A social realist account of the way smallholder farmers exercised their agency in the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices in degraded landscapes in Machubeni, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Mbengo, Idah
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Climate-smart agriculture , Climatic changes South Africa , Climate change adaptation South Africa Eastern Cape , Social realism , Farms, Small South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466884 , vital:76795 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466884
- Description: Over the last two decades, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been promoted as a way to address the challenges of climate change for smallholder farmers' productivity, food security and livelihoods. Given concerns about climate change, many studies have contributed to developing an understanding of resilience building and crop and livestock systems adaptation. Despite evidence of the effectiveness of CSA practices, several studies report on their limited uptake by farmers involved in various projects. The reasons for low rates of adoption remain unclear. In this context, the study on which this thesis is based drew on Bhaskar’s critical realism and Archer’s social realism to explore the way smallholder farmers in five villages in a rural area in South Africa were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in a project intended to introduce them to CSA practices. The study was not about adaptation and resilience building per se but rather, following Bhaskar and Archer, sought to identify the generative mechanisms enabling and constraining the adoption of CSA practices. Bhaskar’s critical realism posits a view of reality as layered. The topmost layer of reality is the Empirical. This consists of observations and experiences of the world around us and is understood to be relative. The second layer, the Actual, is the layer of events from which observations and experiences located at the level of the Empirical emerge. Events at the level of the Actual and experiences and observations at the level of the Empirical emerge from an interplay of mechanisms at the deepest layer of reality identified by Bhaskar, as the Real. In positing a layered ontology, critical realism allows for the relativity of experiences and observations while, at the same time, acknowledging the reality of structures and mechanisms, which cannot be directly observed but nonetheless exist. Archer’s work on agency accords personal powers and properties (PEPs) to all individuals. Although all individuals have the power to act in relation to the world around them, they are nonetheless conditioned by their previous histories and experiences as they do so. As individuals set about exercising their agency, they are enabled or constrained by structures and mechanisms in two domains at the level of the Real which are understood to possess their own powers and properties: the structural domain and the cultural domain. In addition to drawing on Archer’s conceptualisation of the interaction between agency, structure and culture, the study also uses her “morphogenetic framework” which allows for the identification of ‘whose conceptual shifts are responsible for which structural changes, when, where and under what conditions’ (Archer, 1998: 361) and for understanding change as a series of never-ending cycles. The first phase of Archer’s morphogenetic framework, entitled T1, involves social and cultural conditioning. In the study, T1 was understood to be the time until 2017 when the project on which the study focused began. The second phase, T2 to T3, is the phase of social and cultural interaction as agents exercise their PEPs to pursue concerns they have identified for themselves and encounter structural emergent powers and properties (SEPs) and cultural emergent powers and properties (CEPs) of mechanisms located in the domains of structure and culture as they do so. The final phase of the framework, T4, allows for an evaluation of what has changed and what has not changed. My claim is that the uptake of CSA practices is impacted by different forms of consciousness or ways of experiencing the world, which is the result of the social and cultural conditioning of different groups involved in the project at T1, and clashes between them. The use of the framework drawing on critical realism and social realism allowed for the identification of these different forms of consciousness in different social groups (project facilitators, elderly farmers and the youth). These different forms of consciousness were understood to condition the agency of the three groups and thus enable or constrain the introduction of CSA practices and how they were taken up. Elderly women in the project had been conditioned to be caregivers and to see their roles tending kitchen gardens as part of their identity. This consciousness led to the uptake of CSA practices in their home gardens. By contrast, young people engaged with the project shared a very different way of experiencing the world. They were better educated and had been socialised into using social media and watching films on electronic devices from a young age. As a result, they valued the role of money in accessing consumer goods and the good life and thus valued paid employment rather than working on the land to provide subsistence. This led to a limited uptake of CSA practices. It is envisaged that insights from the study will offer new ways of understanding what might otherwise be seen as resistance to adopting CSA practices as well as new ways of engaging with different groups of agents involved in projects in the future. The study demonstrates the explanatory power of critical realism and social realism to analyse a climate change adaptation project. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mbengo, Idah
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Climate-smart agriculture , Climatic changes South Africa , Climate change adaptation South Africa Eastern Cape , Social realism , Farms, Small South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466884 , vital:76795 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/466884
- Description: Over the last two decades, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been promoted as a way to address the challenges of climate change for smallholder farmers' productivity, food security and livelihoods. Given concerns about climate change, many studies have contributed to developing an understanding of resilience building and crop and livestock systems adaptation. Despite evidence of the effectiveness of CSA practices, several studies report on their limited uptake by farmers involved in various projects. The reasons for low rates of adoption remain unclear. In this context, the study on which this thesis is based drew on Bhaskar’s critical realism and Archer’s social realism to explore the way smallholder farmers in five villages in a rural area in South Africa were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in a project intended to introduce them to CSA practices. The study was not about adaptation and resilience building per se but rather, following Bhaskar and Archer, sought to identify the generative mechanisms enabling and constraining the adoption of CSA practices. Bhaskar’s critical realism posits a view of reality as layered. The topmost layer of reality is the Empirical. This consists of observations and experiences of the world around us and is understood to be relative. The second layer, the Actual, is the layer of events from which observations and experiences located at the level of the Empirical emerge. Events at the level of the Actual and experiences and observations at the level of the Empirical emerge from an interplay of mechanisms at the deepest layer of reality identified by Bhaskar, as the Real. In positing a layered ontology, critical realism allows for the relativity of experiences and observations while, at the same time, acknowledging the reality of structures and mechanisms, which cannot be directly observed but nonetheless exist. Archer’s work on agency accords personal powers and properties (PEPs) to all individuals. Although all individuals have the power to act in relation to the world around them, they are nonetheless conditioned by their previous histories and experiences as they do so. As individuals set about exercising their agency, they are enabled or constrained by structures and mechanisms in two domains at the level of the Real which are understood to possess their own powers and properties: the structural domain and the cultural domain. In addition to drawing on Archer’s conceptualisation of the interaction between agency, structure and culture, the study also uses her “morphogenetic framework” which allows for the identification of ‘whose conceptual shifts are responsible for which structural changes, when, where and under what conditions’ (Archer, 1998: 361) and for understanding change as a series of never-ending cycles. The first phase of Archer’s morphogenetic framework, entitled T1, involves social and cultural conditioning. In the study, T1 was understood to be the time until 2017 when the project on which the study focused began. The second phase, T2 to T3, is the phase of social and cultural interaction as agents exercise their PEPs to pursue concerns they have identified for themselves and encounter structural emergent powers and properties (SEPs) and cultural emergent powers and properties (CEPs) of mechanisms located in the domains of structure and culture as they do so. The final phase of the framework, T4, allows for an evaluation of what has changed and what has not changed. My claim is that the uptake of CSA practices is impacted by different forms of consciousness or ways of experiencing the world, which is the result of the social and cultural conditioning of different groups involved in the project at T1, and clashes between them. The use of the framework drawing on critical realism and social realism allowed for the identification of these different forms of consciousness in different social groups (project facilitators, elderly farmers and the youth). These different forms of consciousness were understood to condition the agency of the three groups and thus enable or constrain the introduction of CSA practices and how they were taken up. Elderly women in the project had been conditioned to be caregivers and to see their roles tending kitchen gardens as part of their identity. This consciousness led to the uptake of CSA practices in their home gardens. By contrast, young people engaged with the project shared a very different way of experiencing the world. They were better educated and had been socialised into using social media and watching films on electronic devices from a young age. As a result, they valued the role of money in accessing consumer goods and the good life and thus valued paid employment rather than working on the land to provide subsistence. This led to a limited uptake of CSA practices. It is envisaged that insights from the study will offer new ways of understanding what might otherwise be seen as resistance to adopting CSA practices as well as new ways of engaging with different groups of agents involved in projects in the future. The study demonstrates the explanatory power of critical realism and social realism to analyse a climate change adaptation project. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2024
- Full Text:
Implications of Lantana camara invasion on rural livelihoods and native woody species in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Francis, Buhle
- Date: 2024-04-05
- Subjects: Invasive plants Zimbabwe , Livelihood , Cost–benefit analysis , Commons , Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Secretariat , Invasive plants Environmental aspects Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435896 , vital:73210 , DOI 10.21504/10962/435896
- Description: Lantana (Lantana camara Linn, Verbenaceae) is an invasive alien species found in many disturbed and conservation habitats worldwide. Much work has been conducted on the impacts that L. camara has on ecosystems and communities living in affected areas. In some localities, interventions to eradicate L. camara have been made to reduce the impacts, with follow-up assessments on the benefits of these restoration efforts at some locations. However, L. camara continues to spread globally, and the Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) in Zimbabwe has not been spared. The KAZA TFCA is an important area for biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, and enabling and encouraging regional peace, cooperation and socio-economic advancement. This study was carried out in the KAZA TFCA, covering the Hwange District in Zimbabwe, with the primary aim to ascertain the effects of L. camara on rural livelihoods, native woody species and the soil properties of KAZA TFCA, and whether the policy environment and passive restoration efforts have been effective in controlling it in the area. The study employed a mixed-methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to resolve the research problem. Firstly, 102 plots were randomly established in the study areas where native woody species were recorded. In the first section of the Communal area, there were 60 plots in total comprising of 34 invaded and 8 uninvaded. In the other section of the Communal area, 21 plots were sampled, with 7 invaded, 7 control and the other 7 cleared. In the Victoria Falls National Park, 18 plots were established which comprised of 12 invaded and 6 uninvaded. In the Victoria Falls Rainforest area, 21 plots were established which comprised of 7 invaded, 7 cleared and 7 control. The criteria of selecting 102 plots was based on a number of factors which included; Research objectives, Randomisation, Historical data (From locals and Environmental Management Agency), Environmental variables, Spatial distribution if invasion, Accessibility, Budget and Time constraints. A total of 72 soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis of nitrogen, pH, organic carbon, phosphorous and potassium. The 72 soil samples were considered based on available funding for analysis. This soil samples collected samples were representative of the entire study site. In the Communal areas, 300 household questionnaires (representing approximately 12.35% of the total number of 2 430 households) were administered, two focus groups with elderly residents were conducted, and 11 key informant interviews were held. One-way ANOVAs and several multivariate tests were conducted to assess the impact of L. camara invasion on native woody species composition and soil properties. Descriptive statistics were used to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the presence of L. camara in the study sites. This was coupled with a principal component analysis to assess vulnerability of respondents to invasion, based on variables such as age, gender and level of education. One-way ANOVAs and multivariate analysis were also used to assess if passive restoration contributed to the recovery of native woody vegetation and the improvement of soil properties. In invaded plots, restoration natural recovery occurred after removing the L. camara invasion with no further intervention done after the removal. Document and thematic analyses were conducted to evaluate perceptions and knowledge of policy and legislation pertaining to L. camara management. Lantana camara negatively affected the native woody species, as evidenced by a reduction in species richness, abundance, density, height and canopy cover. Lantana camara also altered soil properties such as texture, chemical composition, colour and porosity, as found by comparing invaded and non-invaded plots in both the Park and Communal areas. Once L. camara invades an area it tends to become dominant at the expense of native species, many of which are a source of livelihood for the local people. Thus, displacement of native species by L. camara potentially increases the vulnerability of local people, some of whom are already experiencing challenges, such as drought and human-wildlife conflict. The invasion of L. camara was found to date back over eight decades ago. Based on focus group discussions with elderly participants, the initial invasion of L. camara in the Ndlovu Communal area was approximated to 1942. This invasion was noted to have begun in ward 2 of Ndlovu Communal area and spread to the other four wards in the study area over 16 years. Despite the challenges of losses and costs induced by the invasion of L. camara, benefits and gains were reported in some areas. For example, in the protected areas, the fruits of L. camara are eaten by birds, while bees use the flowers for honey production. It is noted that L. camara seeds spread through bird droppings become a cost to the environment through further proliferation of the invasion. In some communal areas, households use L. camara for hedges, herbal medicine, cane for furniture, and as an ornament. The relative losses and gains associated with L. camara are context-specific and are dependent on several factors. In this study, the presence of L. camara resulted in negative impacts that included the reduced area of productive land for crops and grazing. Combined, the mean costs borne were US$ 483 household-1 year-1. Furthermore, the combined mean benefits of L. camara, such as use as live fencing around homesteads and fields, mosquito repellent, fruit, fire kindling and ornaments, protection of fowls from raptors, and the prevention of gully erosion along watercourses, were valued at US$ 716 household-1 year-1, thereby exceeding the costs by 48%. However, most (62%) households experienced a net negative cost-benefit ratio. The overall mean value across the sample indicates benefits outweigh costs because a minority of households experience large net benefits. Although L. camara is invasive in the area, communities have taken advantage of its presence to find uses that contribute to their day-to-day lives. Despite the use of L. camara by communities, efforts to remove it have been made in some parts of the Ndlovu Communal area as well as in the Parks (Victoria Falls and Rainforest). The study investigated the impact of passive restoration on native woody species and soil properties. The findings showed a significant improvement in species richness and diversity in cleared plots compared with invaded plots. The species composition differed in the cleared, invaded and uninvaded plots with specific species favouring the different types of “treatments”. This showed the relationship between invasion and associated species. Soil properties had visible differences due to passive restoration, with figures of cleared sites consistently being intermediates of invaded and uninvaded plots. Despite the passive restoration projects, an analysis of knowledge and management showed that most local respondents whose age ranged between 25- 93 years, did not consider L. camara to be invasive but viewed it as part of the vegetation in the area. They also took little responsibility for its management. A further analysis of documents and policies related to the management of invasive alien species found that there were legal instruments in place for the management of invasive alien plants in Zimbabwe, including L. camara. The key informant interviews and the questionnaire surveys showed conflicting views on perceptions and opinions about whose responsibility it was to manage L. camara, with communities saying it is the authority’s responsibility, while some of the authorities suggested that it was everyone’s responsibility. However, some of the key informants highlighted the need to review the policies, guided by empirical studies on of the impacts of L. camara. Currently, it appears the policies are adopted from international bodies as a means of alignment to global policies, but they are not contextualised to suit the dynamics in the country. Overall, the study showed that the presence of L. camara in the KAZA TFCA has notable negative impacts on the native woody vegetation, as well as on local livelihoods, but some households have adapted to using L. camara to benefit them. This, however, has implications for efforts to stop the spread of L. camara if its presence is considered a benefit by some and a cost by others. The efforts to remove L. camara show that the native woody vegetation recovered. The study showed the need to raise awareness of the invasive nature of L. camara because some respondents did not consider it invasive. Findings from this study have implications for the management of L. camara in KAZA TFCA and similar areas, and inferences can be made to assist in the management of other invasive alien plants. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Francis, Buhle
