Changing energy profiles and consumption patterns following electrification in five rural villages, South Africa
- Madubansi, Mainza, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Madubansi, Mainza , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6640 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006866
- Description: Following the democratic transition in South Africa in the early 1990s the government has implemented a widespread electrification programme, as well as introduced a free basic electricity allowance as a means of poverty alleviation. Yet there are limited longitudinal studies on the impacts of the introduction of electricity on the patterns of household energy use, and even more so in the neglected rural sector. This study reports on the patterns of household energy use in five rural settlements in 1991 and again in 2002. Results indicate a changing pattern of energy use for lighting and powering entertainment appliances, more specifically from dry-cell batteries and paraffin to electricity. Yet for thermal needs, most notably cooking, fuelwood has remained the most widespread fuel, and the amount used per month has not changed, despite increasing scarcity of wood in the local environment. There has been an increase in the proportion of households purchasing fuelwood as opposed to collecting their own. Overall, the mean total number of fuel types used per household has increased, indicating that electricity is simply viewed as an additional energy, rather than an alternative. Yet, electricity accounted for approximately 60% of expenditure on energy sources in 2002, despite the government's policy of a free basic allowance of 5–6 kWh per month. This has implications for energy supply costing, as well as the poverty alleviation dimensions of the whole programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Madubansi, Mainza , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6640 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006866
- Description: Following the democratic transition in South Africa in the early 1990s the government has implemented a widespread electrification programme, as well as introduced a free basic electricity allowance as a means of poverty alleviation. Yet there are limited longitudinal studies on the impacts of the introduction of electricity on the patterns of household energy use, and even more so in the neglected rural sector. This study reports on the patterns of household energy use in five rural settlements in 1991 and again in 2002. Results indicate a changing pattern of energy use for lighting and powering entertainment appliances, more specifically from dry-cell batteries and paraffin to electricity. Yet for thermal needs, most notably cooking, fuelwood has remained the most widespread fuel, and the amount used per month has not changed, despite increasing scarcity of wood in the local environment. There has been an increase in the proportion of households purchasing fuelwood as opposed to collecting their own. Overall, the mean total number of fuel types used per household has increased, indicating that electricity is simply viewed as an additional energy, rather than an alternative. Yet, electricity accounted for approximately 60% of expenditure on energy sources in 2002, despite the government's policy of a free basic allowance of 5–6 kWh per month. This has implications for energy supply costing, as well as the poverty alleviation dimensions of the whole programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Fuelwood harvesting and selection in Valley Thicket, South Africa
- Pote, J, Shackleton, Charlie M, Cocks, Michelle L, Lubke, Roy
- Authors: Pote, J , Shackleton, Charlie M , Cocks, Michelle L , Lubke, Roy
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6531 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005972
- Description: The Thicket Biome is the second smallest biome in South Africa, and is renowned for its high biodiversity. Yet, less than 5% of the biome is in formal conservation areas. Much of the currently intact thicket outside protected areas is threatened by land transformation to commercial agriculture or heavy use by rural communities. There is limited understanding of the ecological structure and function of thicket communities and their response to these human pressures. This paper reports on a study to characterize the woody communities in Valley Thicket and Thornveld surrounding a rural village. We also examined the demand and selection for specific woody species. There was a marked selection for key species for different uses, including fuelwood, construction timber, and cultural stacks. There was also strong selection for specific size classes of stem, especially those between 16–45 cm circumference. The density, biomass and species richness of woody species was reduced close to the village, and increased with distance away from human settlement. A similar trend was found for the basal area of preferred species, but not for the basal area of all species. The strong selectivity for both species and size class means that the anthropogenic impacts are not uniform within the woody strata, leading to marked changes in community structure and floristics at a local scale.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Pote, J , Shackleton, Charlie M , Cocks, Michelle L , Lubke, Roy
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6531 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005972
