Innovations in governance for biodiversity conservation : the case of the Conservation Stewardship Programme, Western Cape
Date
2011
Authors
Fourie, A.
Muller, K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Association of Southern African Schools and Departments of Public Administration and Management
Abstract
South Africa boasts one of the world’s richest and most diverse natural
landscapes and is world renowned for its biodiversity. The Cape Floristic
Region (CFR) is the world’s sixth and smallest floral kingdom and the only
one housed within the confines of a single country and predominantly
within the Western Cape Province. It is also the richest, with more than
9 000 plant species. This region is considered as one of the world’s 25
most threatened biodiversity hotspots and most of the priority areas fall
outside of existing statutorily protected areas and are mostly on privately
owned land.
This article focuses on the introduction of a new governance approach
and policy instrument in 2003 to contribute towards the conservation
of globally important “off-reserve” biodiversity remnants in the Cape
Floristic Kingdom in the Western Cape, known as the Conservation
Stewardship Programme. The governance paradigm is characterised
by a growing use of non-regulatory policy instruments such as the so called
‘new’ environmental policy instruments (NEPIs), which include
economic and voluntary approaches as well as persuasion. These are
proposed, designed and implemented by non-state actors, sometimes
working alongside state actors, but sometimes also independently. The
co-management solution rests on the assumptions that local people must
have a stake in conservation and management, and that the formation of partnerships between government agencies and resource users is
essential. The programme will be described, analysed and evaluated as a
case study before some concluding remarks are offered.
Description
The original version is available from http://www.sopmp.sun.ac.za/assadpam/index.htm
Keywords
Biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Conservation stewardship programme -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Innovations in governance -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Environmental policy -- South Africa, Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Western Cape
Citation
Fourie, A. & Muller, K. 2011. Innovations in governance for biodiversity conservation : the case of the Conservation Stewardship Programme, Western Cape. Administratio Publica, 19(1), 88-103