- Date: 2024-04-05
- Subjects: Invasive plants Zimbabwe , Livelihood , Cost–benefit analysis , Commons , Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Secretariat , Invasive plants Environmental aspects Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435896 , vital:73210 , DOI 10.21504/10962/435896
- Description: Lantana (Lantana camara Linn, Verbenaceae) is an invasive alien species found in many disturbed and conservation habitats worldwide. Much work has been conducted on the impacts that L. camara has on ecosystems and communities living in affected areas. In some localities, interventions to eradicate L. camara have been made to reduce the impacts, with follow-up assessments on the benefits of these restoration efforts at some locations. However, L. camara continues to spread globally, and the Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) in Zimbabwe has not been spared. The KAZA TFCA is an important area for biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, and enabling and encouraging regional peace, cooperation and socio-economic advancement. This study was carried out in the KAZA TFCA, covering the Hwange District in Zimbabwe, with the primary aim to ascertain the effects of L. camara on rural livelihoods, native woody species and the soil properties of KAZA TFCA, and whether the policy environment and passive restoration efforts have been effective in controlling it in the area. The study employed a mixed-methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to resolve the research problem. Firstly, 102 plots were randomly established in the study areas where native woody species were recorded. In the first section of the Communal area, there were 60 plots in total comprising of 34 invaded and 8 uninvaded. In the other section of the Communal area, 21 plots were sampled, with 7 invaded, 7 control and the other 7 cleared. In the Victoria Falls National Park, 18 plots were established which comprised of 12 invaded and 6 uninvaded. In the Victoria Falls Rainforest area, 21 plots were established which comprised of 7 invaded, 7 cleared and 7 control. The criteria of selecting 102 plots was based on a number of factors which included; Research objectives, Randomisation, Historical data (From locals and Environmental Management Agency), Environmental variables, Spatial distribution if invasion, Accessibility, Budget and Time constraints. A total of 72 soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis of nitrogen, pH, organic carbon, phosphorous and potassium. The 72 soil samples were considered based on available funding for analysis. This soil samples collected samples were representative of the entire study site. In the Communal areas, 300 household questionnaires (representing approximately 12.35% of the total number of 2 430 households) were administered, two focus groups with elderly residents were conducted, and 11 key informant interviews were held. One-way ANOVAs and several multivariate tests were conducted to assess the impact of L. camara invasion on native woody species composition and soil properties. Descriptive statistics were used to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the presence of L. camara in the study sites. This was coupled with a principal component analysis to assess vulnerability of respondents to invasion, based on variables such as age, gender and level of education. One-way ANOVAs and multivariate analysis were also used to assess if passive restoration contributed to the recovery of native woody vegetation and the improvement of soil properties. In invaded plots, restoration natural recovery occurred after removing the L. camara invasion with no further intervention done after the removal. Document and thematic analyses were conducted to evaluate perceptions and knowledge of policy and legislation pertaining to L. camara management. Lantana camara negatively affected the native woody species, as evidenced by a reduction in species richness, abundance, density, height and canopy cover. Lantana camara also altered soil properties such as texture, chemical composition, colour and porosity, as found by comparing invaded and non-invaded plots in both the Park and Communal areas. Once L. camara invades an area it tends to become dominant at the expense of native species, many of which are a source of livelihood for the local people. Thus, displacement of native species by L. camara potentially increases the vulnerability of local people, some of whom are already experiencing challenges, such as drought and human-wildlife conflict. The invasion of L. camara was found to date back over eight decades ago. Based on focus group discussions with elderly participants, the initial invasion of L. camara in the Ndlovu Communal area was approximated to 1942. This invasion was noted to have begun in ward 2 of Ndlovu Communal area and spread to the other four wards in the study area over 16 years. Despite the challenges of losses and costs induced by the invasion of L. camara, benefits and gains were reported in some areas. For example, in the protected areas, the fruits of L. camara are eaten by birds, while bees use the flowers for honey production. It is noted that L. camara seeds spread through bird droppings become a cost to the environment through further proliferation of the invasion. In some communal areas, households use L. camara for hedges, herbal medicine, cane for furniture, and as an ornament. The relative losses and gains associated with L. camara are context-specific and are dependent on several factors. In this study, the presence of L. camara resulted in negative impacts that included the reduced area of productive land for crops and grazing. Combined, the mean costs borne were US$ 483 household-1 year-1. Furthermore, the combined mean benefits of L. camara, such as use as live fencing around homesteads and fields, mosquito repellent, fruit, fire kindling and ornaments, protection of fowls from raptors, and the prevention of gully erosion along watercourses, were valued at US$ 716 household-1 year-1, thereby exceeding the costs by 48%. However, most (62%) households experienced a net negative cost-benefit ratio. The overall mean value across the sample indicates benefits outweigh costs because a minority of households experience large net benefits. Although L. camara is invasive in the area, communities have taken advantage of its presence to find uses that contribute to their day-to-day lives. Despite the use of L. camara by communities, efforts to remove it have been made in some parts of the Ndlovu Communal area as well as in the Parks (Victoria Falls and Rainforest). The study investigated the impact of passive restoration on native woody species and soil properties. The findings showed a significant improvement in species richness and diversity in cleared plots compared with invaded plots. The species composition differed in the cleared, invaded and uninvaded plots with specific species favouring the different types of “treatments”. This showed the relationship between invasion and associated species. Soil properties had visible differences due to passive restoration, with figures of cleared sites consistently being intermediates of invaded and uninvaded plots. Despite the passive restoration projects, an analysis of knowledge and management showed that most local respondents whose age ranged between 25- 93 years, did not consider L. camara to be invasive but viewed it as part of the vegetation in the area. They also took little responsibility for its management. A further analysis of documents and policies related to the management of invasive alien species found that there were legal instruments in place for the management of invasive alien plants in Zimbabwe, including L. camara. The key informant interviews and the questionnaire surveys showed conflicting views on perceptions and opinions about whose responsibility it was to manage L. camara, with communities saying it is the authority’s responsibility, while some of the authorities suggested that it was everyone’s responsibility. However, some of the key informants highlighted the need to review the policies, guided by empirical studies on of the impacts of L. camara. Currently, it appears the policies are adopted from international bodies as a means of alignment to global policies, but they are not contextualised to suit the dynamics in the country. Overall, the study showed that the presence of L. camara in the KAZA TFCA has notable negative impacts on the native woody vegetation, as well as on local livelihoods, but some households have adapted to using L. camara to benefit them. This, however, has implications for efforts to stop the spread of L. camara if its presence is considered a benefit by some and a cost by others. The efforts to remove L. camara show that the native woody vegetation recovered. The study showed the need to raise awareness of the invasive nature of L. camara because some respondents did not consider it invasive. Findings from this study have implications for the management of L. camara in KAZA TFCA and similar areas, and inferences can be made to assist in the management of other invasive alien plants. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2024
- Full Text:
Crop fields abandonment: assessing the dynamics of degradation in relation to leverage points for sustainable land management in the Macubeni catchment, South Africa
- Authors: Sibiya, Silindile
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Land degradation , Sustainable land management , Multiple criteria decision making , Twelve leverage points , Soil erosion South Africa eMalahleni , ArcGIS
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/422470 , vital:71945
- Description: Soil erosion is a major global environmental problem and a pervasive forms of land degradation that threatens land productivity and food and water security. Some of the biggest sources of sediment in catchments are previously cultivated lands. Regardless of this factor, the abandonment of cultivated fields is not well-researched. Sustainable land management (SLM) interventions can play a significant role in mitigating and halting land degradation. This study investigated the dynamics of degradation exhibited by crop fields and the potential impacts of SLM interventions, using a leverage points framework and a case study in the Macubeni catchment of South Africa. The research answers three questions: (1) What is the relationship between the usage status of crop fields and degradation in Macubeni? (2) What are the drivers of crop field abandonment and how do they interact in the system? (3) Can proposed sustainable land management interventions tackle the dynamics of land abandonment, and associated degradation, at the root cause level? An empirical-analytical approach using a four step multi-method process was followed, in which crop fields were mapped using ArcGIS tools, literature was reviewed alongside stakeholder engagements, qualitative systems mapping modelling was undertaken, and a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) with leverage points hierarchy was used to integrate all the steps together. The results revealed that the various drivers of crop field abandonment include natural environmental factors, socio-economic and social factors. 47.41% of the total crop fields in Macubeni were classified as highly degraded, and abandoned fields covered 37.47%. The statistical Chi-Square Test also confirmed that there is a significant relationship between the usage status and degradation level in crop fields. The SLM interventions assessed in the study have the potential to tackle the dynamics of land abandonment at a root cause level, however, there is a need to first shift the community’s mental models to address the existing sources of change resistance that are hindering successful implementation. Furthermore, the innovative multi-method approach applied in this study can further provide a holistic, dynamic, and integrated decision-support to land conservation and rehabilitation projects in similar settings across South Africa and other developing countries as opposed to the more traditional one-dimensional approaches. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sibiya, Silindile
- Date: 2023-03-29
- Subjects: Land degradation , Sustainable land management , Multiple criteria decision making , Twelve leverage points , Soil erosion South Africa eMalahleni , ArcGIS
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/422470 , vital:71945
- Description: Soil erosion is a major global environmental problem and a pervasive forms of land degradation that threatens land productivity and food and water security. Some of the biggest sources of sediment in catchments are previously cultivated lands. Regardless of this factor, the abandonment of cultivated fields is not well-researched. Sustainable land management (SLM) interventions can play a significant role in mitigating and halting land degradation. This study investigated the dynamics of degradation exhibited by crop fields and the potential impacts of SLM interventions, using a leverage points framework and a case study in the Macubeni catchment of South Africa. The research answers three questions: (1) What is the relationship between the usage status of crop fields and degradation in Macubeni? (2) What are the drivers of crop field abandonment and how do they interact in the system? (3) Can proposed sustainable land management interventions tackle the dynamics of land abandonment, and associated degradation, at the root cause level? An empirical-analytical approach using a four step multi-method process was followed, in which crop fields were mapped using ArcGIS tools, literature was reviewed alongside stakeholder engagements, qualitative systems mapping modelling was undertaken, and a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) with leverage points hierarchy was used to integrate all the steps together. The results revealed that the various drivers of crop field abandonment include natural environmental factors, socio-economic and social factors. 47.41% of the total crop fields in Macubeni were classified as highly degraded, and abandoned fields covered 37.47%. The statistical Chi-Square Test also confirmed that there is a significant relationship between the usage status and degradation level in crop fields. The SLM interventions assessed in the study have the potential to tackle the dynamics of land abandonment at a root cause level, however, there is a need to first shift the community’s mental models to address the existing sources of change resistance that are hindering successful implementation. Furthermore, the innovative multi-method approach applied in this study can further provide a holistic, dynamic, and integrated decision-support to land conservation and rehabilitation projects in similar settings across South Africa and other developing countries as opposed to the more traditional one-dimensional approaches. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2023
- Full Text:
The impacts of anthropogenic fires in West African savanna woodlands and parklands: the case of the Guinea savanna, Ghana
- Authors: Amoako, Esther Ekua Amfoa
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Firemaking Ghana , Agroforestry Ghana , Parks Fire management Ghana , Nature Effect of human beings on Ghana , Land use Ghana , Savanna ecology Ghana , Traditional ecological knowledge Ghana
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365610 , vital:65764 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/365610
- Description: Fire is recognised as an important factor influencing the structure and function of tropical savannas. Despite the extensive studies conducted on the effects of fire on global savannas, there are relatively few studies focusing on fire-assisted land use practices in the agroforestry parkland of the Sudano-Guinean savannas of West Africa. The region experiences recurrent fires in the dry season which begins from November to April. The fires are anthropogenic and are mainly caused through rural livelihoods and cultural practices such as farming - to remove debris from crop fields and to improve soil fertility and hunting to flush out animals, among other reasons. This study therefore sought to: 1. contribute to the understanding of fire-assisted traditional land use practices, people’s knowledge and perceptions of fire use and fire regime: 2. analyse the effects of fire on vegetation, and 3. determine the effects of fire on soils in the Guinea savanna woodlands and parklands of Ghana. Study sites (burnt and unburnt land use types) were selected based on five-year daily fire counts (2013-2017) data, obtained from the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC), Ghana in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Meraka Institute, South Africa. Fire densities were calculated for the 18 districts in the Guinea savanna (Northern Region of Ghana). The districts were stratified into low, medium and high fire frequency areas. The East Gonja district recorded the highest fire density (1.0 fires km-2) while Tamale recorded the lowest fire density (0.3 fires km-2). Of the eighteen districts, six districts were purposively selected and ten communities sampled. Firstly, I investigated the frequency of fire use and control, perceptions of fire regime for selected livelihood and socio-cultural activities in the six districts. The majority of respondents (83%) across the study districts indicated that they used fire once a year for at least one of the following activities: land preparation, weed/grass/pest control, burning stubble after harvest, bush clearing around homesteads, firebreaks, charcoal burning and hunting. The study showed the highest frequency of fire use in the dry season was for land preparation for cropping. However, less than a fifth of the respondents (17%) indicated that they did not use fire for any of the above activities. The results of a multiple regression predicted fire activities in the dry season from gender, age, level of education, occupation and household size. Secondly, the study examined how fire influenced the population structure and abundance of two economically important woody species Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn. (Shea tree) and Anogeissus leiocarpa (DC.) Guill. & Perr. (African Birch) in burnt and unburnt land-use types. Stand basal area, mean densities of juveniles and adult trees and Simpson’s index of dominance were determined. Eight diameter size classes of each species were analysed by comparing their observed distributions to a three-parameter Weibull distribution across the land use types. A total of 3,366 individuals of A. leiocarpa (n = 1,846) and V. paradoxa (n = 1,520) were enumerated. The highest total basal area of Anogeissus leiocarpa (16.9 m2/ha) was estimated in sacred groves whereas Vitellaria. paradoxa (20.6 m2 /ha) was found in unburnt woodland. The highest mean densities of A. leiocarpa (22.7±29.7 stems/ha) and V. paradoxa (15.3±2.2 stems/ha) were found in sacred in groves. Anogeissus leiocarpa was, however, absent in fallows and burnt crop fields. A somewhat inverse J-shaped distribution was found in sacred groves for both species. Thirdly, the study compared species composition in early burnt, late burnt and unburnt plots in a protected area where fire was regulated. Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn., Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr., Combretum adenogonium Steud. ex A. Rich. and Combretum molle R. Br. Ex. G. Don. were the most common and abundant in all treatments. Late burnt and unburnt plots recorded the lowest diversity amongst the three treatments. Unburnt plots had higher tree density than burnt plots. A Detrended Canonical Analysis showed a changing trend, indicating a moderately strong positive association between burning time and species composition. The first and second axes contributed 53% and 12% variation, respectively. Most of the species found in axis one had fairly strong positive association to early and late burnt treatment than unburnt treatments. Finally, the effects of fire on soil properties in burnt and unburnt crop fields and woodland in the ten communities were also investigated. A total of 151 composite samples in selected burnt and unburnt land use types (burnt crop field n=20; unburnt crop field n=27; burnt woodland n=53, unburnt woodland n=51) were analysed. The variables analysed were pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous (P), Exchangeable bases - potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), cation exchange and soil texture. Total N, SOC, pH and Ca differed significantly across the burnt and unburnt land-use types. A principal component analysis showed a stronger association and more positive gradient in woodlands than in crop fields. Total N showed a positive association with SOC, whereas silt showed a negative association to sand and clay. Traditional knowledge and perceptions of users of savanna agroforestry parklands can inform the formulation of local by-laws for community fire management as well as national policy regulation on fire use in the savanna through the interlinked analysis of social and ecological systems as have been elucidated in this study. The results on vegetation assessment revealed that fire practices and land uses influenced size class distribution of the two study species as well as the densities of woody species in traditional crop fields and the National Park. The unstable populations observed in most land uses and the absence of A. leiocarpa in crop fields and fallows call for education and policy actions on the use of fire in parklands of West Africa. Furthermore, fires positively influenced some soil properties in both woodlands and crop fields confirming one of the emphasised reasons why rural subsistence farmers use fire. As an environmental management decision and land use policy intervention, early dry season burning could be an option to curbing the indiscriminate and unplanned fire use. Also, the protection of trees on farm lands could check the unstable population structure of economically important woody species leading to the different structures that deviated from the recommended reverse J-shaped distribution curve observed in these agroforestry parklands. The management of socio-ecological systems such as the agroforestry parklands of West Africa require a holistic understanding of the complexity of the different resource systems, units and actors involved for sustainable management of these natural resources. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Amoako, Esther Ekua Amfoa