- Description: The Thicket Biome is the second smallest biome in South Africa, and is renowned for its high biodiversity. Yet, less than 5% of the biome is in formal conservation areas. Much of the currently intact thicket outside protected areas is threatened by land transformation to commercial agriculture or heavy use by rural communities. There is limited understanding of the ecological structure and function of thicket communities and their response to these human pressures. This paper reports on a study to characterize the woody communities in Valley Thicket and Thornveld surrounding a rural village. We also examined the demand and selection for specific woody species. There was a marked selection for key species for different uses, including fuelwood, construction timber, and cultural stacks. There was also strong selection for specific size classes of stem, especially those between 16–45 cm circumference. The density, biomass and species richness of woody species was reduced close to the village, and increased with distance away from human settlement. A similar trend was found for the basal area of preferred species, but not for the basal area of all species. The strong selectivity for both species and size class means that the anthropogenic impacts are not uniform within the woody strata, leading to marked changes in community structure and floristics at a local scale.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The effectiveness of schools-based National Arbor Week activities in greening of urban homesteads : a case study of Grahamstown, South Africa
- Parkin, Fiona, Shackleton, Charlie M, Schudel, Ingrid J
- Authors: Parkin, Fiona , Shackleton, Charlie M , Schudel, Ingrid J
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006885
- Description: Arbor Day, or Week, is a well-established greening initiative worldwide, focusing on tree planting and the benefits thereof. Frequently most effort is targeted at institutions such as schools and community groups. Yet there has been limited assessment of the success of Arbor Day, or Week, activities both at the schools, or the wider dissemination in neighbouring communities and suburbs. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of school-based Arbor Week activities on learners’ home-based practices regarding tree planting and urban forestry. Learners from three schools in Grahamstown, South Africa, with good Arbor Week participation, were assessed on their tree planting knowledge. The learners’ parents were also interviewed to determine whether the information obtained by the learners at school was taken home. A control group consisting of people with no children or very young children was also assessed. This study found that Arbor Week activities were, for the most part, successfully taught in the case study schools, and most of the learners stated that their knowledge of trees and their benefits came from their school activities. However, many learners could not remember the activities in which their schools partook the previous year. Whilst most learners were aware of the importance of trees, few had encouraged tree planting at home. However, over one-fifth of adults claimed that their knowledge of the benefits of trees was as a consequence of Arbor Day activities when they were young. Numerous constraints to tree planting were provided by learners and both the adult groups, the two most frequent being limited space and falling leaves making their yards untidy. External organisations should become more actively involved and provide much needed support systems if greening initiatives are to reach the wider community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Parkin, Fiona , Shackleton, Charlie M , Schudel, Ingrid J
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006885
- Description: Arbor Day, or Week, is a well-established greening initiative worldwide, focusing on tree planting and the benefits thereof. Frequently most effort is targeted at institutions such as schools and community groups. Yet there has been limited assessment of the success of Arbor Day, or Week, activities both at the schools, or the wider dissemination in neighbouring communities and suburbs. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of school-based Arbor Week activities on learners’ home-based practices regarding tree planting and urban forestry. Learners from three schools in Grahamstown, South Africa, with good Arbor Week participation, were assessed on their tree planting knowledge. The learners’ parents were also interviewed to determine whether the information obtained by the learners at school was taken home. A control group consisting of people with no children or very young children was also assessed. This study found that Arbor Week activities were, for the most part, successfully taught in the case study schools, and most of the learners stated that their knowledge of trees and their benefits came from their school activities. However, many learners could not remember the activities in which their schools partook the previous year. Whilst most learners were aware of the importance of trees, few had encouraged tree planting at home. However, over one-fifth of adults claimed that their knowledge of the benefits of trees was as a consequence of Arbor Day activities when they were young. Numerous constraints to tree planting were provided by learners and both the adult groups, the two most frequent being limited space and falling leaves making their yards untidy. External organisations should become more actively involved and provide much needed support systems if greening initiatives are to reach the wider community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Urban-rural contrasts in Arbor Week in South Africa
- Guthrie, G, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Guthrie, G , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6631 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006823
