Conservancies: case studies of private landowner conservation initiatives in the Western Cape, South Africa
Date
2018-12
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Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika is wêreldwyd bekend vir sy natuurlike skoonheid en biodiversiteit, maar ongelukkig word die omgewing erg deur landbou en stedelike uitbreiding gedegradeer. Natuurlike areas verminder, wat druk op biodiversiteit en natuurlike prosesse plaas; dit is veral waar in die Kaapse Blommestreek. Dit is die kleinste, oudste en biologies mees diverse blommestreek ter wêreld en is daarom tuiste vir baie bedreigde en skaars spesies. Omdat meeste van hierdie spesies voorkom in natuurlike gebiede wat aan private individue of organisasies (in teenstelling met die staat) behoort, is dit private bewaringsinisiatiewe soos bewareas wat die potensiaal het om ’n positiewe bydrae in die landskap te maak.
Die bewarea-inisiatief in die Wes-Kaap is ’n bewaringsinstument wat deur omgewingsowerhede gebuik word om private grondeienaars aan te moedig om hulle natuurlike hulpbronne effektief te bestuur en daardeur by te dra tot die bewaringsnetwerk in die landskap. Bewareas is egter vrywillige inisiatiewe waar lede hul tyd, geld en kundigheid opoffer. Dit beteken egter dat lede maklik belangstelling en motivering tydens moeilike tye kan verloor, wat tot ’n bewarea se dormansie en selfs ondergang kan lei; nogtans is daar bewareas wat reeds dekades lank bestaan. Die doel van hierdie studie was derhalwe om faktore te identifiseer wat tot die langtermyn lewensvatbaarheid van bewareas bydra, deur gevallestudies in die Wes-Kaap, spesifiek in die Kaapse Blommestreek geleë, te onderneem.
Om dit te bereik, is verskeie navorsingsdoelstellings geformuleer. Die eerste doelstelling was om ’n begrip van sleutelkonsepte, soos sosiaal-ekologiese stelsels, landskapskaalbewaring en bewareas in Suider-Afrika deur middel van ’n uitgebreide literatuurstudie te verkry. Die tweede doelstelling was om die evolusie en verspreiding van bewareas in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Aangesien inligting oor die onderwerp grootliks ontbreek, is sleutelkundiges oor bewareas deur middel van die tegniek van sneeubalmonstertrekking geïdentifiseer en daarna gekontak en mee onderhoude gevoer. Die derde doelstelling was om sleutelrolspelers van organisasies wat by bewareas betrokke is te identifiseer en mee onderhoude te voer ten einde hul rol te bepaal en meer inligting in te win. Die vierde doelstelling was om vyf bewareas te identifiseer wat geskikte gevallestudies sou wees. Die gevalle moes elk ’n verskillende omgewingskonteks in die Kaapse Blommestreek verteenwoordig, moes langtermyn lewenskragtigheid kon bewys en ’n positiewe impak op die landskap hê. Dit is bepaal deur die insette van sleutelrolspelers te vra. Bewareas binne die Kaapse Blommerstreek wat ouer as tien jaar is, is gevolglik gekies, naamlik Cederberg, Groter Simonsberg, Groenlandberg, Rooiberg Breederivier enGrootvadersbosch. Die vyfde doelwit was om die gevallestudies te vergelyk en faktore te bepaal wat tot hul langtermynlewenskragtigheid bydra. ’n Sosiaal-ekologiese raamwerk is gebruik om die inligting wat tydens onderhoude met die gebiede se bestuur bekom is, met die resultate van ’n vraelysopname onder lede te vergelyk.
Ontleding van die data het verskillende faktore binne die sosiaal-ekologiese raamwerk uitgesonder wat tot die bewareas se langtermynlewensvatbaarheid bydra. Die sosiale, ekonomiese en historiese agtergrond sluit die faktore private eiendomsreg, private hulpbrongebruikswette, nasionale omgewingswette, regeringsoutoriteitsondersteuning en die toestand van die hoof ekonomiese sektore van elke bewarea in. Die verwante ekostelsel-kategorie omvat die veranderlikes omgewingskonteks en omgewingskwessies in die landskap in. Hulpbronstelsels sluit deelname deur die lede en die bestuur van ’n bewarea in. Die hulpbroneenhede wat tot langtermynlewenskragtigheid bydra, is grond, deelnemers se tyd en geld. In die akteur-kategorie is die faktore die voldoening aan lede se verwagtinge, waargenome voordele en nadele, en die tevredenheid van lede. In die bestuurstelsel-kategorie was ’n vasste bestuurstruktuur en die voldoening aan sewe sleutelbestuurstrategieë. In die interaksie-kategorie was dit belangrik dat bewareas verskillende aktiwiteite het wat tot positiewe uitkomste in die landskap lei.