- Date: 2022-10-14
- Subjects: Firemaking Ghana , Agroforestry Ghana , Parks Fire management Ghana , Nature Effect of human beings on Ghana , Land use Ghana , Savanna ecology Ghana , Traditional ecological knowledge Ghana
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365610 , vital:65764 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/365610
- Description: Fire is recognised as an important factor influencing the structure and function of tropical savannas. Despite the extensive studies conducted on the effects of fire on global savannas, there are relatively few studies focusing on fire-assisted land use practices in the agroforestry parkland of the Sudano-Guinean savannas of West Africa. The region experiences recurrent fires in the dry season which begins from November to April. The fires are anthropogenic and are mainly caused through rural livelihoods and cultural practices such as farming - to remove debris from crop fields and to improve soil fertility and hunting to flush out animals, among other reasons. This study therefore sought to: 1. contribute to the understanding of fire-assisted traditional land use practices, people’s knowledge and perceptions of fire use and fire regime: 2. analyse the effects of fire on vegetation, and 3. determine the effects of fire on soils in the Guinea savanna woodlands and parklands of Ghana. Study sites (burnt and unburnt land use types) were selected based on five-year daily fire counts (2013-2017) data, obtained from the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC), Ghana in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Meraka Institute, South Africa. Fire densities were calculated for the 18 districts in the Guinea savanna (Northern Region of Ghana). The districts were stratified into low, medium and high fire frequency areas. The East Gonja district recorded the highest fire density (1.0 fires km-2) while Tamale recorded the lowest fire density (0.3 fires km-2). Of the eighteen districts, six districts were purposively selected and ten communities sampled. Firstly, I investigated the frequency of fire use and control, perceptions of fire regime for selected livelihood and socio-cultural activities in the six districts. The majority of respondents (83%) across the study districts indicated that they used fire once a year for at least one of the following activities: land preparation, weed/grass/pest control, burning stubble after harvest, bush clearing around homesteads, firebreaks, charcoal burning and hunting. The study showed the highest frequency of fire use in the dry season was for land preparation for cropping. However, less than a fifth of the respondents (17%) indicated that they did not use fire for any of the above activities. The results of a multiple regression predicted fire activities in the dry season from gender, age, level of education, occupation and household size. Secondly, the study examined how fire influenced the population structure and abundance of two economically important woody species Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn. (Shea tree) and Anogeissus leiocarpa (DC.) Guill. & Perr. (African Birch) in burnt and unburnt land-use types. Stand basal area, mean densities of juveniles and adult trees and Simpson’s index of dominance were determined. Eight diameter size classes of each species were analysed by comparing their observed distributions to a three-parameter Weibull distribution across the land use types. A total of 3,366 individuals of A. leiocarpa (n = 1,846) and V. paradoxa (n = 1,520) were enumerated. The highest total basal area of Anogeissus leiocarpa (16.9 m2/ha) was estimated in sacred groves whereas Vitellaria. paradoxa (20.6 m2 /ha) was found in unburnt woodland. The highest mean densities of A. leiocarpa (22.7±29.7 stems/ha) and V. paradoxa (15.3±2.2 stems/ha) were found in sacred in groves. Anogeissus leiocarpa was, however, absent in fallows and burnt crop fields. A somewhat inverse J-shaped distribution was found in sacred groves for both species. Thirdly, the study compared species composition in early burnt, late burnt and unburnt plots in a protected area where fire was regulated. Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn., Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr., Combretum adenogonium Steud. ex A. Rich. and Combretum molle R. Br. Ex. G. Don. were the most common and abundant in all treatments. Late burnt and unburnt plots recorded the lowest diversity amongst the three treatments. Unburnt plots had higher tree density than burnt plots. A Detrended Canonical Analysis showed a changing trend, indicating a moderately strong positive association between burning time and species composition. The first and second axes contributed 53% and 12% variation, respectively. Most of the species found in axis one had fairly strong positive association to early and late burnt treatment than unburnt treatments. Finally, the effects of fire on soil properties in burnt and unburnt crop fields and woodland in the ten communities were also investigated. A total of 151 composite samples in selected burnt and unburnt land use types (burnt crop field n=20; unburnt crop field n=27; burnt woodland n=53, unburnt woodland n=51) were analysed. The variables analysed were pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous (P), Exchangeable bases - potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), cation exchange and soil texture. Total N, SOC, pH and Ca differed significantly across the burnt and unburnt land-use types. A principal component analysis showed a stronger association and more positive gradient in woodlands than in crop fields. Total N showed a positive association with SOC, whereas silt showed a negative association to sand and clay. Traditional knowledge and perceptions of users of savanna agroforestry parklands can inform the formulation of local by-laws for community fire management as well as national policy regulation on fire use in the savanna through the interlinked analysis of social and ecological systems as have been elucidated in this study. The results on vegetation assessment revealed that fire practices and land uses influenced size class distribution of the two study species as well as the densities of woody species in traditional crop fields and the National Park. The unstable populations observed in most land uses and the absence of A. leiocarpa in crop fields and fallows call for education and policy actions on the use of fire in parklands of West Africa. Furthermore, fires positively influenced some soil properties in both woodlands and crop fields confirming one of the emphasised reasons why rural subsistence farmers use fire. As an environmental management decision and land use policy intervention, early dry season burning could be an option to curbing the indiscriminate and unplanned fire use. Also, the protection of trees on farm lands could check the unstable population structure of economically important woody species leading to the different structures that deviated from the recommended reverse J-shaped distribution curve observed in these agroforestry parklands. The management of socio-ecological systems such as the agroforestry parklands of West Africa require a holistic understanding of the complexity of the different resource systems, units and actors involved for sustainable management of these natural resources. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
Environmental governance, agency and multi-actor dynamics in Southern Africa
- Authors: Falayi, Menelisi
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Environmental law South Africa , Environmental law Zimbabwe , Natural resources Management , Conservation of natural resources South Africa Eastern Cape , Natural resources Co-management South Africa Eastern Cape , Range policy South Africa Eastern Cape , Range management South Africa Eastern Cape , Forest reserves Law and legislation Zimbabwe , Agent (Philosophy)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232355 , vital:49984 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232355
- Description: Natural resources have, since the beginning of time, played a central role in supporting human wellbeing. In southern Africa resource consumption has drastically increased over the past 50 years, resulting in biodiversity loss and land degradation. To reduce land degradation and biodiversity loss rates in the region, great emphasis has been placed on building effective governance structures that can deliver environmentally and socially sustainable outcomes. However, environmental governance continues to be a major challenge in the management and conservation of natural resources in the region. Thus, there is renewed scientific and policy interest in strengthening the capacity of governance systems. This thesis is timely; there is an increasing desire by policymakers and land users in the region to develop governance options that enhance multi-actor participation and collaboration. Therefore, this thesis explores the dynamics that influence the capacity of natural resource governance systems in southern Africa, predominately in Machubeni, South Africa (chapters 3 and 4) and in State forests in Zimbabwe (chapter 5). To achieve this aim, four stand-alone manuscripts that answer the following questions are included: 1. How have governance challenges manifested in natural resource management between 2010 and 2020 in southern Africa? 2. How were the governance objectives and attributes applied per historical period and what were the influencing drivers? a. What key drivers influenced rangeland condition over time in Machubeni? 3. How have multi-actor ties changed since the external investment in landscape governance and management in Machubeni, South Africa? 4. What role has agency played in the effectiveness of co-management initiatives in southern Africa? To answer the questions, I applied Bennett and Satterfield’s practical framework for understanding the objectives, attributes and elements of governance and Archer’s ii morphogenetic framework. The study employed a mixed-methods approach which included a scoping review methodology (chapter 2), household surveys, historical records, life history interviews, focus group discussions (chapters 3 and 4), social network analysis (chapter 4) and secondary data analysis (chapter 5). Results from the scoping review (chapter 2) show that research on governance challenges has not increased since 2010. Results suggest that governance challenges related to the maintenance of system integrity and functioning, specifically lack of coordination, accountability, skills, and resources to define effective natural resource management, were the most reported in the literature. Chapter 3 elucidates the importance of history in evaluating the application of governance objectives and rangeland condition in resource-poor areas. The results show that the residual impacts of the ‘ghost of environmental history’ still influence governance dynamics in Machubeni, South Africa. Furthermore, contemporary challenges are linked to history. Chapter 4 shows that transformative spaces enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing between land users, government, and researchers. Finally, chapter 5 employs the morphogenetic framework to assess how agency (the capacity of people and organisations to make choices and decisions about their lives) influenced the effectiveness of co-management initiatives in southern Africa. The results suggest that in attempts to shift governance towards greater effectiveness, more attention should be paid to building individual and group agency. Based on the results from the empirical chapters, the study identified three key focus areas that require more attention in order to build effective landscape governance and management in southern Africa:(i) acknowledging the role of historical legacies and context,(ii) building and developing agency, capacity and trust amongst actors and (iii) the development of sustainable landscape financing mechanisms that will enable governance systems to deliver socially and environmentally sustainable outcomes. , Ubutyebi bendalo buqhubekile budlala indima ebalulekileyo ekuxhaseni impilo-ntle yoluntu. Ngenxa yokubaluleka kobutyebi bendalo kubomi babantu, ukusetyenziswa kobutyebi kuye kwanda kakhulu kule minyaka eyi-50 idlulileyo, okubangela ulahleko lweentlobo-ntlobo yezityalo nezilwanyana eziphilayo kunye nokhukhuliseko komhlaba kumazantsi e-Afrika. Ukunciphisa ukhukhuliseko komhlaba kunye namazinga alahleko eentlobo-ntlobo zezityalo nezilwanyana eziphilayo kummandla, ugxininiso olukhulu luye lwabekwa ekwakhiweni kweziseko zolawulo ezisebenzayo ezinokuzisa iziphumo ezizinzileyo ngokwemeko yendalo nentlalo. Nangona kunjalo, ulawulo lwendalo lusaqhubeka lungumceli mngeni omkhulu kulawulo nolondolozo lobutyebi bendalo kulo mmandla. Ngoko ke, kukho umdla ohlaziyiweyo wenzululwazi nomgaqo-nkqubo ekomelezeni isakhono seenkqubo zolawulo. Le ithisisi ifike ngexesha kuba kukho umnqweno okhulayo kummandla ngabaqulunqi bomgaqo-nkqubo kunye nabasebenzisi bomhlaba ukuphuhlisa iinketho zolawulo eziphakamisa ukuthatha inxaxheba kwabantu abaninzi kunye nentsebenziswano. Ke ngoko, le ithisisi iphonononga izinto eziphembelela isakhono seenkqubo zolawulo lobutyebi bendalo kumazantsi eAfrika, ikakhulu eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika (isahluko 3 no 4) nakumahlathi kaRhulumente eZimbabwe (isahluko 5). Ukuphumeza le njongo, kufakwe layo: 1. Ibonakaliswe njani imiceli mngeni yolawulo kulawulo lwendalo phakathi ko-2010 no 2020 kumazantsi eAfrika? 2. Zeziphi injongo zolawulo kunye neempawu ezisetyenzisiweyo ngokwexesha lembali? a. Zeziphi ezona zinto eziqhuba phambili eziphembelele ukusetyenziswa kweenjongo zolawulo kunye neempawu ngokuhamba kwexesha? b. Zeziphi iindlela ezibalulekileyo ezichaphazele ngayo iimeko zamadlelo ekuhambeni kwexesha? 3. Atshintshe njani amakhonkco obudlelwane phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba ukusukela oko kutyalo-mali lwangaphandle kulawulo lobume bomhlaba eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika? 4. Yiyiphi indima edlalwe sisakhono sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi bakho ekusebenzeni ngempumelelo kwamalinge olawulo ngokubambisana kumazantsi e-Afrika? Ukuphendula imibuzo, ndisebenzise isakhelo esisebenzayo sikaBennett kunye noSatterfield ukuqonda iinjongo kunye neempawu zolawulo kunye nesakhelo se-Archer's morphogenetic. Uphononongo lusebenzise iindlela ezixubeneyo ezibandakanya indlela yokuphonononga iincwadi zophando (isahluko 2), uphando lwamakhaya, iirekhodi zembali, udliwano-ndlebe lwembali yobomi, iingxoxo zeqela eligxininisiweyo (isahluko 3 kunye no 4), uhlalutyo lonxibelelwano nobudlelwane boluntu (isahluko 4) kunye nohlalutyo lwedatha ethathwe ngomnye umntu. (isahluko 5). Iziphumo ezivela kuphononongo lweencwadi zophando (isahluko 2) zibonakalisa ukuba uphando ngemiceli mngeni yolawulo alunyukanga ukusukela ngo-2010. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba imiceli mngeni yolawulo enxulumene nokugcinwa kwemfezeko nokusebenza kwenkqubo, ngokukodwa ukungabikho kolungelelwaniso, uxanduva, izakhono, kunye nezibonelelo zokuchaza ulawulo lwemithombo yendalo olusebenzayo, yayiyeyona ichazwe kwiincwadi. Isahluko sesi-3 sicacisa ukubaluleka kwembali ekuvavanyeni ukusetyenziswa kweenjongo zolawulo kunye nemeko yemihlaba ekwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo ngezibonelelo. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba uchaphazeleko oshiyekileyo we-‘ghost of environmental history’ zisenefuthe kulawulo lwenguquko eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika. Ngaphezu koko, imiceli mngeni yangoku inxulunyaniswa nembali. Isahluko sesi-4 sibonisa ukuba iindawo eziguqulayo ziphucula intsebenziswano nokwabelana ngolwazi phakathi kwabasebenzisi bomhlaba, urhulumente nabaphandi. Ekugqibeleni, isahluko sesi-5 sisebenzisa isakhelo se-morphogenetic ukuvavanya indlela isakhono sabantu kunye nemibutho sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi babo ibe nefuthe ekusebenzeni kwamanyathelo olawulo ngokubambisana kumazantsi e-Afrika. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba kwiinzame zokutshintsha ulawulo ukuze lusebenze kangangoko, ingqwalasela engaphezulu kufuneka ibekwe ekwakheni isakhono, somntu neseqela, sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi babo. Ngokusekelwe kwiziphumo ezivela kwizahluko zobungqina, uphononongo luchonge imiba emithathu engundoqo ekugxilwe kuzo ezifuna ingqwalaselo ethe kratya ukuze kwakhiwe ulawulo lwemihlaba olusebenzayo kumazantsi e-Afrika. Ngokukodwa: (i) ukuqaphela indima yelifa lembali kunye nomxholo (ii) ukwakha nokuphuhlisa isakhono v sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi, isakhono kunye nokuthembana phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba kunye (iii) nokuphuhliswa kweendlela ezizinzileyo zenkxaso-mali yendawo eziya kwenza ukuba iinkqubo zolawulo zinike iziphumo ezizinzileyo ngokwentlalo nendalo. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Authors: Falayi, Menelisi
- Date: 2022-04-08
- Subjects: Environmental law South Africa , Environmental law Zimbabwe , Natural resources Management , Conservation of natural resources South Africa Eastern Cape , Natural resources Co-management South Africa Eastern Cape , Range policy South Africa Eastern Cape , Range management South Africa Eastern Cape , Forest reserves Law and legislation Zimbabwe , Agent (Philosophy)
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232355 , vital:49984 , DOI 10.21504/10962/232355