- Description: Trees provide people with environmental benefits. Greening projects have been implemented worldwide, but many of them have frustratingly low participation levels. In South Africa, tree-planting campaigns such as the national Arbor Week are generally aimed at schools. Because of the remoteness of rural schools, there are urban / rural disparities in standards of education, infrastructure and support provided at schools, and hence we hypothesized that these disparities would be mirrored in tree-planting activities associated with national Arbor Week. In the study reported here, 236 urban and rural schools were assessed by means of postal surveys and subsampled via direct interviews, as to their participation in Arbor Week activities, the provision of trees, constraints to participation, and the perceived benefits of planting trees. Very few urban schools had never participated in any Arbor Week activities, whereas one-fifth of rural ones had never participated in any way. Urban schools participated in a greater number of Arbor Week activities than rural schools, including tree-planting, displaying posters and having speeches. Thus, overall information about Arbor Week is lacking in rural areas compared to urban ones. Rural schools derived more benefits from planting trees, with shade and education being the primary benefits overall. Rural schools were supplied with trees by NGOs, whereas urban schools received trees from individual or company donations. The major constraints to tree-planting are livestock damage, water shortages, vandalism and theft. These obstacles need to be addressed in a holistic fashion in order to improve the participation and success of National Arbor Week as a vehicle for tree-planting and environmental awareness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Guthrie, G , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6631 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006823
- Description: Trees provide people with environmental benefits. Greening projects have been implemented worldwide, but many of them have frustratingly low participation levels. In South Africa, tree-planting campaigns such as the national Arbor Week are generally aimed at schools. Because of the remoteness of rural schools, there are urban / rural disparities in standards of education, infrastructure and support provided at schools, and hence we hypothesized that these disparities would be mirrored in tree-planting activities associated with national Arbor Week. In the study reported here, 236 urban and rural schools were assessed by means of postal surveys and subsampled via direct interviews, as to their participation in Arbor Week activities, the provision of trees, constraints to participation, and the perceived benefits of planting trees. Very few urban schools had never participated in any Arbor Week activities, whereas one-fifth of rural ones had never participated in any way. Urban schools participated in a greater number of Arbor Week activities than rural schools, including tree-planting, displaying posters and having speeches. Thus, overall information about Arbor Week is lacking in rural areas compared to urban ones. Rural schools derived more benefits from planting trees, with shade and education being the primary benefits overall. Rural schools were supplied with trees by NGOs, whereas urban schools received trees from individual or company donations. The major constraints to tree-planting are livestock damage, water shortages, vandalism and theft. These obstacles need to be addressed in a holistic fashion in order to improve the participation and success of National Arbor Week as a vehicle for tree-planting and environmental awareness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Valuation of communal area livestock benefits, rural livelihoods and related policy issues
- Dovie, Delali B K, Shackleton, Charlie M, Witkowski, Ed T F
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Shackleton, Charlie M , Witkowski, Ed T F
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6627 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006819
- Description: The multiple benefits from livestock production to rural households are evaluated in Thorndale, a communal area of the Limpopo Province South Africa. Monetary values of livestock products are presented. Values from most previous studies are static (and thus outdated), as a result of conceptual and methodological shifts. The net monetary value of the direct benefits from livestock was estimated as $656 per household/annum, excluding the holding of cattle for savings. The net value is equivalent to 22.7% of the value of the other livelihood sources that were considered, and inclusive of cash income streams, crops, and secondary woodland resources. A net 168% herd increase in livestock was recorded between 1993 and 1999. More households owned goats compared to cattle, and cattle were important for use as draught power, and for milk. Households without livestock benefited through gifts and services, valued at $33 per household/annum. Policy concerns are the provision of adequate market and pricing mechanisms for communal area livestock, tailored savings, investment support, credit schemes, and infrastructure. An appropriate multipurpose benefit production model, other than a commercialised model is suggested for the sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Dovie, Delali B K , Shackleton, Charlie M , Witkowski, Ed T F
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6627 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006819
