbanisation and industrialisation, the human species has become separated from the natural world, valuing the environment only as far as it is useful to us. Society has become used to living through a human-centric view that places humans above all other natural beings. The destructive nature of this perspective is visible to us in the rapid depletion of our natural resources and, perhaps most alarmingly, the increasing amount of species driven to extinction and endangerment by the destruction of natural habitats. As we are now beginning to see the harmful effect this view has had on the natural world, it is necessary for society to change the way we interact with the natural world. We need to begin to act not only for the good of ourselves, but with the good of all living beings in mind. A shift in perspective is needed that places the human species into the natural world as an equal part of the system rather than a being of superior importance. In order to achieve this shift, we must understand our role as an integrated part of our surrounding natural ecosystems. The Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Centre for Conservation is proposed as a centre devoted to conservation biology research placed within the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park in order to promote the easy access of researchers, South African and international, to this rich natural ecosystem. Its aim is to enable researchers to make use of the unique opportunities this protected environment offers in understanding the rise and fall of plant and animal species and thus to further understand how to increase and protect the biodiversity of this country. As well as this, the Centre for Conservation aims to showcase a method of building that is in no way harmful to the surrounding sensitive landscape and that functions as a part of the ecosystem, thus displaying to visitors how humans can interact with their natural environment in a symbiotic relationship and promoting a deeper care and respect for the natural world / MT 2019

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For a number of years Virginia wildlfe biologists have thought that a critical review of past and game conditions in Virginia would serve as an excellent background tor planning future game management activities in the state. No study such as this has been attempted in Virginia; however, other states (e.g., Vermont and New Hampshire, have compiled historical summaries of past wildlife conditions within their borders. Generally these works have been limited to the compilation of historical facts; no ideas for future management plans were rpoposed. No historical summary and critical review based on such a summary has been undertaken so fas as is known. In order to collect the most pertinent information on the history of Virginia's wildlife... / Ph. D.

Achieving long-term conservation gains through conservation incentive programs on agricultural lands requires a deep understanding of landowner needs and interests. However, social science research related to private lands conservation programs authorized by the United State farm bill lags behind biological research, limiting our knowledge about how to best design these programs to ensure they are effective. Given this need to better understand the human dimensions of habitat conservation on agricultural lands, we used two research projects to investigate landowner considerations related to land management decisions as well as how to effectively engage landowners in the conservation process. First, using two landowner-led workshops, we looked at what factors ranchers in the Intermountain West consider in deciding to continue or discontinue flood irrigation, an irrigation practice that sustains historically flooded wet meadows across the region. We also evaluated these landowner-led workshops as a form of participatory research. Our second project included three focus groups of landowners currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, the largest private lands conservation program in the United States, and a survey of landowners with fields currently enrolled or no longer enrolled with expiration dates from 2011 to 2017. Our results highlight the role of agricultural landowners in habitat conservation and the complex social-ecological considerations that they face in making management decisions. Many landowners are interested in conservation programs that meet the context of their specific operation. Our findings suggest the need to better incorporate landowner needs into conservation program design and implementation that promote both operation and habitat sustainability. / MS / Agricultural lands across the American West play a critical role in conserving both agricultural operations and wildlife habitat. Conservation programs that provide incentives to landowners for various conservation efforts are available to aid in the protection of these lands and communities. Gaining a deeper understanding of the considerations of agricultural landowners for their land management decisions can help inform conservation programs and policy to more effectively meet the needs of landowners. We used two research projects to investigate landowner considerations related to land management decisions as well as how to effectively engage landowners in the conservation process. First, we looked at what factors ranchers in the Intermountain West consider in deciding to continue or