- Description: Natural resources have, since the beginning of time, played a central role in supporting human wellbeing. In southern Africa resource consumption has drastically increased over the past 50 years, resulting in biodiversity loss and land degradation. To reduce land degradation and biodiversity loss rates in the region, great emphasis has been placed on building effective governance structures that can deliver environmentally and socially sustainable outcomes. However, environmental governance continues to be a major challenge in the management and conservation of natural resources in the region. Thus, there is renewed scientific and policy interest in strengthening the capacity of governance systems. This thesis is timely; there is an increasing desire by policymakers and land users in the region to develop governance options that enhance multi-actor participation and collaboration. Therefore, this thesis explores the dynamics that influence the capacity of natural resource governance systems in southern Africa, predominately in Machubeni, South Africa (chapters 3 and 4) and in State forests in Zimbabwe (chapter 5). To achieve this aim, four stand-alone manuscripts that answer the following questions are included: 1. How have governance challenges manifested in natural resource management between 2010 and 2020 in southern Africa? 2. How were the governance objectives and attributes applied per historical period and what were the influencing drivers? a. What key drivers influenced rangeland condition over time in Machubeni? 3. How have multi-actor ties changed since the external investment in landscape governance and management in Machubeni, South Africa? 4. What role has agency played in the effectiveness of co-management initiatives in southern Africa? To answer the questions, I applied Bennett and Satterfield’s practical framework for understanding the objectives, attributes and elements of governance and Archer’s ii morphogenetic framework. The study employed a mixed-methods approach which included a scoping review methodology (chapter 2), household surveys, historical records, life history interviews, focus group discussions (chapters 3 and 4), social network analysis (chapter 4) and secondary data analysis (chapter 5). Results from the scoping review (chapter 2) show that research on governance challenges has not increased since 2010. Results suggest that governance challenges related to the maintenance of system integrity and functioning, specifically lack of coordination, accountability, skills, and resources to define effective natural resource management, were the most reported in the literature. Chapter 3 elucidates the importance of history in evaluating the application of governance objectives and rangeland condition in resource-poor areas. The results show that the residual impacts of the ‘ghost of environmental history’ still influence governance dynamics in Machubeni, South Africa. Furthermore, contemporary challenges are linked to history. Chapter 4 shows that transformative spaces enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing between land users, government, and researchers. Finally, chapter 5 employs the morphogenetic framework to assess how agency (the capacity of people and organisations to make choices and decisions about their lives) influenced the effectiveness of co-management initiatives in southern Africa. The results suggest that in attempts to shift governance towards greater effectiveness, more attention should be paid to building individual and group agency. Based on the results from the empirical chapters, the study identified three key focus areas that require more attention in order to build effective landscape governance and management in southern Africa:(i) acknowledging the role of historical legacies and context,(ii) building and developing agency, capacity and trust amongst actors and (iii) the development of sustainable landscape financing mechanisms that will enable governance systems to deliver socially and environmentally sustainable outcomes. , Ubutyebi bendalo buqhubekile budlala indima ebalulekileyo ekuxhaseni impilo-ntle yoluntu. Ngenxa yokubaluleka kobutyebi bendalo kubomi babantu, ukusetyenziswa kobutyebi kuye kwanda kakhulu kule minyaka eyi-50 idlulileyo, okubangela ulahleko lweentlobo-ntlobo yezityalo nezilwanyana eziphilayo kunye nokhukhuliseko komhlaba kumazantsi e-Afrika. Ukunciphisa ukhukhuliseko komhlaba kunye namazinga alahleko eentlobo-ntlobo zezityalo nezilwanyana eziphilayo kummandla, ugxininiso olukhulu luye lwabekwa ekwakhiweni kweziseko zolawulo ezisebenzayo ezinokuzisa iziphumo ezizinzileyo ngokwemeko yendalo nentlalo. Nangona kunjalo, ulawulo lwendalo lusaqhubeka lungumceli mngeni omkhulu kulawulo nolondolozo lobutyebi bendalo kulo mmandla. Ngoko ke, kukho umdla ohlaziyiweyo wenzululwazi nomgaqo-nkqubo ekomelezeni isakhono seenkqubo zolawulo. Le ithisisi ifike ngexesha kuba kukho umnqweno okhulayo kummandla ngabaqulunqi bomgaqo-nkqubo kunye nabasebenzisi bomhlaba ukuphuhlisa iinketho zolawulo eziphakamisa ukuthatha inxaxheba kwabantu abaninzi kunye nentsebenziswano. Ke ngoko, le ithisisi iphonononga izinto eziphembelela isakhono seenkqubo zolawulo lobutyebi bendalo kumazantsi eAfrika, ikakhulu eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika (isahluko 3 no 4) nakumahlathi kaRhulumente eZimbabwe (isahluko 5). Ukuphumeza le njongo, kufakwe layo: 1. Ibonakaliswe njani imiceli mngeni yolawulo kulawulo lwendalo phakathi ko-2010 no 2020 kumazantsi eAfrika? 2. Zeziphi injongo zolawulo kunye neempawu ezisetyenzisiweyo ngokwexesha lembali? a. Zeziphi ezona zinto eziqhuba phambili eziphembelele ukusetyenziswa kweenjongo zolawulo kunye neempawu ngokuhamba kwexesha? b. Zeziphi iindlela ezibalulekileyo ezichaphazele ngayo iimeko zamadlelo ekuhambeni kwexesha? 3. Atshintshe njani amakhonkco obudlelwane phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba ukusukela oko kutyalo-mali lwangaphandle kulawulo lobume bomhlaba eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika? 4. Yiyiphi indima edlalwe sisakhono sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi bakho ekusebenzeni ngempumelelo kwamalinge olawulo ngokubambisana kumazantsi e-Afrika? Ukuphendula imibuzo, ndisebenzise isakhelo esisebenzayo sikaBennett kunye noSatterfield ukuqonda iinjongo kunye neempawu zolawulo kunye nesakhelo se-Archer's morphogenetic. Uphononongo lusebenzise iindlela ezixubeneyo ezibandakanya indlela yokuphonononga iincwadi zophando (isahluko 2), uphando lwamakhaya, iirekhodi zembali, udliwano-ndlebe lwembali yobomi, iingxoxo zeqela eligxininisiweyo (isahluko 3 kunye no 4), uhlalutyo lonxibelelwano nobudlelwane boluntu (isahluko 4) kunye nohlalutyo lwedatha ethathwe ngomnye umntu. (isahluko 5). Iziphumo ezivela kuphononongo lweencwadi zophando (isahluko 2) zibonakalisa ukuba uphando ngemiceli mngeni yolawulo alunyukanga ukusukela ngo-2010. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba imiceli mngeni yolawulo enxulumene nokugcinwa kwemfezeko nokusebenza kwenkqubo, ngokukodwa ukungabikho kolungelelwaniso, uxanduva, izakhono, kunye nezibonelelo zokuchaza ulawulo lwemithombo yendalo olusebenzayo, yayiyeyona ichazwe kwiincwadi. Isahluko sesi-3 sicacisa ukubaluleka kwembali ekuvavanyeni ukusetyenziswa kweenjongo zolawulo kunye nemeko yemihlaba ekwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo ngezibonelelo. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba uchaphazeleko oshiyekileyo we-‘ghost of environmental history’ zisenefuthe kulawulo lwenguquko eMachubeni, eMzantsi Afrika. Ngaphezu koko, imiceli mngeni yangoku inxulunyaniswa nembali. Isahluko sesi-4 sibonisa ukuba iindawo eziguqulayo ziphucula intsebenziswano nokwabelana ngolwazi phakathi kwabasebenzisi bomhlaba, urhulumente nabaphandi. Ekugqibeleni, isahluko sesi-5 sisebenzisa isakhelo se-morphogenetic ukuvavanya indlela isakhono sabantu kunye nemibutho sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi babo ibe nefuthe ekusebenzeni kwamanyathelo olawulo ngokubambisana kumazantsi e-Afrika. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba kwiinzame zokutshintsha ulawulo ukuze lusebenze kangangoko, ingqwalasela engaphezulu kufuneka ibekwe ekwakheni isakhono, somntu neseqela, sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi babo. Ngokusekelwe kwiziphumo ezivela kwizahluko zobungqina, uphononongo luchonge imiba emithathu engundoqo ekugxilwe kuzo ezifuna ingqwalaselo ethe kratya ukuze kwakhiwe ulawulo lwemihlaba olusebenzayo kumazantsi e-Afrika. Ngokukodwa: (i) ukuqaphela indima yelifa lembali kunye nomxholo (ii) ukwakha nokuphuhlisa isakhono v sokwenza ukhetho kunye nezigqibo malunga nobomi, isakhono kunye nokuthembana phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba kunye (iii) nokuphuhliswa kweendlela ezizinzileyo zenkxaso-mali yendawo eziya kwenza ukuba iinkqubo zolawulo zinike iziphumo ezizinzileyo ngokwentlalo nendalo. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
- Full Text:
Biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods across four nature reserves in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: Striving towards a balance between livelihoods and conservation
- Authors: Angwenyi, Daniel
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: National parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural population -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/138551 , vital:37649
- Description: The realisation that biodiversity is being lost at alarming rates, and that intact ecosystems are essential for ecological functioning and sustenance of human life, has led to biodiversity taking centre stage in national and international agencies’ environmental talks agendas. Protected areas are viable option to stem biodiversity loss. However, the establishment of protected areas might have negative impacts on communities living adjacent to them, leading to poor relations and frequent conflicts between these communities and the managers of protected areas. The Eastern Cape Province has twenty-one nature reserves and three national parks. Since the province is rural, the assumption was likelihood that households in the province depended on natural resources, specifically non-timber forest products for their day-to-day needs. Therefore, it was hypothesised that conserving natural resources, was likely to negatively impact on the livelihoods of most households adjacent to these areas, which in turn would influence their perceptions towards these resources and eventually the effectiveness of conservation efforts. This study aimed at examining the relationship between biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, focusing on four nature reserves – Tsolwana, Hluleka, Mkambati and Great Fish River. The objectives of the study were to: I I. Compare the vegetation productivity inside and outside, as well as land cover change in four nature reserves, as an indicator of conservation effectiveness. II II. Evaluate the relationship between biodiversity conservation and livelihoods in four nature reserves. III III. Evaluate how people’s expectations of nature reserves and perceptions towards nature reserve influence their support of conservation activities. Four hundred semi-structured questionnaires were administered to household heads of communities living at various distances from the four nature reserves, using a gradient design (based on distance). The motive of using distance was to assess whether livelihood status varied with distance from the nature reserves, since data on livelihood before the reserves’ establishment could not be obtained. Through a questionnaire survey, data on demographic information, livelihood assets, livelihood activities, livelihood strategies, livelihood trends, and impacts of the reserves on local communities were gathered. Focus group interviews were also conducted to complement the household surveys. A chi-square test was used to test if there was a relationship between distance from the reserves’ boundaries and local communities’ state of livelihoods. NVivo was used to analyse qualitative data Themes substantiated using literature. The study finds that the reserves did not have any impact on livelihood assets because most households in the study area did not directly depend on the resources found in the reserves. These households depended mostly on government grants and remittances from relatives working in other areas in the country. The reserves, however, supplied some goods and services to local communities, including meat, jobs, water, building materials, security from wild animals, education, skills development, and recreation. There were also a number of negative impacts associated with the reserves including resource use restrictions, harassment by reserves management, killing of domestic animals, and attacks on humans by wild animals escaping from the reserve. The majority (60%) of locals had substantive knowledge of the reserves’ role because of this awareness, 79% were supportive of reserves. However, there were mixed views by locals on the best way to manage these reserves. The most dominant view was that natural resources should be preserved for future generations, while meeting the current generation’s livelihood needs. Other lesser views included that the reserves’ management should involve locals in the management structures, either as active members or through consultation. Similarly, there were people feeling that the reserve is an obstacle to their livelihoods and should be closed and the land returned to the rightful owners. The vegetation productivity was better inside as compared to the outside the reserves. This activity also improved in the sixteen (16) years under assessment. This imply that the ecological functionality of the reserves is better than the surrounding areas and is improving with time. The research recommended that local communities could be an asset in conservation since most of them were in favour of the reserves. This, however, will need reserve managers to form workable partnerships with these communities, where the rights and responsibilities for both parties are defined. Besides these partnerships, lease agreements between local communities and reserves management to enhance benefits to the communities could encourage local communities to take pride in the natural resources within the reserves. This will ultimately becoming stewards to these resources. Development of tourism infrastructure such as curio shops and convenience stores to enhance livelihood opportunities could also help. For the local communities to be well represented it is important that the committees representing them in the various reserve matters be expanded and democratically elected. Where necessary, community awareness programmes on the importance of the reserves and the roles of local communities should be implemented.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Angwenyi, Daniel
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: National parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural population -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/138551 , vital:37649
- Description: The realisation that biodiversity is being lost at alarming rates, and that intact ecosystems are essential for ecological functioning and sustenance of human life, has led to biodiversity taking centre stage in national and international agencies’ environmental talks agendas. Protected areas are viable option to stem biodiversity loss. However, the establishment of protected areas might have negative impacts on communities living adjacent to them, leading to poor relations and frequent conflicts between these communities and the managers of protected areas. The Eastern Cape Province has twenty-one nature reserves and three national parks. Since the province is rural, the assumption was likelihood that households in the province depended on natural resources, specifically non-timber forest products for their day-to-day needs. Therefore, it was hypothesised that conserving natural resources, was likely to negatively impact on the livelihoods of most households adjacent to these areas, which in turn would influence their perceptions towards these resources and eventually the effectiveness of conservation efforts. This study aimed at examining the relationship between biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, focusing on four nature reserves – Tsolwana, Hluleka, Mkambati and Great Fish River. The objectives of the study were to: I I. Compare the vegetation productivity inside and outside, as well as land cover change in four nature reserves, as an indicator of conservation effectiveness. II II. Evaluate the relationship between biodiversity conservation and livelihoods in four nature reserves. III III. Evaluate how people’s expectations of nature reserves and perceptions towards nature reserve influence their support of conservation activities. Four hundred semi-structured questionnaires were administered to household heads of communities living at various distances from the four nature reserves, using a gradient design (based on distance). The motive of using distance was to assess whether livelihood status varied with distance from the nature reserves, since data on livelihood before the reserves’ establishment could not be obtained. Through a questionnaire survey, data on demographic information, livelihood assets, livelihood activities, livelihood strategies, livelihood trends, and impacts of the reserves on local communities were gathered. Focus group interviews were also conducted to complement the household surveys. A chi-square test was used to test if there was a relationship between distance from the reserves’ boundaries and local communities’ state of livelihoods. NVivo was used to analyse qualitative data Themes substantiated using literature. The study finds that the reserves did not have any impact on livelihood assets because most households in the study area did not directly depend on the resources found in the reserves. These households depended mostly on government grants and remittances from relatives working in other areas in the country. The reserves, however, supplied some goods and services to local communities, including meat, jobs, water, building materials, security from wild animals, education, skills development, and recreation. There were also a number of negative impacts associated with the reserves including resource use restrictions, harassment by reserves management, killing of domestic animals, and attacks on humans by wild animals escaping from the reserve. The majority (60%) of locals had substantive knowledge of the reserves’ role because of this awareness, 79% were supportive of reserves. However, there were mixed views by locals on the best way to manage these reserves. The most dominant view was that natural resources should be preserved for future generations, while meeting the current generation’s livelihood needs. Other lesser views included that the reserves’ management should involve locals in the management structures, either as active members or through consultation. Similarly, there were people feeling that the reserve is an obstacle to their livelihoods and should be closed and the land returned to the rightful owners. The vegetation productivity was better inside as compared to the outside the reserves. This activity also improved in the sixteen (16) years under assessment. This imply that the ecological functionality of the reserves is better than the surrounding areas and is improving with time. The research recommended that local communities could be an asset in conservation since most of them were in favour of the reserves. This, however, will need reserve managers to form workable partnerships with these communities, where the rights and responsibilities for both parties are defined. Besides these partnerships, lease agreements between local communities and reserves management to enhance benefits to the communities could encourage local communities to take pride in the natural resources within the reserves. This will ultimately becoming stewards to these resources. Development of tourism infrastructure such as curio shops and convenience stores to enhance livelihood opportunities could also help. For the local communities to be well represented it is important that the committees representing them in the various reserve matters be expanded and democratically elected. Where necessary, community awareness programmes on the importance of the reserves and the roles of local communities should be implemented.