- Description: The multiple benefits from livestock production to rural households are evaluated in Thorndale, a communal area of the Limpopo Province South Africa. Monetary values of livestock products are presented. Values from most previous studies are static (and thus outdated), as a result of conceptual and methodological shifts. The net monetary value of the direct benefits from livestock was estimated as $656 per household/annum, excluding the holding of cattle for savings. The net value is equivalent to 22.7% of the value of the other livelihood sources that were considered, and inclusive of cash income streams, crops, and secondary woodland resources. A net 168% herd increase in livestock was recorded between 1993 and 1999. More households owned goats compared to cattle, and cattle were important for use as draught power, and for milk. Households without livestock benefited through gifts and services, valued at $33 per household/annum. Policy concerns are the provision of adequate market and pricing mechanisms for communal area livestock, tailored savings, investment support, credit schemes, and infrastructure. An appropriate multipurpose benefit production model, other than a commercialised model is suggested for the sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Abundance and commercialization of Phoenix Reclinata in the King Williamstown area, South Africa
- Gyan, C A, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Gyan, C A , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6634 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006829
- Description: In the Eastern Cape of South Africa the fronds of the wild palm Phoenix reclinata are harvested by rural women and manufactured into hand brushes, which are sold in urban centres. This paper reports on the abundance of P. reclinata palms, the profile of the harvesters, and the economic returns from trading in palm brushes as a case study of locally driven non-timber forest product commercialization. The palm resource was in a reasonable state with most clumps being lightly (36%) or moderately (43%) harvested, with many others uncut due to physical or culturally defined refugia. Tall trees within a clump were uncut because the fronds were too high. The estimated production of fronds was less than 25 per cent of the local demand. Consequently, harvesters were seeking alternative areas and species. Mean gross monthly income was R475 (USD45) which was an important cash contribution. Net income was 75 per cent of this. Income earned per seller was influenced by factors such as age, education, hours in the trade, and whether any household member received an old-age pension from the State. Older and less educated sellers had been trading longer than younger or more educated vendors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Gyan, C A , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6634 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006829
- Description: In the Eastern Cape of South Africa the fronds of the wild palm Phoenix reclinata are harvested by rural women and manufactured into hand brushes, which are sold in urban centres. This paper reports on the abundance of P. reclinata palms, the profile of the harvesters, and the economic returns from trading in palm brushes as a case study of locally driven non-timber forest product commercialization. The palm resource was in a reasonable state with most clumps being lightly (36%) or moderately (43%) harvested, with many others uncut due to physical or culturally defined refugia. Tall trees within a clump were uncut because the fronds were too high. The estimated production of fronds was less than 25 per cent of the local demand. Consequently, harvesters were seeking alternative areas and species. Mean gross monthly income was R475 (USD45) which was an important cash contribution. Net income was 75 per cent of this. Income earned per seller was influenced by factors such as age, education, hours in the trade, and whether any household member received an old-age pension from the State. Older and less educated sellers had been trading longer than younger or more educated vendors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Market profiles and trade in medicinal plants in the Lowveld, South Africa
- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Kruger National Park
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006817
- Description: Rising demand for medicinal plants has led to increased pressure on wild plant populations. This, combined with shrinking habitats, means that many species in South Africa are now facing local extinction. In 1997, a study was initiated to determine the extent of trade in medicinal plants in the South African Lowveld (the low lying plains to the east of the Drakensberg escarpment), and to investigate socio-economic factors influencing trade and resource management. Trade was not as extensive in the Lowveld as in major urban markets such as Durban or the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg and surrounding towns), either in terms of the quantity, number or range of species sold, or the numbers of people relying on the trade for an income. In markets assessed in Mpumalanga Province, 176 species were identified (71% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 69 plant families. In Limpopo, 70 different species were identified (84% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 40 families. Imports were significant in Mpumalanga (33% of the plants on offer), mainly from Mozambique. A detrended correspondence analysis showed substantial differences between species traded in Mpumalanga and those sold in Limpopo. There was little variation in