Hierdie bevindinge dui daarop dat die interaksie tussen die volgende vier faktore noodsaaklik vir bewareas is, naamlik die lede, bestuur, projekte en omgewingskonteks. Die kwaliteit van die interaksies tussen hierdie vier faktore beïnvloed die stabiliteit van die bewarea as ’n sosiaal-ekologiese sisteen in tye van omgewings-, ekologiese of sosiale druk. Indien hierdie interaksies van ’n hoë gehalte is, is die kanse beter dat die bewareas in die langtermyn lewenskragtig sal bly. Die hoof aanbeveling van die studie is dat bewareas die geïdentifiseerde veranderlikes en hulle interaksies moet insluit en bestuur. Dit sal die waarskynlikheid van die bewarea se langtermyn bewaringsaksies en -bydraes aan die breër landskapskaal bewaringsnetwerk verhoog. Uiteindelik sal dit daartoe bydra om die negatiewe uitwerking van stedelike en landbou-uitbreiding in die landskap teen te werk.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is known around the world for its natural beauty and biodiversity, unfortunately, because of rapid agricultural and urban expansion this environment is being severely degraded. Natural areas are decreasing, placing pressure on biodiversity and natural ecological processes; this is nowhere as true as in the Cape Floral Region. This is the smallest, oldest and most biologically diverse floral region in the world and is therefore home to many endangered and rare species. Since most of these species are located on natural areas belonging to private individuals or organisations (as opposed to state), it is private conservation initiatives such as conservancies, that have the potential to make a positive difference in the landscape. The conservancy initiative in the Western Cape is a conservation tool used by environmental authorities to encourage private landowners to effectively manage their natural resources and in doing so contribute to the conservation network in the landscape. However, conservancies are voluntary initiatives where members volunteer their time, money and expertise. This means that they can easily become disinterested and demotivated when under pressure, resulting in the conservancy’s dormancy or demise; yet there are conservancies that have existed for decades. This study therefore aimed to identify factors contributing to the long-term viability of conservancies through five case studies in the Cape Floral Region in the Western Cape. To achieve this, several research objectives were formulated. The first objective was to establish an understanding of key concepts such as social-ecological systems, landscape-scale conservation and conservancies in Southern Africa through an extensive literature study. From the literature it became clear that the social-ecological systems framework is an appropriate theoretical base for the study. The second objective was to investigate the evolution and distribution of conservancies in South Africa. Because information on the subject is lacking key conservancy experts were identified using the snowball sampling technique and they were subsequently contacted and interviewed. The third objective sought to identify and interview key stakeholders from organisations involved with conservancies, to determine their roles and collect more information. The fourth objective was to identify five conservancies as suitable case studies. The cases each had to represent a different environmental context in the Cape Floral Region, have proof of long-term viability and have a positive impact in the landscape. This was determined by asking the advice of the key stakeholders. Conservancies older than ten years, namely Cederberg, Greater Simonsberg, Groenlandberg, Rooiberg Breede River and Grootvadersbosch were selected. The fifth objective was to compare the case studies and determine factors which contribute to their long-term viability. The social-ecological systems framework was used to organise and compare the information obtained during interviews with conservancy management, as well as the results from a questionnaire survey among conservancy members. Analysis of the data identified several factors within each category of the social-ecological systems framework which contribute to the conservancies’ long-term viability. The social, economic and historic setting includes institutional arrangements such as private property laws, private resource use laws, national environmental laws, government authority support and the state of the main economic sectors within each conservancy. The related ecosystem category includes the factors environmental context and environmental issues in the landscape. Resource systems includes the factors conservancy member participation and conservancy member management. The resource units contributing to long-term viability were land, participants’ time and money. In the actor category, the factors were: fulfilment of members’ expectations, perceived advantages and disadvantages, and member satisfaction. In the governance systems category the factors were a solid management structure and the fulfilment of seven key management strategies. In the interaction category it was important that conservancies have several activities that lead to positive outcomes in the landscape. It was concluded that the interaction between the following four factors are essential to conservancies, namely its members, management, projects and environmental context. The quality of the interactions between these four factors influences the stability of the conservancy as a social-ecological system during times of environmental, economic or social pressure. If these interactions are of a high quality, then conservancies are more likely to be viable in the long term. The main recommendation of the study is that conservancies should incorporate and manage the identified factors and their interactions. This would increase the probability of the conservancy’s long-term conservation actions and contribution to the broader landscape-scale conservation network. In the end this will help mitigate the negative effects of urban and agricultural expansion in the landscape.