- Full Text:
Unpacking the link between adaptive capacity, assets and responses of rural livelihoods facing multiple stressors in the Eastern Cape
- Dalu, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Authors: Dalu, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , Ph.D
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/147103 , vital:38593 , doi:10.21504/10962/147103
- Description: Thesis (PhD.)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2020.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dalu, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Doctoral , Ph.D
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/147103 , vital:38593 , doi:10.21504/10962/147103
- Description: Thesis (PhD.)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2020.
- Full Text:
Ecosystem services in a biosphere reserve context: identification, mapping and valuation
- Authors: Ntshane, Basane Claire
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4536 , vital:20686
- Description: Despite their contribution to human well-being, ecosystem services (ES) are being destroyed by anthropogenic activities, taken for granted and often compromised during land use decision making. The question that often arises is, what value do ES have compared to other undertakings that are economically robust, such as mining? The vision of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was a world in which natural assets (including ES) are appreciated and integrated into decision-making. The biodiversity strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also concerns the integration of natural assets into decision making. Responding to challenges facing ES and their mainstreaming into decision-making has been constrained by lack of data and requires new tools and approaches. Integrating natural assets into decision-making is very important for South Africa (SA), where ES have been a crucial part of human systems for decades, and also because of the country’s commitment to the implementation of the CBD's biodiversity strategy. With the aim of incorporating ES into decision-making in an integrated way, this study was conducted in two biosphere reserves (BRs), Vhembe and Waterberg, in Limpopo Province, SA. The aims of the study were the identification, mapping and valuation of ES following an integrated approach. In order to achieve these aims, the study attempted to address four key objectives: (1) to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, (2) to identify and quantify ES and their indicators, (3) to investigate and analyse the impact of land use/cover (LU/LC) change to ES and (4) to conduct valuation of selected ES. Two separate literature reviews were undertaken to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, thus addressing study objective 1. Both reviews detected a significant research gap with regard to mapping and valuation of supporting services in SA. To identify ES and indicators provided by the two BRs and to assess the impact of LU/LC change and its effect on ES, a participatory scenario planning process was conducted under three different scenarios, namely ecological development, social development and economic development. It became clear that LU issues were diverse in nature and affected ES in a number of ways and that there were always trade-offs in the choice of LU. For example, yields of ES were best in the ecological development scenario and were affected negatively, together with agricultural commodity production, in the social development and economic development scenarios. A mapping exercise was undertaken to illustrate the spatial distribution of ES supply and demand, involving five ES and 15 indicators using existing datasets and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) mapping tool, again addressing objective 2 of the study. Carbon storage and habitat quality were assessed, modelled and quantified and their values provided in biophysical terms using InVEST modelling tools, thus addressing objective 4 of the study. High quantities of carbon storage and high habitat quality were recorded in natural areas and low quantities were recorded in managed systems (cultivated, urban and plantation areas). InVEST was again applied to conduct an economic valuation of two provisioning ES, timber and firewood, by determining their net present values, attempting to address objective 4 of the study. Results revealed that, at 12% discount rate, the net present value (NPV) for timber production accounted for R23 317/ha in VBR and R57 304/ha in WBR. However, at lower discount rates (4 and 7%), the NPVs for timber were negative in VBR and positive in WBR. With regard to firewood production, the NPVs were negative against all three discount rates in both study areas. I conclude by proposing a four-step integrated approach that can aid the successful incorporation of ES into decision-making: (1) maintain a balance between the social, economic and ecological aspects when making decisions on ES, (2) strive for an evidence- based approach to decision-making (use quantities and values), (3) apply integrated approaches (methods and techniques) to quantification and valuation, and (4) communicate all steps along the way. The results of this study will serve as a baseline for integration of ES into decision-making in SA.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ntshane, Basane Claire
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4536 , vital:20686
- Description: Despite their contribution to human well-being, ecosystem services (ES) are being destroyed by anthropogenic activities, taken for granted and often compromised during land use decision making. The question that often arises is, what value do ES have compared to other undertakings that are economically robust, such as mining? The vision of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was a world in which natural assets (including ES) are appreciated and integrated into decision-making. The biodiversity strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also concerns the integration of natural assets into decision making. Responding to challenges facing ES and their mainstreaming into decision-making has been constrained by lack of data and requires new tools and approaches. Integrating natural assets into decision-making is very important for South Africa (SA), where ES have been a crucial part of human systems for decades, and also because of the country’s commitment to the implementation of the CBD's biodiversity strategy. With the aim of incorporating ES into decision-making in an integrated way, this study was conducted in two biosphere reserves (BRs), Vhembe and Waterberg, in Limpopo Province, SA. The aims of the study were the identification, mapping and valuation of ES following an integrated approach. In order to achieve these aims, the study attempted to address four key objectives: (1) to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, (2) to identify and quantify ES and their indicators, (3) to investigate and analyse the impact of land use/cover (LU/LC) change to ES and (4) to conduct valuation of selected ES. Two separate literature reviews were undertaken to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, thus addressing study objective 1. Both reviews detected a significant research gap with regard to mapping and valuation of supporting services in SA. To identify ES and indicators provided by the two BRs and to assess the impact of LU/LC change and its effect on ES, a participatory scenario planning process was conducted under three different scenarios, namely ecological development, social development and economic development. It became clear that LU issues were diverse in nature and affected ES in a number of ways and that there were always trade-offs in the choice of LU. For example, yields of ES were best in the ecological development scenario and were affected negatively, together with agricultural commodity production, in the social development and economic development scenarios. A mapping exercise was undertaken to illustrate the spatial distribution of ES supply and demand, involving five ES and 15 indicators using existing datasets and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) mapping tool, again addressing objective 2 of the study. Carbon storage and habitat quality were assessed, modelled and quantified and their values provided in biophysical terms using InVEST modelling tools, thus addressing objective 4 of the study. High quantities of carbon storage and high habitat quality were recorded in natural areas and low quantities were recorded in managed systems (cultivated, urban and plantation areas). InVEST was again applied to conduct an economic valuation of two provisioning ES, timber and firewood, by determining their net present values, attempting to address objective 4 of the study. Results revealed that, at 12% discount rate, the net present value (NPV) for timber production accounted for R23 317/ha in VBR and R57 304/ha in WBR. However, at lower discount rates (4 and 7%), the NPVs for timber were negative in VBR and positive in WBR. With regard to firewood production, the NPVs were negative against all three discount rates in both study areas. I conclude by proposing a four-step integrated approach that can aid the successful incorporation of ES into decision-making: (1) maintain a balance between the social, economic and ecological aspects when making decisions on ES, (2) strive for an evidence- based approach to decision-making (use quantities and values), (3) apply integrated approaches (methods and techniques) to quantification and valuation, and (4) communicate all steps along the way. The results of this study will serve as a baseline for integration of ES into decision-making in SA.
- Full Text:
Forest governance, conservation and livelihoods: the case of forest protected areas and local communities in north-western Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mutekwa, Vurayai
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7396 , vital:21254
- Description: Forest protected areas (FPAs) constitute one of the main strategies for achieving the triple benefits of biodiversity conservation, livelihoods sustenance and climate regulation. The quality of FPA governance plays a major role in the achievement of these conservation objectives. Governance encompasses policies, institutions, actors, processes and power and how they interplay to determine conservation outcomes. Currently, no research has systematically explored the historical and contemporary governance of Zimbabwe’s protected indigenous forests and its implications on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods. This is despite the fact that improving forest governance depends on learning from those that prevailed in the past as well as those currently obtaining on the ground in terms of how they have performed in relation to conservation and livelihood sustenance. This study assessed Zimbabwe’s historical and contemporary FPA governance and its implications on social and ecological outcomes. The overall rationale of the study was to provide evidence of the impact of past governance arrangements on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods, improve understanding of the current governance arrangements and propose future FPA governance strategies and mechanisms to enhance conservation and local communities’ livelihood outcomes. Accordingly, the specific objectives of the study were to: 1) characterize and collate historical governance of FPAs in western Zimbabwe, 2) evaluate the impact of governance on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods, 3) explore the nature of contemporary governance at the forest level, and 4) propose the governance model for Zimbabwe’s FPAs into the future. The study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods including the systematic literature review methodology. Using specific case studies of indigenous FPAs in western Zimbabwe as examples, the study initially evaluated through literature review (Chapter 2) the history of forest governance in Zimbabwe showing how four main powers (force, regulation, market and legitimation) led to different types of local community exclusion and how community agency countered exclusion especially from the year 2000 to date. Chapter 3 uses six case study forests to assess the quality of historical FPA governance by analyzing the application of seven governance principles. The results showed that the quality of governance was high during precolonial times, deteriorated with the inception of colonialism and remained poor after independence in 1980. Forest condition also varied in tandem with the quality of governance variations showing a positive relationship between the two variables. Participation in decision making, fairness in sharing benefits and effective rule enforcement emerged as key principles for FPA authorities to earn local community support and improve forest condition. Chapter 4 employed remote sensing techniques to determine the impact of governance on FPA land cover change by comparing FPAs with in situ and ex situ inhabitants. Results revealed that there was a significant relationship between governance quality and land cover change. FPAs with in situ inhabitants experienced higher forest loss than those with ex situ inhabitants. Poor governance accelerated forest conversion to other land uses particularly agriculture and settlement. Chapter 5 explored contemporary FPA governance at the forest level. Results showed that human agency that led to the invasion of FPAs from the year 2000 onwards disrupted the governance arrangements that were previously in place subjecting Zimbabwe’s FPAs to near open access by local communities and other actors. The FPAs’ contemporary governance is characterized by involvement of multiple actors with diverse interests, lack of Forestry Commission legitimacy, very low levels of local people’s participation in decision making and rule enforcement, lack of compliance with FPA rules and actual benefits that do not match local communities’ expectations. Overall, the study has revealed the ineffectiveness of the conventional centralized FPA governance in achieving positive conservation and local communities’ livelihoods outcomes. The study recommended a shift from conventional centralized governance to pro-people adaptive collaborative management (ACM). This has the potential to address most of the governance ills affecting Zimbabwe’s FPAs if it is designed and implemented with the full commitment of all relevant actors. This governance approach should, however, avoid some of the pitfalls such as elite capture, corruption in benefit sharing, gender inequality and technocratic professional management approaches that have characterized some collaborative governance systems in developing countries further perpetuating marginalization and poverty amongst local communities. Forestry Commission must also exercise visionary leadership and motivation. ACM becomes possible through leadership, vision, establishment and maintenance of links through culture and management and high levels of motivation. Designing and implementing ACM avoiding the highlighted pitfalls improves the capacity of the FPAs to continue providing social and ecological benefits such as improvement of local communities’ livelihoods, biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mutekwa, Vurayai
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7396 , vital:21254
- Description: Forest protected areas (FPAs) constitute one of the main strategies for achieving the triple benefits of biodiversity conservation, livelihoods sustenance and climate regulation. The quality of FPA governance plays a major role in the achievement of these conservation objectives. Governance encompasses policies, institutions, actors, processes and power and how they interplay to determine conservation outcomes. Currently, no research has systematically explored the historical and contemporary governance of Zimbabwe’s protected indigenous forests and its implications on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods. This is despite the fact that improving forest governance depends on learning from those that prevailed in the past as well as those currently obtaining on the ground in terms of how they have performed in relation to conservation and livelihood sustenance. This study assessed Zimbabwe’s historical and contemporary FPA governance and its implications on social and ecological outcomes. The overall rationale of the study was to provide evidence of the impact of past governance arrangements on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods, improve understanding of the current governance arrangements and propose future FPA governance strategies and mechanisms to enhance conservation and local communities’ livelihood outcomes. Accordingly, the specific objectives of the study were to: 1) characterize and collate historical governance of FPAs in western Zimbabwe, 2) evaluate the impact of governance on forest condition and local communities’ livelihoods, 3) explore the nature of contemporary governance at the forest level, and 4) propose the governance model for Zimbabwe’s FPAs into the future. The study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods including the systematic literature review methodology. Using specific case studies of indigenous FPAs in western Zimbabwe as examples, the study initially evaluated through literature review (Chapter 2) the history of forest governance in Zimbabwe showing how four main powers (force, regulation, market and legitimation) led to different types of local community exclusion and how community agency countered exclusion especially from the year 2000 to date. Chapter 3 uses six case study forests to assess the quality of historical FPA governance by analyzing the application of seven governance principles. The results showed that the quality of governance was high during precolonial times, deteriorated with the inception of colonialism and remained poor after independence in 1980. Forest condition also varied in tandem with the quality of governance variations showing a positive relationship between the two variables. Participation in decision making, fairness in sharing benefits and effective rule enforcement emerged as key principles for FPA authorities to earn local community support and improve forest condition. Chapter 4 employed remote sensing techniques to determine the impact of governance on FPA land cover change by comparing FPAs with in situ and ex situ inhabitants. Results revealed that there was a significant relationship between governance quality and land cover change. FPAs with in situ inhabitants experienced higher forest loss than those with ex situ inhabitants. Poor governance accelerated forest conversion to other land uses particularly agriculture and settlement. Chapter 5 explored contemporary FPA governance at the forest level. Results showed that human agency that led to the invasion of FPAs from the year 2000 onwards disrupted the governance arrangements that were previously in place subjecting Zimbabwe’s FPAs to near open access by local communities and other actors. The FPAs’ contemporary governance is characterized by involvement of multiple actors with diverse interests, lack of Forestry Commission legitimacy, very low levels of local people’s participation in decision making and rule enforcement, lack of compliance with FPA rules and actual benefits that do not match local communities’ expectations. Overall, the study has revealed the ineffectiveness of the conventional centralized FPA governance in achieving positive conservation and local communities’ livelihoods outcomes. The study recommended a shift from conventional centralized governance to pro-people adaptive collaborative management (ACM). This has the potential to address most of the governance ills affecting Zimbabwe’s FPAs if it is designed and implemented with the full commitment of all relevant actors. This governance approach should, however, avoid some of the pitfalls such as elite capture, corruption in benefit sharing, gender inequality and technocratic professional management approaches that have characterized some collaborative governance systems in developing countries further perpetuating marginalization and poverty amongst local communities. Forestry Commission must also exercise visionary leadership and motivation. ACM becomes possible through leadership, vision, establishment and maintenance of links through culture and management and high levels of motivation. Designing and implementing ACM avoiding the highlighted pitfalls improves the capacity of the FPAs to continue providing social and ecological benefits such as improvement of local communities’ livelihoods, biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation.