the species stocked by vendors in Mpumalanga, regardless of the season, the attributes of the seller, or whether business was carried out in urban or rural areas. In contrast, there was considerable variation in the stock inventories of the Limpopo traders. Despite the lower levels of local trade, increased harvesting pressure is being experienced regionally, to meet demand in metropolitan centres such as the Witwatersrand. This study showed considerable local variation and complexities in the harvesting and marketing of medicinal plants, with both a national and an international dimension. This dual spatial scale presents both opportunities and challenges in the management of these plants, which need to be addressed simultaneously, particularly with respect to research requirements and development of predictive models and capacity. Cooperation in conservation strategies and policies is required at regional, national and international levels, while ensuring that management initiatives take into account local market conditions and the socio-economic realities facing both consumers and those who depend on the trade for their livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Kruger National Park
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006817
- Description: Rising demand for medicinal plants has led to increased pressure on wild plant populations. This, combined with shrinking habitats, means that many species in South Africa are now facing local extinction. In 1997, a study was initiated to determine the extent of trade in medicinal plants in the South African Lowveld (the low lying plains to the east of the Drakensberg escarpment), and to investigate socio-economic factors influencing trade and resource management. Trade was not as extensive in the Lowveld as in major urban markets such as Durban or the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg and surrounding towns), either in terms of the quantity, number or range of species sold, or the numbers of people relying on the trade for an income. In markets assessed in Mpumalanga Province, 176 species were identified (71% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 69 plant families. In Limpopo, 70 different species were identified (84% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 40 families. Imports were significant in Mpumalanga (33% of the plants on offer), mainly from Mozambique. A detrended correspondence analysis showed substantial differences between species traded in Mpumalanga and those sold in Limpopo. There was little variation in the species stocked by vendors in Mpumalanga, regardless of the season, the attributes of the seller, or whether business was carried out in urban or rural areas. In contrast, there was considerable variation in the stock inventories of the Limpopo traders. Despite the lower levels of local trade, increased harvesting pressure is being experienced regionally, to meet demand in metropolitan centres such as the Witwatersrand. This study showed considerable local variation and complexities in the harvesting and marketing of medicinal plants, with both a national and an international dimension. This dual spatial scale presents both opportunities and challenges in the management of these plants, which need to be addressed simultaneously, particularly with respect to research requirements and development of predictive models and capacity. Cooperation in conservation strategies and policies is required at regional, national and international levels, while ensuring that management initiatives take into account local market conditions and the socio-economic realities facing both consumers and those who depend on the trade for their livelihoods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
The importance of non-timber forest products in rural livelihood security and as safety nets: a review of evidence from South Africa
- Shackleton, Charlie M, Shackleton, Sheona E
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Shackleton, Sheona E
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6650 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007061
- Description: We review and synthesize recent South African work that examines the role and importance of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in the daily lives of rural people in South Africa. The most commonly used such products are wild spinaches, fuelwood, wooden utensils edible fruits, grass hand-brushes, and twig hand-brushes, used by 85% or more of households. More than half the households investigated also make use of edible insects, wood for construction, bushmeat, wild honey and reeds for weaving. Individual households may exploit dozens of animal and plant species. The range in annual, direct-use values is large, from less than R1000 per household per year to over R12 000. The value to rural households is manifest through a daily net function which represents a cost saving to the families involved and to the state, as well as through an emergency net, which serves as an insurance in times of misfortune, such as drought, disease, and unexpected economic hardship. The emergency net function has hardly been quantified in South Africa and internationally. Ad hoc trade in NTFPs is a common emergency net, which in some instances evolves into a permanent way of life. Financial returns from trade are variable, depending on resource type and hours worked, but are typically low. Despite the small cash incomes from trade, they provide an important contribution that complement the diverse livelihood strategies within a household, especially for the poorer sectors of rural society. Moreover, there are non-financial benefits of NTFP trade that are commonly overlooked.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Shackleton, Sheona E
