This thesis reviews theoretical and local understandings of sustainability and
examines the contributions which the NGO, the Toledo Institute for Development
and Environment (TIDE), makes to achieving sustainability in the district of
Toledo in Belize, Central America. The study focuses mainly on the Port Honduras
Marine Reserve, which TIDE manages in cooperation with the Toledo Fisheries
Department.
Three sets of theories provide the context: theories of sustainability and
sustainable development in general, theories on marine protected areas and
fisheries management, and theories on NGOs. Findings show that TIDE has a
vague understanding of sustainability and that there is a contradiction between the
mission statement which promises a balance between environmental protection and
stakeholders' economic needs, and TIDE' s actual strategies for encouraging
protection for the Port Honduras Marine Reserve. In addition, TIDE's
dysfunctional internal management style, such as lack of communication between
the management and staff, spontaneous planning, and frequent staff turn-over
prevent the organization from functioning effectively and realizing its goals. TIDE’s approach to sustainability is ineffective because it fails to integrate emic
perspectives. TIDE does not take into account that local residents have an their own
perspectives on sustainability, which include the fishermen's sense of stewardship
for the marine environment. TIDE also does not successfully ensuring a steady
income for the fishermen effectively.
In light of the theories on sustainability, findings show that most theories are
developed in a top-down manner that fail to integrate local understandings of sustainability. The only possible exception are holistic theories that emphasize
bottom-up participation.
The main recommendation for TIDE and similar NGOs is to develop a holistic
approach to sustainability that includes emic perspectives. Consideration of the
environment, the consideration of stakeholders' economic needs, the socio-cultural
context, and an administrative political framework and a functional internal
management style all need to be integrated into a successful approach to
sustainability. / Graduation date: 2001 / Best scan available for figures 2-3.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28668 |
| Date | 20 April 2001 |
| Creators | Rosien, Jessica |
| Contributors | Young, John A. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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