- Full Text:
How do social and personal identity, sense of place, connectedness to nature and environmental understanding influence the implementation of collective, large-scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives in South Africa?
- Authors: Potts, Tracey Ann
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3663 , vital:20534
- Description: Biodiversity stewardship is a mechanism that is used to conserve high value biodiversity assets. Biodiversity stewardship programmes focus on areas that are under immediate threat from development or under medium to long term threat from degradation or transformation that will result in habitat loss. Biodiversity stewardship provides a solution to the resource crisis being faced by many state and provincial conservation agencies, NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisations) and PBO’s (Public Benefit Organisations) in that it facilitates the declaration, and the subsequent improved conservation management, of private or communally owned land whilst still retaining the existing tenure. The rate of habitat loss can often be slowed, or even reversed, by proactively securing these areas and facilitating management decision-making with a focus on biodiversity outcomes without the capital investment required by the State to purchase the land. In return for conservation management actions, certain land-use restrictions and the associated opportunity costs, the State offers a suite of incentives and benefits that are, where possible, tailored to meet the needs of the landowner. Particular regions of South Africa lend themselves well to the development of biodiversity stewardship initiatives which are designed to secure ecological processes and ecosystems across a landscape or an ecological feature at scales of tens of thousands of hectares. When developing landscape level biodiversity stewardship initiatives, negotiations tend to be focussed on groups of landowners. This requires collaboration and the collective alignment of natural resource management decision-making and conservation actions amongst neighbours. Gaining a better understanding of how the social constructs of ecological understanding, place attachment, connectedness to nature, occupational identity and social and personal identity influence decision-making, behaviour and group structure is a critically important factor when developing a tool to predict the likelihood of landowners to collectively commit to long-term, legally binding biodiversity stewardship programmes. The overarching hypothesis was that the social constructs listed above influence group dynamics within the context of collective pro-conservation behaviour. Social dynamics associated with large-scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives become complex when multiple landowners are involved. Could social cohesion and group culture be influenced by aspects of identity and do these in turn develop into barriers or motivators to coordinated and sustained conservation efforts? Further influences on the successful implementation of landscape scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives could include ecological understanding, connectedness to nature and place attachment. Structured interviews were held with the landowners engaged in two separate large-scale biodiversity stewardship sites, the Compassberg Protected Environment and the Baviaanskloof Hartland, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The interviews were followed up with surveys containing psychometric scales related to the influence of ecological understanding, place attachment, connectedness to nature and aspects of identity on commitment to collective long-term, large-scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives. The results from a set of non-parametric (exact) Wilcoxon rank-sum tests showed that scores on the new ecological paradigm scale and the place attachment scale latent variables were significantly different at the two study sites, at the 10% level of significance. Demographic differences between the two study sites influenced group dynamics, collective decision-making and commitment. The relationship between the latent variables (the five psychometric scales measured) and the ancillary variables (the demographic data describing the respondents) cannot be considered conclusive; however they do provide relatively useful insights into the development of a scale or tool to measure conservation opportunity. The thesis concludes with a proposed conservation opportunity assessment tool that can be utilised alongside the existing, well refined, conservation priority assessment tools to assist in decision-making when planning large, landscape scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Potts, Tracey Ann
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3663 , vital:20534
- Description: Biodiversity stewardship is a mechanism that is used to conserve high value biodiversity assets. Biodiversity stewardship programmes focus on areas that are under immediate threat from development or under medium to long term threat from degradation or transformation that will result in habitat loss. Biodiversity stewardship provides a solution to the resource crisis being faced by many state and provincial conservation agencies, NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisations) and PBO’s (Public Benefit Organisations) in that it facilitates the declaration, and the subsequent improved conservation management, of private or communally owned land whilst still retaining the existing tenure. The rate of habitat loss can often be slowed, or even reversed, by proactively securing these areas and facilitating management decision-making with a focus on biodiversity outcomes without the capital investment required by the State to purchase the land. In return for conservation management actions, certain land-use restrictions and the associated opportunity costs, the State offers a suite of incentives and benefits that are, where possible, tailored to meet the needs of the landowner. Particular regions of South Africa lend themselves well to the development of biodiversity stewardship initiatives which are designed to secure ecological processes and ecosystems across a landscape or an ecological feature at scales of tens of thousands of hectares. When developing landscape level biodiversity stewardship initiatives, negotiations tend to be focussed on groups of landowners. This requires collaboration and the collective alignment of natural resource management decision-making and conservation actions amongst neighbours. Gaining a better understanding of how the social constructs of ecological understanding, place attachment, connectedness to nature, occupational identity and social and personal identity influence decision-making, behaviour and group structure is a critically important factor when developing a tool to predict the likelihood of landowners to collectively commit to long-term, legally binding biodiversity stewardship programmes. The overarching hypothesis was that the social constructs listed above influence group dynamics within the context of collective pro-conservation behaviour. Social dynamics associated with large-scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives become complex when multiple landowners are involved. Could social cohesion and group culture be influenced by aspects of identity and do these in turn develop into barriers or motivators to coordinated and sustained conservation efforts? Further influences on the successful implementation of landscape scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives could include ecological understanding, connectedness to nature and place attachment. Structured interviews were held with the landowners engaged in two separate large-scale biodiversity stewardship sites, the Compassberg Protected Environment and the Baviaanskloof Hartland, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The interviews were followed up with surveys containing psychometric scales related to the influence of ecological understanding, place attachment, connectedness to nature and aspects of identity on commitment to collective long-term, large-scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives. The results from a set of non-parametric (exact) Wilcoxon rank-sum tests showed that scores on the new ecological paradigm scale and the place attachment scale latent variables were significantly different at the two study sites, at the 10% level of significance. Demographic differences between the two study sites influenced group dynamics, collective decision-making and commitment. The relationship between the latent variables (the five psychometric scales measured) and the ancillary variables (the demographic data describing the respondents) cannot be considered conclusive; however they do provide relatively useful insights into the development of a scale or tool to measure conservation opportunity. The thesis concludes with a proposed conservation opportunity assessment tool that can be utilised alongside the existing, well refined, conservation priority assessment tools to assist in decision-making when planning large, landscape scale biodiversity stewardship initiatives in South Africa.
- Full Text:
Potential benefits and experienced challenges of small household biogas-digesters for rural households
- Authors: Langley, Kyle Anthony
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4789 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021268
- Description: Access to renewable energy supplies is a critical foundation for sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Anaerobic biogas-digesters also referred to as bio-digesters, have been identified as one of the leading technologies with regards to assisting in improving energy access for remote rural areas that still remain dependent upon biomass usage. This thesis assesses the potential feasibility of bio-digesters for rural households in South Africa by focusing on the experiences of a remote and rural community in Eastern Cape. A standardised survey was used to capture household details and energy use patterns of households with 180 interviews being conducted. Field observations were also conducted on the five bio-digesters installed in the community over a three month period. Despite the predominance of electrification in the community, households were heavily reliant upon biomass in the form of fuelwood and cattle dung to supplement their energy needs. Households supplemented their energy usage with alternative energy sources such as LPG gas and paraffin, especially during periods when electricity was unavailable or deemed too expensive. Initial knowledge of bio-digester technology in the community was non-existent, however with the installation of bio-digesters within the targeted villages, social learning was observed. Despite low temperatures bio-digesters continued to function throughout the study period, though malfunctions did occur and gas production did not reach optimal levels. Primary challenges encountered were the lack of financial subsidies for wide-spread adoption; the limited technical capacity of the community to conduct repairs and minimal gas production due to a build-up of ligneous materials within the gas chamber of the bio-digesters. Bio-digesters were found to provide significant benefits for households and further studies into maximising their effectiveness for rural South African households are recommended.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Langley, Kyle Anthony
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4789 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021268
- Description: Access to renewable energy supplies is a critical foundation for sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Anaerobic biogas-digesters also referred to as bio-digesters, have been identified as one of the leading technologies with regards to assisting in improving energy access for remote rural areas that still remain dependent upon biomass usage. This thesis assesses the potential feasibility of bio-digesters for rural households in South Africa by focusing on the experiences of a remote and rural community in Eastern Cape. A standardised survey was used to capture household details and energy use patterns of households with 180 interviews being conducted. Field observations were also conducted on the five bio-digesters installed in the community over a three month period. Despite the predominance of electrification in the community, households were heavily reliant upon biomass in the form of fuelwood and cattle dung to supplement their energy needs. Households supplemented their energy usage with alternative energy sources such as LPG gas and paraffin, especially during periods when electricity was unavailable or deemed too expensive. Initial knowledge of bio-digester technology in the community was non-existent, however with the installation of bio-digesters within the targeted villages, social learning was observed. Despite low temperatures bio-digesters continued to function throughout the study period, though malfunctions did occur and gas production did not reach optimal levels. Primary challenges encountered were the lack of financial subsidies for wide-spread adoption; the limited technical capacity of the community to conduct repairs and minimal gas production due to a build-up of ligneous materials within the gas chamber of the bio-digesters. Bio-digesters were found to provide significant benefits for households and further studies into maximising their effectiveness for rural South African households are recommended.
- Full Text:
Governance and management of urban trees and green spaces in South Africa: ensuring benefits to local people and the environment
- Authors: Chishaleshale, Mwale
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Trees in cities -- South Africa , Urban forestry -- South Africa , Community forestry -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Biology -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Natural resources -- South Africa , Trees in cities -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4739 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006035 , Trees in cities -- South Africa , Urban forestry -- South Africa , Community forestry -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Biology -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Natural resources -- South Africa , Trees in cities -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Description: In the face of rapid urbanization and global climate change, urban trees and green spaces (UTGS) can contribute to the welfare of people and the urban environment. Urban trees and green spaces can assist to address urbanization challenges related to environmental degradation. While functions of UTGS have been well documented in the developed world, they have not yet received full attention in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, UTGS are under threat from urban development and fragmentation. Notably, the problems associated with UTGS also fall into the governance realm and indications are that poor governance and management of UTGS can negatively influence the potential benefits of UTGS to local people and the environment. This formed a basis for this research. The main objective of the study was to determine the current governance and management approaches to UTGS in South Africa. Through document search and review, the study determined the governance institutions influencing UTGS at national level and at provincial level (in the Limpopo and Eastern Cape Provinces). Face-to-face and online survey methods were used to determine the extent to which 28 local municipalities had adopted planned, systematic and integrated management of UTGS. The snowball approach was used to determine the key actors involved in UTGS activities and interviews were conducted to establish the roles and capabilities of these actors. A total of 540 household interviews were conducted to determine the institutional factors influencing local peoples’ ability to access, plant and use UTGS. The findings of the study showed that UTGS have not been adequately covered in existing governance institutions and practice at national and provincial levels. Local government municipalities were not managing their UTGS in a planned or systematic manner due to constraining factors such as insufficient funds, insufficient personnel, lack of equipment and lack of political support. Only 7.1 % of the surveyed municipalities had an urban tree management plan and an estimate of the urban tree stock; 32.1 % had tree policies; 28.6 % had tree bylaws; 21.4 % had tree planting schedules; 10.7 % had tree maintenance schedules and only 3.6 % had tree inspection schedules. Key actors involved in UTGS activities differed among levels of government. The actors included national and provincial government departments, local government municipalities, Non-Governmental Organizations, private sector companies and local volunteers. Most of the actors, however, either planted trees or provided tree seedlings to municipalities and the local people. Tenure security was a key institutional factor affecting peoples’ ability to plant, use or even remove trees from their residential plots. The same applied to trees in the streets and public parks. Whereas most respondents did not require permission to plant (79.8 %) or remove (75 %) trees on their residential plots, a majority of them required permission to plant and remove trees from streets (over 70 %) and public parks (over 80 %). However, with regard to planting and removing urban trees in public open spaces, 54% of the respondents indicated that permission was not required suggesting a lack of clarity among local residents on the issue. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that there is no political recognition and support for UTGS at almost all levels of government. This has resulted in the lack of incorporation of UTGS in urban planning and development and has caused UTGS to receive limited funding to permit planned and systematic management. Given the current rates of urbanization and urban development, the lowly prioritised UTGS are vulnerable to exploitation. To conserve UTGS and promote their potential contribution to local people and the environment, UTGS must be recognized and placed on political and development agendas. There is a need to develop national guidelines for UTGS management, assess the extent of the urban forest resource in local municipalities, clearly define the roles and capabilities of different actors, integrate UTGS in the urban planning and development system, and most of all seek to involve the local people in overall management and governance of UTGS.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Chishaleshale, Mwale
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Trees in cities -- South Africa , Urban forestry -- South Africa , Community forestry -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Biology -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Natural resources -- South Africa , Trees in cities -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4739 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006035 , Trees in cities -- South Africa , Urban forestry -- South Africa , Community forestry -- South Africa , City planning -- South Africa , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Biology -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Natural resources -- South Africa , Trees in cities -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Description: In the face of rapid urbanization and global climate change, urban trees and green spaces (UTGS) can contribute to the welfare of people and the urban environment. Urban trees and green spaces can assist to address urbanization challenges related to environmental degradation. While functions of UTGS have been well documented in the developed world, they have not yet received full attention in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, UTGS are under threat from urban development and fragmentation. Notably, the problems associated with UTGS also fall into the governance realm and indications are that poor governance and management of UTGS can negatively influence the potential benefits of UTGS to local people and the environment. This formed a basis for this research. The main objective of the study was to determine the current governance and management approaches to UTGS in South Africa. Through document search and review, the study determined the governance institutions influencing UTGS at national level and at provincial level (in the Limpopo and Eastern Cape Provinces). Face-to-face and online survey methods were used to determine the extent to which 28 local municipalities had adopted planned, systematic and integrated management of UTGS. The snowball approach was used to determine the key actors involved in UTGS activities and interviews were conducted to establish the roles and capabilities of these actors. A total of 540 household interviews were conducted to determine the institutional factors influencing local peoples’ ability to access, plant and use UTGS. The findings of the study showed that UTGS have not been adequately covered in existing governance institutions and practice at national and provincial levels. Local government municipalities were not managing their UTGS in a planned or systematic manner due to constraining factors such as insufficient funds, insufficient personnel, lack of equipment and lack of political support. Only 7.1 % of the surveyed municipalities had an urban tree management plan and an estimate of the urban tree stock; 32.1 % had tree policies; 28.6 % had tree bylaws; 21.4 % had tree planting schedules; 10.7 % had tree maintenance schedules and only 3.6 % had tree inspection schedules. Key actors involved in UTGS activities differed among levels of government. The actors included national and provincial government departments, local government municipalities, Non-Governmental Organizations, private sector companies and local volunteers. Most of the actors, however, either planted trees or provided tree seedlings to municipalities and the local people. Tenure security was a key institutional factor affecting peoples’ ability to plant, use or even remove trees from their residential plots. The same applied to trees in the streets and public parks. Whereas most respondents did not require permission to plant (79.8 %) or remove (75 %) trees on their residential plots, a majority of them required permission to plant and remove trees from streets (over 70 %) and public parks (over 80 %). However, with regard to planting and removing urban trees in public open spaces, 54% of the respondents indicated that permission was not required suggesting a lack of clarity among local residents on the issue. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that there is no political recognition and support for UTGS at almost all levels of government. This has resulted in the lack of incorporation of UTGS in urban planning and development and has caused UTGS to receive limited funding to permit planned and systematic management. Given the current rates of urbanization and urban development, the lowly prioritised UTGS are vulnerable to exploitation. To conserve UTGS and promote their potential contribution to local people and the environment, UTGS must be recognized and placed on political and development agendas. There is a need to develop national guidelines for UTGS management, assess the extent of the urban forest resource in local municipalities, clearly define the roles and capabilities of different actors, integrate UTGS in the urban planning and development system, and most of all seek to involve the local people in overall management and governance of UTGS.