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6650 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007061
- Description: We review and synthesize recent South African work that examines the role and importance of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in the daily lives of rural people in South Africa. The most commonly used such products are wild spinaches, fuelwood, wooden utensils edible fruits, grass hand-brushes, and twig hand-brushes, used by 85% or more of households. More than half the households investigated also make use of edible insects, wood for construction, bushmeat, wild honey and reeds for weaving. Individual households may exploit dozens of animal and plant species. The range in annual, direct-use values is large, from less than R1000 per household per year to over R12 000. The value to rural households is manifest through a daily net function which represents a cost saving to the families involved and to the state, as well as through an emergency net, which serves as an insurance in times of misfortune, such as drought, disease, and unexpected economic hardship. The emergency net function has hardly been quantified in South Africa and internationally. Ad hoc trade in NTFPs is a common emergency net, which in some instances evolves into a permanent way of life. Financial returns from trade are variable, depending on resource type and hours worked, but are typically low. Despite the small cash incomes from trade, they provide an important contribution that complement the diverse livelihood strategies within a household, especially for the poorer sectors of rural society. Moreover, there are non-financial benefits of NTFP trade that are commonly overlooked.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
A proposed prioritization system for the management of invasive alien plants in South Africa
- Robertson, Mark P, Villet, Martin H, Fairbanks, Dean H K, Henderson, L, Higgins, Simon I, Hoffmann, John H, Le Maitre, David C, Palmer, Anthony R, Riggs, I, Shackleton, Charlie M, Zimmermann, Helmuth G
- Authors: Robertson, Mark P , Villet, Martin H , Fairbanks, Dean H K , Henderson, L , Higgins, Simon I , Hoffmann, John H , Le Maitre, David C , Palmer, Anthony R , Riggs, I , Shackleton, Charlie M , Zimmermann, Helmuth G
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6911 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011872
- Description: Every country has weed species whose presence conflicts in some way with human management objectives and needs. Resources for research and control are limited, so priority should be given to species that are the biggest problem. The prioritization system described in this article was designed to assess objectively research and control priorities of invasive alien plants at a national scale in South Africa. The evaluation consists of seventeen criteria, grouped into five modules, that assess invasiveness, spatial characteristics, potential impact, potential for control, and conflicts of interest for each plant species under consideration. Total prioritization scores, calculated from criterion and module scores, were used to assess a species' priority. Prioritization scores were calculated by combining independent assessments provided by several experts, thus increasing the reliability of the rankings. The total confidence score, a separate index, indicates the reliability and availability of data used to make an assessment. Candidate species for evaluation were identified and assessed by several experts using the prioritization system. The final ranking was made by combining two separate indices, the total prioritization score and the total confidence score. This approach integrates the plant's perceived priority with an index of data reliability. Of the 61 species assessed, those with the highest ranks (Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata and Opuntia ficus-indica) had high prioritization and high confidence scores, and are thus of most concern. Those species with the lowest ranks, for example, Harrisia martinii, Opuntia spinulifera and Opuntia exaltata, had low prioritization scores and high confidence scores, and thus are of least concern. Our approach to ranking weeds offers several advantages over existing systems because it is designed for multiple assessors based on the Delphi decision-making technique, the criteria contribute equally to the total score, and the system can accommodate incomplete data on a species. Although the choice of criteria may be criticized and the system has certain limitations, it appears to have delivered credible results.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Robertson, Mark P , Villet, Martin H , Fairbanks, Dean H K , Henderson, L , Higgins, Simon I , Hoffmann, John H , Le Maitre, David C , Palmer, Anthony R , Riggs, I , Shackleton, Charlie M , Zimmermann, Helmuth G
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6911 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011872