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is known around the world for its natural beauty and biodiversity, unfortunately, because of rapid agricultural and urban expansion this environment is being severely degraded. Natural areas are decreasing, placing pressure on biodiversity and natural ecological processes; this is nowhere as true as in the Cape Floral Region. This is the smallest, oldest and most biologically diverse floral region in the world and is therefore home to many endangered and rare species. Since most of these species are located on natural areas belonging to private individuals or organisations (as opposed to state), it is private conservation initiatives such as conservancies, that have the potential to make a positive difference in the landscape. The conservancy initiative in the Western Cape is a conservation tool used by environmental authorities to encourage private landowners to effectively manage their natural resources and in doing so contribute to the conservation network in the landscape. However, conservancies are voluntary initiatives where members volunteer their time, money and expertise. This means that they can easily become disinterested and demotivated when under pressure, resulting in the conservancy’s dormancy or demise; yet there are conservancies that have existed for decades. This study therefore aimed to identify factors contributing to the long-term viability of conservancies through five case studies in the Cape Floral Region in the Western Cape. To achieve this, several research objectives were formulated. The first objective was to establish an understanding of key concepts such as social-ecological systems, landscape-scale conservation and conservancies in Southern Africa through an extensive literature study. From the literature it became clear that the social-ecological systems framework is an appropriate theoretical base for the study. The second objective was to investigate the evolution and distribution of conservancies in South Africa. Because information on the subject is lacking key conservancy experts were identified using the snowball sampling technique and they were subsequently contacted and interviewed. The third objective sought to identify and interview key stakeholders from organisations involved with conservancies, to determine their roles and collect more information. The fourth objective was to identify five conservancies as suitable case studies. The cases each had to represent a different environmental context in the Cape Floral Region, have proof of long-term viability and have a positive impact in the landscape. This was determined by asking the advice of the key stakeholders. Conservancies older than ten years, namely Cederberg, Greater Simonsberg, Groenlandberg, Rooiberg Breede River and Grootvadersbosch were selected. The fifth objective was to compare the case studies and determine factors which contribute to their long-term viability. The social-ecological systems framework was used to organise and compare the information obtained during interviews with conservancy management, as well as the results from a questionnaire survey among conservancy members. Analysis of the data identified several factors within each category of the social-ecological systems framework which contribute to the conservancies’ long-term viability. The social, economic and historic setting includes institutional arrangements such as private property laws, private resource use laws, national environmental laws, government authority support and the state of the main economic sectors within each conservancy. The related ecosystem category includes the factors environmental context and environmental issues in the landscape. Resource systems includes the factors conservancy member participation and conservancy member management. The resource units contributing to long-term viability were land, participants’ time and money. In the actor category, the factors were: fulfilment of members’ expectations, perceived advantages and disadvantages, and member satisfaction. In the governance systems category the factors were a solid management structure and the fulfilment of seven key management strategies. In the interaction category it was important that conservancies have several activities that lead to positive outcomes in the landscape. It was concluded that the interaction between the following four factors are essential to conservancies, namely its members, management, projects and environmental context. The quality of the interactions between these four factors influences the stability of the conservancy as a social-ecological system during times of environmental, economic or social pressure. If these interactions are of a high quality, then conservancies are more likely to be viable in the long term. The main recommendation of the study is that conservancies should incorporate and manage the identified factors and their interactions. This would increase the probability of the conservancy’s long-term conservation actions and contribution to the broader landscape-scale conservation network. In the end this will help mitigate the negative effects of urban and agricultural expansion in the landscape.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.