- Full Text:
A case study of Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary as a community driven Community-Based Natural Resource Management initiative : maintaining livelihoods and wetland health
- Authors: Gosling, Amanda Karen
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- Uganda , Wetland ecology -- Uganda , Natural resources management areas -- Uganda , Rural development -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007065 , Wetland conservation -- Uganda , Wetland ecology -- Uganda , Natural resources management areas -- Uganda , Rural development -- Uganda
- Description: Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is considered a win-win approach to reconcile conservation with natural resource use. CBNRM aims to accomplish conservation whilst prioritising development and contributing to poverty alleviation. This study analysed the different components of a CBNRM initiative, Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary (BWS), located in western Uganda. The study was carried out by interviewing the managing committee members (n= 8) as well as local households (n= 68) regarding the manner in which the project works, and the associated benefits and constraints. The main management issues recognised were a lack of monitoring and committee cohesiveness. The information gathered through the household survey enabled the calculation of the value of local livelihood options. This was done on the premise that conservation is better accepted when land users realise the economic value of natural resources. The average annual value of household livelihoods was represented by 30% crop production, 57% natural resource use, and 13% livestock. Lastly, wetland assessments were performed using the WET-Health and WET-EcoServices methodologies from the Wetland Management Series. These assessments indicated that the impacts of local livelihoods on the wetland were currently low but potential issues could arise with the increasing human population density. Ultimately, BWS presents both environmental and social costs and benefits. With a detailed and interdisciplinary method specific recommendations of improvement can be made to reduce such costs and further reconcile the conservation of Bigodi Wetland with local natural resource use..
- Full Text:
- Authors: Gosling, Amanda Karen
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- Uganda , Wetland ecology -- Uganda , Natural resources management areas -- Uganda , Rural development -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007065 , Wetland conservation -- Uganda , Wetland ecology -- Uganda , Natural resources management areas -- Uganda , Rural development -- Uganda
- Description: Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is considered a win-win approach to reconcile conservation with natural resource use. CBNRM aims to accomplish conservation whilst prioritising development and contributing to poverty alleviation. This study analysed the different components of a CBNRM initiative, Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary (BWS), located in western Uganda. The study was carried out by interviewing the managing committee members (n= 8) as well as local households (n= 68) regarding the manner in which the project works, and the associated benefits and constraints. The main management issues recognised were a lack of monitoring and committee cohesiveness. The information gathered through the household survey enabled the calculation of the value of local livelihood options. This was done on the premise that conservation is better accepted when land users realise the economic value of natural resources. The average annual value of household livelihoods was represented by 30% crop production, 57% natural resource use, and 13% livestock. Lastly, wetland assessments were performed using the WET-Health and WET-EcoServices methodologies from the Wetland Management Series. These assessments indicated that the impacts of local livelihoods on the wetland were currently low but potential issues could arise with the increasing human population density. Ultimately, BWS presents both environmental and social costs and benefits. With a detailed and interdisciplinary method specific recommendations of improvement can be made to reduce such costs and further reconcile the conservation of Bigodi Wetland with local natural resource use..
- Full Text:
Opportunity and connectivity : selecting land managers for involvement in a conservation corridor linking two protected areas in the Langkloof Valley, South Africa
- Authors: McClure, Alice
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , National parks and reserves -- South Africa , Landscape ecology -- South Africa , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Land use -- South Africa -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4770 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007590 , Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , National parks and reserves -- South Africa , Landscape ecology -- South Africa , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Land use -- South Africa -- Planning
- Description: The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative aims to connect formally protected areas in a conservation corridor from the coastal area of the Eden District near Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa to the Addo National Elephant Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The corridor will incorporate government and privately owned land, and will be an attempt to maintain ecological processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. The Langkloof Valley lies between the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Area and the Tstitsikamma National Park; two formally protected areas that will be incorporated into the Eden To Addo Corridor. Spatial prioritization analyses allow conservation planners to select areas that should be targeted for conservation action based on a range of criteria. Historically, ecological criteria have been included mostly alone in spatial prioritization. Recently, the idea of ‘conservation opportunity’ has emerged in the field of conservation planning; the notion suggests that a range of different types of data should be included in processes to spatially prioritise for conservation. By including those data defined as ‘human’ and ‘social’ data into prioritising activities, the feasibility of conservation plans can be accounted for, but historically conservation planners have failed to do so. I conducted a literature review that demonstrated that although the importance of human and social data are acknowledged in the conservation planning literature, these data that define opportunity are rarely actually included in spatial prioritisation analyses. I then carried out a social assessment that allowed me to define the social and human context of our study area and, specifically, what stewardship instruments land managers in the Langkloof would be prepared to engage. We found that land managers were generally willing to engage, but lacked the financial capacity to adopt conservation methods. Using a subset of the social and human data that were collected in the social assessment, I trialled a new Decision Support Software to fuse those data with ecological data in a novel attempt to identify priority areas for conservation action based on ecological integrity and feasibility. We also scheduled (ranked) land managers to approach for conservation action with a focus on local champions and clusters of land managers displaying strong conservation characteristics. Two corridors were identified; a major corridor in the western region of the valley and a secondary corridor closer to the middle. The members of the Initiative have been briefed on the outcomes, which provided them an opportunity to provide feedback; it is hoped that the framework of this study can be used for planning future connections. The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative sent out a stewardship extension officer in February 2011 to approach those land managers areas that were identified. This planning exercise is a good demonstration of how, by collaborating effectively, academic conservation planners can contribute to supporting decision making by organizations that are implementing conservation action.
- Full Text:
- Authors: McClure, Alice
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , National parks and reserves -- South Africa , Landscape ecology -- South Africa , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Land use -- South Africa -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4770 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007590 , Corridors (Ecology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , National parks and reserves -- South Africa , Landscape ecology -- South Africa , Wildlife conservation -- South Africa , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Land use -- South Africa -- Planning
- Description: The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative aims to connect formally protected areas in a conservation corridor from the coastal area of the Eden District near Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa to the Addo National Elephant Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The corridor will incorporate government and privately owned land, and will be an attempt to maintain ecological processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. The Langkloof Valley lies between the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Area and the Tstitsikamma National Park; two formally protected areas that will be incorporated into the Eden To Addo Corridor. Spatial prioritization analyses allow conservation planners to select areas that should be targeted for conservation action based on a range of criteria. Historically, ecological criteria have been included mostly alone in spatial prioritization. Recently, the idea of ‘conservation opportunity’ has emerged in the field of conservation planning; the notion suggests that a range of different types of data should be included in processes to spatially prioritise for conservation. By including those data defined as ‘human’ and ‘social’ data into prioritising activities, the feasibility of conservation plans can be accounted for, but historically conservation planners have failed to do so. I conducted a literature review that demonstrated that although the importance of human and social data are acknowledged in the conservation planning literature, these data that define opportunity are rarely actually included in spatial prioritisation analyses. I then carried out a social assessment that allowed me to define the social and human context of our study area and, specifically, what stewardship instruments land managers in the Langkloof would be prepared to engage. We found that land managers were generally willing to engage, but lacked the financial capacity to adopt conservation methods. Using a subset of the social and human data that were collected in the social assessment, I trialled a new Decision Support Software to fuse those data with ecological data in a novel attempt to identify priority areas for conservation action based on ecological integrity and feasibility. We also scheduled (ranked) land managers to approach for conservation action with a focus on local champions and clusters of land managers displaying strong conservation characteristics. Two corridors were identified; a major corridor in the western region of the valley and a secondary corridor closer to the middle. The members of the Initiative have been briefed on the outcomes, which provided them an opportunity to provide feedback; it is hoped that the framework of this study can be used for planning future connections. The Eden To Addo Corridor Initiative sent out a stewardship extension officer in February 2011 to approach those land managers areas that were identified. This planning exercise is a good demonstration of how, by collaborating effectively, academic conservation planners can contribute to supporting decision making by organizations that are implementing conservation action.
- Full Text:
Population assessments of priority plant species used by local communities in and around three Wild Coast reserves, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Fearon, Joclyn Joe
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rare plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Population viability analysis , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4751 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007059 , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rare plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Population viability analysis , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The project was initiated by Eastern Cape Parks (ECP) as a request for the construction of inventories of priority species and their population levels inside three nature reserves on the Eastern Cape Wild Coast, South Africa, and to develop a strategic management plan to manage these natural resources in each reserve. Thirty key species were identified by local communities in and around Dwesa-Cwebe, Silaka and Mkambati Nature Reserves through community workshops. For forested areas belt transects of 100 m x 6 m where used. The basal circumference of key tree species within the belt transect was measured as well as the height of saplings (height < 150 m). Tree species were categorized based on densities, size class distribution (SCD) curves and values, and spatial grain. For grassland areas straight transects of 200 m long were used, along which ten 3 m x 3 m quadrates were placed at 20 m intervals. Within each grassland transect the height of herbs or tuft diameter of grasses was recorded and percentage cover estimated. Grassland species were categorized based on density, SCD curves and percentage cover. All species were placed into harvesting categories based on analysed ecological data that was collected in the field. Category 1 species were very rare or not found in the reserve and it was recommended that species be conserved and monitored. Category 2 species had low densities in the reserve indicating declining populations and was suggested that these be monitored and not harvested. Category 3 species had high densities and have potential for harvesting with strict limitations. Category 4 species were most abundant with very high densities and can be harvested within management guidelines. These categories were grouped further using social and ecological data such as harvesting risk, frequency of collection, use value and number of uses. This highlighted which species have conservation priority within each category and a decision can be made as to how intense or limited extraction should be. By incorporating GIS the distribution of each species was looked at and harvesting and non-harvesting zones established to determine where species can be extracted. Monitoring plans must consider the quantity of plant material collected, fire regimes, optimal harvesting rates and harvesting zones, and be able to pick up changes in populations. Also, it is important that the community be involved in conserving and monitoring these species. Adaptive monitoring and management must be used to steer harvesting practices in the Wild Coast reserves. This allows for the development of harvesting practices through ‘learning by doing’, and the evolution of good questions to guide monitoring decisions
- Full Text:
- Authors: Fearon, Joclyn Joe
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rare plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Population viability analysis , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4751 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007059 , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rare plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Population viability analysis , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The project was initiated by Eastern Cape Parks (ECP) as a request for the construction of inventories of priority species and their population levels inside three nature reserves on the Eastern Cape Wild Coast, South Africa, and to develop a strategic management plan to manage these natural resources in each reserve. Thirty key species were identified by local communities in and around Dwesa-Cwebe, Silaka and Mkambati Nature Reserves through community workshops. For forested areas belt transects of 100 m x 6 m where used. The basal circumference of key tree species within the belt transect was measured as well as the height of saplings (height < 150 m). Tree species were categorized based on densities, size class distribution (SCD) curves and values, and spatial grain. For grassland areas straight transects of 200 m long were used, along which ten 3 m x 3 m quadrates were placed at 20 m intervals. Within each grassland transect the height of herbs or tuft diameter of grasses was recorded and percentage cover estimated. Grassland species were categorized based on density, SCD curves and percentage cover. All species were placed into harvesting categories based on analysed ecological data that was collected in the field. Category 1 species were very rare or not found in the reserve and it was recommended that species be conserved and monitored. Category 2 species had low densities in the reserve indicating declining populations and was suggested that these be monitored and not harvested. Category 3 species had high densities and have potential for harvesting with strict limitations. Category 4 species were most abundant with very high densities and can be harvested within management guidelines. These categories were grouped further using social and ecological data such as harvesting risk, frequency of collection, use value and number of uses. This highlighted which species have conservation priority within each category and a decision can be made as to how intense or limited extraction should be. By incorporating GIS the distribution of each species was looked at and harvesting and non-harvesting zones established to determine where species can be extracted. Monitoring plans must consider the quantity of plant material collected, fire regimes, optimal harvesting rates and harvesting zones, and be able to pick up changes in populations. Also, it is important that the community be involved in conserving and monitoring these species. Adaptive monitoring and management must be used to steer harvesting practices in the Wild Coast reserves. This allows for the development of harvesting practices through ‘learning by doing’, and the evolution of good questions to guide monitoring decisions
- Full Text:
The critical natural capital of the Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa : harnessing local action for biodiversity conservation
- Authors: Hagen, Brett
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental protection -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental degradation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Restoration ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4753 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007075 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental protection -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental degradation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Restoration ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Description: Globally, ecosystems provide services of almost twice the value of global gross national product (Costanza et al., 2006). The Buffalo City Municipality (BCM), South Africa contains biodiversity of national and international importance (Pierce, 2003; Pierce et al., 2005). Despite this, the municipality continues to experience loss of both urban and rural biodiversity (Buffalo City Municipality, 2006a). This study sought to determine the status of biodiversity, and the potential for ecosystem services to contribute to conservation, within the BCM. Biodiversity features, including ecosystem type, species of special concern and biodiversity processes, were identified and mapped using a GIS to produce a biodiversity priority index for the BCM. Current transformation status was then mapped to determine the level of ecosystem degradation within the BCM. Priority biodiversity areas as well as individual biodiversity features were spatially overlain against current transformation status and protected areas and analysed using a GIS to determine the level of degradation and protection of BCM biodiversity. In total 3.5 % of total BCM biodiversity was protected. Of the 24 ecosystem types, 11 (45%) had less than 1% under protection, while 16 (67%) had less than five percent protected. Not restorable areas, thus completely lost to biodiversity conservation, comprised just less than a quarter of the total BCM area while un-impacted areas comprised just 12.3%. Twenty five ecosystem services were identified as being provided by intact natural ecosystems within the BCM. The natural capital providing these services was identified and mapped to produce an ecosystem service index (ESI) using a GIS. This ecosystem service index and the biodiversity priority index were overlain to determine their level of correlation. Overall ESI correlation with priority biodiversity was weak although several individual ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, showed correlation. Using the above data layers an implementation plan and conservation framework was proposed to assist the coordination of local conservation action within the BCM. It is concluded that ecosystem services are a potentially useful tool for conservationists at the local level seeking to ensure that biodiversity has relevance to and receives protection from broader society.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Hagen, Brett
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental protection -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental degradation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Restoration ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4753 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007075 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental protection -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Environmental degradation -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Restoration ecology -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Description: Globally, ecosystems provide services of almost twice the value of global gross national product (Costanza et al., 2006). The Buffalo City Municipality (BCM), South Africa contains biodiversity of national and international importance (Pierce, 2003; Pierce et al., 2005). Despite this, the municipality continues to experience loss of both urban and rural biodiversity (Buffalo City Municipality, 2006a). This study sought to determine the status of biodiversity, and the potential for ecosystem services to contribute to conservation, within the BCM. Biodiversity features, including ecosystem type, species of special concern and biodiversity processes, were identified and mapped using a GIS to produce a biodiversity priority index for the BCM. Current transformation status was then mapped to determine the level of ecosystem degradation within the BCM. Priority biodiversity areas as well as individual biodiversity features were spatially overlain against current transformation status and protected areas and analysed using a GIS to determine the level of degradation and protection of BCM biodiversity. In total 3.5 % of total BCM biodiversity was protected. Of the 24 ecosystem types, 11 (45%) had less than 1% under protection, while 16 (67%) had less than five percent protected. Not restorable areas, thus completely lost to biodiversity conservation, comprised just less than a quarter of the total BCM area while un-impacted areas comprised just 12.3%. Twenty five ecosystem services were identified as being provided by intact natural ecosystems within the BCM. The natural capital providing these services was identified and mapped to produce an ecosystem service index (ESI) using a GIS. This ecosystem service index and the biodiversity priority index were overlain to determine their level of correlation. Overall ESI correlation with priority biodiversity was weak although several individual ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, showed correlation. Using the above data layers an implementation plan and conservation framework was proposed to assist the coordination of local conservation action within the BCM. It is concluded that ecosystem services are a potentially useful tool for conservationists at the local level seeking to ensure that biodiversity has relevance to and receives protection from broader society.