- Description: Every country has weed species whose presence conflicts in some way with human management objectives and needs. Resources for research and control are limited, so priority should be given to species that are the biggest problem. The prioritization system described in this article was designed to assess objectively research and control priorities of invasive alien plants at a national scale in South Africa. The evaluation consists of seventeen criteria, grouped into five modules, that assess invasiveness, spatial characteristics, potential impact, potential for control, and conflicts of interest for each plant species under consideration. Total prioritization scores, calculated from criterion and module scores, were used to assess a species' priority. Prioritization scores were calculated by combining independent assessments provided by several experts, thus increasing the reliability of the rankings. The total confidence score, a separate index, indicates the reliability and availability of data used to make an assessment. Candidate species for evaluation were identified and assessed by several experts using the prioritization system. The final ranking was made by combining two separate indices, the total prioritization score and the total confidence score. This approach integrates the plant's perceived priority with an index of data reliability. Of the 61 species assessed, those with the highest ranks (Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata and Opuntia ficus-indica) had high prioritization and high confidence scores, and are thus of most concern. Those species with the lowest ranks, for example, Harrisia martinii, Opuntia spinulifera and Opuntia exaltata, had low prioritization scores and high confidence scores, and thus are of least concern. Our approach to ranking weeds offers several advantages over existing systems because it is designed for multiple assessors based on the Delphi decision-making technique, the criteria contribute equally to the total score, and the system can accommodate incomplete data on a species. Although the choice of criteria may be criticized and the system has certain limitations, it appears to have delivered credible results.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
The prevalence of use and value of wild edible herbs in South Africa
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007063
- Description: The prevalence of use and commercial value of wild edible herbs in South Africa is examined from four recent quantitative studies at eight different sites. The use of wild edible herbs was widespread in rural communities, with over 90% of households using them in all but one sample site. Mean frequency of use in season was generally between two and five times per week, with a mean of four times across all sites. But many households consume them daily. Use in winter was less than in summer. The mass of wild edible herbs consumed ranged from 12 kg to over 130 kg per household per year. Local (farm-gate) prices ranged from R2.65 to R72 per kilogram, but were generally between R30 and R40 per kg. Direct-use value to consuming households ranged from R85 to almost R5000 across the eight sites, with a mean of R1020 per user household per year. Although harvesting of wild herbs takes time, the high gross direct-use value represents a considerable saving on having to purchase commercial alternatives. Key species differ from place to place both in availability and use, and include both indigenous and exotic species. Commonly used genera include Amaranthus, Bidens, Chenopodium, Cleome, Corchorus, and Momordica. The use, value and trade in wild edible herbs currently receives no recognition in land and agrarian reform policies. It is imperative that this be addressed, and the relationships between rural livelihoods, use of wild edible herbs, food security, and land and resource tenure be clarified, and debated within the policy forums around different models for, and delivery of, agrarian reform and rural development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007063
- Description: The prevalence of use and commercial value of wild edible herbs in South Africa is examined from four recent quantitative studies at eight different sites. The use of wild edible herbs was widespread in rural communities, with over 90% of households using them in all but one sample site. Mean frequency of use in season was generally between two and five times per week, with a mean of four times across all sites. But many households consume them daily. Use in winter was less than in summer. The mass of wild edible herbs consumed ranged from 12 kg to over 130 kg per household per year. Local (farm-gate) prices ranged from R2.65 to R72 per kilogram, but were generally between R30 and R40 per kg. Direct-use value to consuming households ranged from R85 to almost R5000 across the eight sites, with a mean of R1020 per user household per year. Although harvesting of wild herbs takes time, the high gross direct-use value represents a considerable saving on having to purchase commercial alternatives. Key species differ from place to place both in availability and use, and include both indigenous and exotic species. Commonly used genera include Amaranthus, Bidens, Chenopodium, Cleome, Corchorus, and Momordica. The use, value and trade in wild edible herbs currently receives no recognition in land and agrarian reform policies. It is imperative that this be addressed, and the relationships between rural livelihoods, use of wild edible herbs, food security, and land and resource tenure be clarified, and debated within the policy forums around different models for, and delivery of, agrarian reform and rural development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
Comparison of extent and transformation of South Africa’s woodland biome from two national databases
- Thompson, M W, Vink, E R, Fairbanks, D H K, Ballance, A, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Thompson, M W , Vink, E R , Fairbanks, D H K , Ballance, A , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6661 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007085