discontinue flood irrigation, an irrigation practice that sustains historically flooded wet meadows across the region. We also evaluated these landowner-led workshops as a form of participatory research. Our second project included three focus groups of landowners currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, the largest private lands conservation program in the United States, and a survey of landowners with fields currently enrolled or no longer enrolled with expiration dates from 2011 to 2017. Our results highlight the role of agricultural landowners in habitat conservation and the complex environmental and social considerations that they face in making management decisions. Many landowners are interested in conservation programs that meet the needs of their specific operation. Our findings suggest the need to better incorporate landowner needs into conservation program design and implementation that promote both agricultural and environmental conservation.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although Community Participation (CP) in Africa dates back to colonial times, it is more oriented towards embracing indigenous knowledge systems. CP encourages self-reliance, community empowerment, capacity-building, social learning and sustainability among community members. This study describes how Collaborative Wildlife Management (CWM) was implemented in Ulukusi, a community on the border of Mount Elgon National Park (MENP), eastern Uganda. It assesses livelihood strategies before and after the implementation of CWM. The study further identifies a wildlife management strategy that would embrace the needs of the local community and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Open ended questions were developed and administered through interviews with both household and key informants, and by means of focus group discussions and observations. The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of CWM led to the development of a Resource User Agreement (RUA) which promoted wildlife resource regeneration due to restricted resource harvest and park access. There was general agreement among interviewees and key informants that the relationship between the UWA and the community had improved compared to the time when the park was under the management of the Uganda National Park. Findings further indicate that CWM was inappropriately implemented considering the fact that the UWA used a top-down approach to influence the signing of the RUA. This is evident in that communities did not directly participate in decision-making. Therefore, in order to promote sustainable wildlife management, communities should participate in decision-making since they are the people affected by the mismanagement of wildlife. Conservation authorities should also integrate indigenous knowledge into their management policies and promote continuous sensitisation meetings to empower the community members. Above all, for any development to embrace all stakeholders’ needs, conservation authorities should also integrate the “building blocks” of development to promote conflict resolution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel gemeenskapsdeelname in Afrika terugdateer tot die Koloniale tydperk is die beginsel van gemeenskapsontwikkeling meer gerig op die aanvaarding van inheemse kennisstelsels. Gemeenskapsdeelname moedig selfstandigheid, gemeenskapsbemagtiging, kapasiteitsbou, sosiale leer en volhoubaarheid onder gemeenskapslede. Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe samewerking en gemeenskaplike beplanning beoefen word in Ulukasi, ‘n naburige gemeenskap van die Mount Elgen Nationale Park, Oos Uganda. Die studie assesseer die Collaborative Wildlife Management (CWM) strategie voor en na implementering. Verder identifiseer die studie ‘n omgewingsbestuur strategie wat die behoeftes van die gemeenskap en die van die Uganda Wildlife Authority effektief aanspreek. Verskillende data insamelingsmetodes, insluitend onderhoude, fokusgroepe en deelnemendewaarneming was aangewend. Die respondente was verteenwoordig deur plaaslike gemeenskapslede en amptenary, plus addisionele sleutel informante. Bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat die implementering van die CWM gelei het tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n hulpbron gebruikersooreenkoms (Resource User Agreement) vir die bevordering van die behoud van wild en beperkte oes en toegang tot die park. Daar was ook ‘n algemene instemming tussen informante en sleutel informante dat die verhouding tussen UWA en die gemeenskap verbeter het teenoor die tydperk toe die park onder die bestuur was van die Uganda nasionale park. Bevindinge dui ook daarop dat CWM onvanpas geïmplementeer was, oorwegend die feit dat UWA ‘n voorskriftelike benadering gebruik het wat ‘n invloed gehad het op die ondertekenings van die RUA. Dit is dus duidelik dat gemeenskappe nie direk betrokke was by besluitnemingprosesse nie. Ten einde volhoubare natuurlewebestuur te bevorder moet gemeenskappe betrokke wees in besluitneming aangesien hulle direk geraak word deur die wanbestuur van wild. Natuurbewaringsowerhede moet ook inheemse kennis integreer in bestuursbeleid en deurlopende sensitisering vergaderings gebruik om lede van die gemeenskap te bemagtig. Bo alles, vir enige ontwikkeling moet alle belanghebbendes se behoeftes aangespreek word en moet bewarings owerhede ook die boustene van ontwikkeling integreer om konflik te bestuur.