- Full Text:
The influence of Acacia Mearnsii invasion on soil properties in the Kouga Mountains, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Van der Waal, Benjamin Cornelius Wentsel
- Authors: Van der Waal, Benjamin Cornelius Wentsel
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Acacia mearnsii -- South Africa , Wattles (Plants) -- South Africa , Soil erosion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Alien plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biogeography -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil moisture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soils -- Sodium content -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4839 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005515 , Acacia mearnsii -- South Africa , Wattles (Plants) -- South Africa , Soil erosion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Alien plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biogeography -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil moisture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soils -- Sodium content -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The invasion of Acacia mearnsii in the Kouga catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa, has various negative impacts on the ecosystem. These impacts include: reduced species richness, increased water use, increased nutrients and increased N cycling rates. The native shrubby fynbos vegetation has adapted to the acidic nutrient poor soils and Mediterranean climate of the Kouga Mountains. Fynbos, however, is currently being out competed by the much taller Acacia mearnsii trees, due to their competitive nature and ability to fix nitrogen, thereby enriching the soil. The invaded sections of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are characterised by an almost complete monoculture of Acacia mearnsii, with very few fynbos species still present. The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs sponsored Working for Water programme started clearing Acacia mearnsii in 1996 in the Kouga Mountains. Cleared sites have remained bare for long periods, indicating that soil properties are not favourable for indigenous propagule re-establishment. The aim of this research was to assess how A. mearnsii invasion and clearing affect fynbos recovery through its impact on soils. This was done by characterising vegetation and soil properties on fynbos, infested and cleared slopes. Vegetation cover for various growth forms was determined and a species list was compiled for each plot. The slope angle, surface hardness, litter cover, bare ground cover and soil depth were measured in the field, whereas water repellency, particle size and the chemical composition were measured in the laboratory. Furthermore, the plant establishment capacity of soils from fynbos, infested and cleared slopes was calculated. This was done by germinating fynbos seeds and growing fynbos plants in soils from the various slopes. The effect that invasion and clearing has on soil erosion was quantified using erosion plots on fynbos, infested and cleared slopes. The invasion and clearing of Acacia mearnsii led to an increase in soil nutrients, especially nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon and manganese. Furthermore, soils became more acidic, with increased water repellency and reduced surface hardness. The vegetation changed to a tree-dominated structure, replacing the native species. Native plant germination was relatively unaffected by invasion and clearing, with an increase in germination just after clearing. Plant growth of a native grass, Themeda triandra, and herb, Helichrysum umbraculigerum, has increased on soils from cleared slopes. This study showed that soil movement increased on slopes which are invaded and cleared of Acacia mearnsii, with erosion rates doubling on invaded slopes
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van der Waal, Benjamin Cornelius Wentsel
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Acacia mearnsii -- South Africa , Wattles (Plants) -- South Africa , Soil erosion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Alien plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biogeography -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil moisture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soils -- Sodium content -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4839 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005515 , Acacia mearnsii -- South Africa , Wattles (Plants) -- South Africa , Soil erosion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Alien plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biogeography -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soil moisture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Soils -- Sodium content -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The invasion of Acacia mearnsii in the Kouga catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa, has various negative impacts on the ecosystem. These impacts include: reduced species richness, increased water use, increased nutrients and increased N cycling rates. The native shrubby fynbos vegetation has adapted to the acidic nutrient poor soils and Mediterranean climate of the Kouga Mountains. Fynbos, however, is currently being out competed by the much taller Acacia mearnsii trees, due to their competitive nature and ability to fix nitrogen, thereby enriching the soil. The invaded sections of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are characterised by an almost complete monoculture of Acacia mearnsii, with very few fynbos species still present. The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs sponsored Working for Water programme started clearing Acacia mearnsii in 1996 in the Kouga Mountains. Cleared sites have remained bare for long periods, indicating that soil properties are not favourable for indigenous propagule re-establishment. The aim of this research was to assess how A. mearnsii invasion and clearing affect fynbos recovery through its impact on soils. This was done by characterising vegetation and soil properties on fynbos, infested and cleared slopes. Vegetation cover for various growth forms was determined and a species list was compiled for each plot. The slope angle, surface hardness, litter cover, bare ground cover and soil depth were measured in the field, whereas water repellency, particle size and the chemical composition were measured in the laboratory. Furthermore, the plant establishment capacity of soils from fynbos, infested and cleared slopes was calculated. This was done by germinating fynbos seeds and growing fynbos plants in soils from the various slopes. The effect that invasion and clearing has on soil erosion was quantified using erosion plots on fynbos, infested and cleared slopes. The invasion and clearing of Acacia mearnsii led to an increase in soil nutrients, especially nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon and manganese. Furthermore, soils became more acidic, with increased water repellency and reduced surface hardness. The vegetation changed to a tree-dominated structure, replacing the native species. Native plant germination was relatively unaffected by invasion and clearing, with an increase in germination just after clearing. Plant growth of a native grass, Themeda triandra, and herb, Helichrysum umbraculigerum, has increased on soils from cleared slopes. This study showed that soil movement increased on slopes which are invaded and cleared of Acacia mearnsii, with erosion rates doubling on invaded slopes
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The contribution of municipal commonage to local people's livelihoods in small South African towns
- Authors: Davenport, Nicholas Ashbury
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Land tenure -- South Africa , Land reform -- South Africa , Property -- South Africa , Property rights -- South Africa , Commons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources, Communal -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006976 , Land tenure -- South Africa , Land reform -- South Africa , Property -- South Africa , Property rights -- South Africa , Commons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources, Communal -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: To redress past discrepancies in land tenure, the ANC government acknowledged that land needs to be made accessible to the previously disadvantaged, announcing that commonage would be a pillar of their land reform programme. Municipal commonage is land granted by the state to municipalities for urban households to use. Presently many urbanites in South Africa seek a livelihood from commonage. However, there has been no livelihood valuation of the contribution commonage makes to previously disadvantaged households. Thus there is a need to calculate the benefits of the commonage programme. Through a two phase approach, this thesis investigated firstly, the proportion of township households which use commonage; and the main characteristics of those households. Secondly, the thesis looks at the extent to which commonage contributes to users' livelihoods and the dominant livelihood strategies pursued by user households. Data was collected for three towns in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa; Bathurst, Fort Beaufort, and Grahamstown. Firstly it was found that between 27-70% of households used commonage, with the largest town having the lowest proportion of users, and vice versa for the smallest town. In terms of household characteristics, each study town was unique. Both Bathurst and Grahamstown user households were poorer than non-using households, however all Fort Beaufort households were considered poor. To assess the benefits of the commonage programme, the marketed and non-marketed consumptive direct-use values of land-based livelihoods on commonage were calculated via the 'own reported values' method. Commonage contributions to total livelihoods ranged between 14-20%. If the contributors from commonage were excluded, over 10% of households in each study town would drop to living below the poverty line. Additionally, commonage was being used productively, with the productivity at each study town being worth over R1 000 per hectare and over R4.7 million per commonage. Finally, a typology of subsistence/survivalist commonage users is presented, with four types being identified. Overall, results suggest that commonage use has increased over the last decade. Moreover, due to food inflation and urbanisation the use of commonage is expected to increase further, highlighting the need for holistic commonage management plans to be created, which should include strategies such as sustainable grazing regimes and natural resource management.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Davenport, Nicholas Ashbury
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Land tenure -- South Africa , Land reform -- South Africa , Property -- South Africa , Property rights -- South Africa , Commons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources, Communal -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006976 , Land tenure -- South Africa , Land reform -- South Africa , Property -- South Africa , Property rights -- South Africa , Commons -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources, Communal -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: To redress past discrepancies in land tenure, the ANC government acknowledged that land needs to be made accessible to the previously disadvantaged, announcing that commonage would be a pillar of their land reform programme. Municipal commonage is land granted by the state to municipalities for urban households to use. Presently many urbanites in South Africa seek a livelihood from commonage. However, there has been no livelihood valuation of the contribution commonage makes to previously disadvantaged households. Thus there is a need to calculate the benefits of the commonage programme. Through a two phase approach, this thesis investigated firstly, the proportion of township households which use commonage; and the main characteristics of those households. Secondly, the thesis looks at the extent to which commonage contributes to users' livelihoods and the dominant livelihood strategies pursued by user households. Data was collected for three towns in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa; Bathurst, Fort Beaufort, and Grahamstown. Firstly it was found that between 27-70% of households used commonage, with the largest town having the lowest proportion of users, and vice versa for the smallest town. In terms of household characteristics, each study town was unique. Both Bathurst and Grahamstown user households were poorer than non-using households, however all Fort Beaufort households were considered poor. To assess the benefits of the commonage programme, the marketed and non-marketed consumptive direct-use values of land-based livelihoods on commonage were calculated via the 'own reported values' method. Commonage contributions to total livelihoods ranged between 14-20%. If the contributors from commonage were excluded, over 10% of households in each study town would drop to living below the poverty line. Additionally, commonage was being used productively, with the productivity at each study town being worth over R1 000 per hectare and over R4.7 million per commonage. Finally, a typology of subsistence/survivalist commonage users is presented, with four types being identified. Overall, results suggest that commonage use has increased over the last decade. Moreover, due to food inflation and urbanisation the use of commonage is expected to increase further, highlighting the need for holistic commonage management plans to be created, which should include strategies such as sustainable grazing regimes and natural resource management.
- Full Text:
Plant community distribution and diversity, and threats to vegetation of the Kromme River peat basins, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Nsor, Collins Ayine
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Kromme River (Eastern Cape, South Africa) , Peatland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatland plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatlands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4760 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007151 , Kromme River (Eastern Cape, South Africa) , Peatland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatland plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatlands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study examined the current plant diversity status and the impact of drivers of change on the peat basins of the Kromme River peatland. It was conducted at six sites over sixty one years in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. I reviewed the rapid habitat and biodiversity loss of wetlands globally and discussed the distribution of wetlands and specifically peatlands in South Africa. Plant species diversity was assessed using Modified- Whittaker plots. The influence of environmental variables on floristic composition and distribution was investigated using ordination techniques (DCA and CCA). Land use dynamics were assessed by applying GIS techniques on orthorectified aerial images. Six different peat basins were subjectively classified into good, medium and poor condition peat basins. The good condition peat basin (Krugersland) was the most diverse in plant species (4.1 Shannon-Weiner’s index) (p> 0.20; F = 11.04; df = 2), with the highest mean number of plant species (32.5 ± 3.4). This was followed by the medium condition class (Kammiesbos) (26.5 ± 9.0) and poor condition class (Companjesdrift) (22.5 ± 8.9). On average, species composition was not evenly distributed across the peat basins (p> 0.21; F = 0.94; df = 2), since 77.8% of the Shannon-Weiner evenness index obtained were less than one. However, there were variations in plant species richness across six peat basins as confirmed by Oneway ANOVA test (p= 0.0008, F = 1241.6, df = 4). Key environmental variables that influenced plant species distribution and structure were erosion and grazing intensity, potassium, phosphorus, soil pH and calcium. Total species variance accounted for in the first two axes for ground cover and plant height were 40.7% and 56.4% respectively. Alien species (e.g. Acacia mearnsii and Conyza scabrida) were common in degraded peat basins, whereas good condition peat basins supported indigenous species (e.g., Cyperus denudatus, Chrysanthemoides monolifera and Digitaria eriantha). Analysis of aerial images revealed a general progressive decrease in the peatland area between 1942 and 1969 in the good (Krugersland) and poor (Companjesdrift) condition class, with a marginal increase from 1969 to 2003. Peatland area in the good and poor condition class decreased by 5.3% and 8.3% respectively between 1942 and 1969, with a marginal increase of 1.5% and 4.1% respectively from 1969 to 2003. Annual net rate of change in peatland area over the 61 year period was -0.32% (good condition class) and - 0.79% (poor condition class). Transformed lands were impacted by drivers of change such as alien invasives, agricultural activities, erosion and sediment transport. The area under alien invasives increased by 50% between 1942 and 2003, with an annual net rate of change of +0.82 (good condition class) and +1.63% (poor condition class).
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nsor, Collins Ayine
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Kromme River (Eastern Cape, South Africa) , Peatland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatland plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatlands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4760 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007151 , Kromme River (Eastern Cape, South Africa) , Peatland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant diversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatland plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Peatlands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study examined the current plant diversity status and the impact of drivers of change on the peat basins of the Kromme River peatland. It was conducted at six sites over sixty one years in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. I reviewed the rapid habitat and biodiversity loss of wetlands globally and discussed the distribution of wetlands and specifically peatlands in South Africa. Plant species diversity was assessed using Modified- Whittaker plots. The influence of environmental variables on floristic composition and distribution was investigated using ordination techniques (DCA and CCA). Land use dynamics were assessed by applying GIS techniques on orthorectified aerial images. Six different peat basins were subjectively classified into good, medium and poor condition peat basins. The good condition peat basin (Krugersland) was the most diverse in plant species (4.1 Shannon-Weiner’s index) (p> 0.20; F = 11.04; df = 2), with the highest mean number of plant species (32.5 ± 3.4). This was followed by the medium condition class (Kammiesbos) (26.5 ± 9.0) and poor condition class (Companjesdrift) (22.5 ± 8.9). On average, species composition was not evenly distributed across the peat basins (p> 0.21; F = 0.94; df = 2), since 77.8% of the Shannon-Weiner evenness index obtained were less than one. However, there were variations in plant species richness across six peat basins as confirmed by Oneway ANOVA test (p= 0.0008, F = 1241.6, df = 4). Key environmental variables that influenced plant species distribution and structure were erosion and grazing intensity, potassium, phosphorus, soil pH and calcium. Total species variance accounted for in the first two axes for ground cover and plant height were 40.7% and 56.4% respectively. Alien species (e.g. Acacia mearnsii and Conyza scabrida) were common in degraded peat basins, whereas good condition peat basins supported indigenous species (e.g., Cyperus denudatus, Chrysanthemoides monolifera and Digitaria eriantha). Analysis of aerial images revealed a general progressive decrease in the peatland area between 1942 and 1969 in the good (Krugersland) and poor (Companjesdrift) condition class, with a marginal increase from 1969 to 2003. Peatland area in the good and poor condition class decreased by 5.3% and 8.3% respectively between 1942 and 1969, with a marginal increase of 1.5% and 4.1% respectively from 1969 to 2003. Annual net rate of change in peatland area over the 61 year period was -0.32% (good condition class) and - 0.79% (poor condition class). Transformed lands were impacted by drivers of change such as alien invasives, agricultural activities, erosion and sediment transport. The area under alien invasives increased by 50% between 1942 and 2003, with an annual net rate of change of +0.82 (good condition class) and +1.63% (poor condition class).
- Full Text:
The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural children's reliance on natural resources within the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4759 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007149 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.
- Full Text:
- Authors: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4759 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007149 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.
- Full Text:
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