- Description: [From introduction] The recent completion of the South African National Land-Cover Database and the Vegetation Map of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, allows for the first time a comparison to be made on a national scale between the current and potential distribution of ‘natural’ vegetation resources. This article compares the distribution and location of woodland-type vegetation categories defined within the National Land-Cover data and the equivalent ‘Savanna-thicket Biomes’ class defined within the Vegetation Mapdata. Significant differences were found, both in terms of the total areal extent, as well as the actual spatial distribution of these two data sets. These differences are a measure of the inherent mapping accuracies of each source, but rather an illustration of boundary delineation distinctions that are a result of different data sources, mapping objectives and information classes, that must be noted when comparing two essentially similar information sets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Comparison of extent and transformation of South Africa’s woodland biome from two national databases
- Authors: Thompson, M W , Vink, E R , Fairbanks, D H K , Ballance, A , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6661 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007085
- Description: [From introduction] The recent completion of the South African National Land-Cover Database and the Vegetation Map of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, allows for the first time a comparison to be made on a national scale between the current and potential distribution of ‘natural’ vegetation resources. This article compares the distribution and location of woodland-type vegetation categories defined within the National Land-Cover data and the equivalent ‘Savanna-thicket Biomes’ class defined within the Vegetation Mapdata. Significant differences were found, both in terms of the total areal extent, as well as the actual spatial distribution of these two data sets. These differences are a measure of the inherent mapping accuracies of each source, but rather an illustration of boundary delineation distinctions that are a result of different data sources, mapping objectives and information classes, that must be noted when comparing two essentially similar information sets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Re-examining local and market-orientated use of wild species for the conservation of biodiversity
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6655 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007071
- Description: The hypothesis of attaching and realising market values as one means of conserving biodiversity has gained ground over the last decade. This has been challenged recently after examination of a number of case studies, largely from tropical Amazonia, on high value logging, marketing of non-timber forest products, and bioprospecting. The conclusion was that market-orientated conservation has seldom generated the financial returns envisaged, and as such cannot be used as an incentive to prevent land transformation. This paper reviews the basis of the challenge to market-orientated conservation on a number of grounds, drawing on examples largely from southern Africa. It concludes that generalizations from tropical Amazonia regarding the failure of market-orientated conservation are probably premature, and that it should remain an option, amongst a number of options, for conservation of biodiversity. Additionally, the prerequisite criteria identified as necessary to create an enabling framework for the success of market-orientated conservation are insufficient. Case studies are presented where the prerequisites do not apply, yet current extraction for market purposes is sustainable. Other potential prerequisites are also considered. There is a need for multivariate analysis, based on a large sample size drawn from across a range of environments and resources, of which factors are important prerequisites for successful market-orientated conservation, and under which circumstances.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6655 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007071
- Description: The hypothesis of attaching and realising market values as one means of conserving biodiversity has gained ground over the last decade. This has been challenged recently after examination of a number of case studies, largely from tropical Amazonia, on high value logging, marketing of non-timber forest products, and bioprospecting. The conclusion was that market-orientated conservation has seldom generated the financial returns envisaged, and as such cannot be used as an incentive to prevent land transformation. This paper reviews the basis of the challenge to market-orientated conservation on a number of grounds, drawing on examples largely from southern Africa. It concludes that generalizations from tropical Amazonia regarding the failure of market-orientated conservation are probably premature, and that it should remain an option, amongst a number of options, for conservation of biodiversity. Additionally, the prerequisite criteria identified as necessary to create an enabling framework for the success of market-orientated conservation are insufficient. Case studies are presented where the prerequisites do not apply, yet current extraction for market purposes is sustainable. Other potential prerequisites are also considered. There is a need for multivariate analysis, based on a large sample size drawn from across a range of environments and resources, of which factors are important prerequisites for successful market-orientated conservation, and under which circumstances.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001