COMMUNITY- BASED COMMUNITY- BASED CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION

André Pelser2010

THE NATURE OF THE NATURE OF CONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONAL

CONSERVATION POLICIESCONSERVATION POLICIES

• Preservation of forests, parks, etc.• Rehabilitation and improvement of

degraded areas• Several problems with above

developing countries Growth in number of protected areas Growth in human population Integrated environmental management

• CBC seen as alternative conservation approach

THE EARTH’S LANDTHE EARTH’S LAND

OLD APPROACH OFTEN OLD APPROACH OFTEN RESULTED IN…RESULTED IN…

Social dislocation

Tension and conflict

Poaching

Downward spiral in quality of life

Hostility towards conservation

Increased environmental degradation

NOT SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS

REASONS FOR SHIFTING TO REASONS FOR SHIFTING TO CBCCBC

50% of protected areas (pa’s) inhabited

community as equal partners

Central agencies often insufficient lc’s often at the forefront of protest

Declining political support for conservation

Need to re-examine both concepts of

management and conservation

REASONS FOR SHIFTING TO REASONS FOR SHIFTING TO CBCCBC

(iii) Conservation not non-use, but sustainable utilization

CBC more cost-efficient Local knowledge of conservation Agenda 21 of UNCED; Rio Declaration

recognize indigenous communities

WHAT IS CBC?WHAT IS CBC?

Involvement of local communities (lc’s) in

decision-making

Saving the environment with, rather from

lc’s

Various options: consultation to control

MAIN CHARACTERISTICSMAIN CHARACTERISTICS OLD APPROACHOLD APPROACH

authoritarian emphasis on

“reservation” ignored needs of local

people conservation divorced

from development exclude communities custodial ideology “scientific” knowledge

in management

NEW APPROACHNEW APPROACH

progressive emphasis on

“sustainable use” need-sensitive

conservation integrated with development

include communities greater benefits to

people local knowledge in

sustainable use of resources

Three major forms of CBCThree major forms of CBC

Protected area outreachProtected area outreach

Collaborative managementCollaborative management

Community-based Natural Resource ManagementCommunity-based Natural Resource Management

THE CBC APPROACH IN THE CBC APPROACH IN SASA

Outreach programmes after 1994: Social

Ecology Dept. of SANP in 1994; Directorate of

People and Conservation in 2003

Community forums

Environmental education; eco-tourism;

community development

THE CBC APPROACH IN THE CBC APPROACH IN SASA

Eco-tourism = Richtersveld; Arts & Crafts (Tsitsikamma, Wilderness, Karoo); Tourist guides (Golden Gate); Community Trust (Addo)

KZN: mussel collecting, plant nurseries; B&B accommodation

Accent on local culture Sustainable yield basis

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBC

WHO IS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?WHO IS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?

Historic relationship with land/resources

Resource-dependence

Cut-off date for claims

Physical proximity

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBCWHO IS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?WHO IS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?

Identify primary, secondary, tertiary

stakeholders

Important to identify inequalities (caste, class, gender,

age, etc.);

Powerful individuals can dominate process

Social analysis / PRA

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBC

ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY PROFILEESTABLISH A COMMUNITY PROFILE

Capacity of the community?

Ascertain traditional systems of conservation

and management

Avoid devaluation of local knowledge

Social analysis / PRA

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBC

HOW WILL LOCAL COMMUNITY ENSURE HOW WILL LOCAL COMMUNITY ENSURE SUSTAINALE UTILIZATION?SUSTAINALE UTILIZATION?

What is to be conserved, How it is to be conserved and for Whom?

Capacity building among community Monitoring of impact of CBC (30% of funds allocated;

focus on biological and social elements of process) I=PATS Motivation of lc requires incentives

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBC

ESTABLISH PARTICIPATORY ESTABLISH PARTICIPATORY INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURESINSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES

Involvement and empowerment of actual users

Exclude and regulate undesirable external

influences

Consensus on the utilization of the resource

Management boards, committees etc

STEPS/ISSUES TO BE STEPS/ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN CBCCONSIDERED IN CBC

DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Forest and other produceForest and other produce (Collecting grass etc.)

EmploymentEmployment (Reserve proportion of new

employment opportunities for local people)

Tourism revenuesTourism revenues

Returns from outside commercial activitiesReturns from outside commercial activities

(Industry and researchers should pay for LCK)

FORMULATE A POLICY/LAW: FORMULATE A POLICY/LAW: MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

TO FACILITATE CBCTO FACILITATE CBC

Three objectives:

-facilitate participation;

-ensuring the “ecological rights” of the lc;

-regulate human activities

FORMULATE A POLICY/LAW: FORMULATE A POLICY/LAW: MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

TO FACILITATE CBCTO FACILITATE CBC

Issues to be resolved Issues to be resolved

Role of “outsiders” to be clarified: “outside”

projects subjected to public hearings?

Conflict resolution

Stakeholder identification/rights and roles

COMMON COMMON PROBLEMS/ERRORSPROBLEMS/ERRORS

Inter-and intra-community rivalry

Who constitutes a neighbouring community?

Lack of wider social support for community

Officials project their own values and

priorities on lc’s

COMMON COMMON PROBLEMS/ERRORSPROBLEMS/ERRORS

Overlook lc’s ways of meeting their own needs

Fixation on job-creation

Overlook the social differentiation within a community

Medicinal PlantsMedicinal Plants 80% in KZN use traditional medicine80% in KZN use traditional medicine 27 million in SA in one year27 million in SA in one year AIDSAIDS 1 doctor: 20 000 people; 1 traditional 1 doctor: 20 000 people; 1 traditional

healer: 500 peoplehealer: 500 people 200 000-250 000 healers nationwide200 000-250 000 healers nationwide Commercial traders and gatherersCommercial traders and gatherers

750-1100 jobs750-1100 jobs

Medicinal PlantsMedicinal Plants

Trade worth more than R500 million Trade worth more than R500 million

p/ap/a

ProblemProblem 350 plant species nationally harvested350 plant species nationally harvested

Plant used: 4000t per year in KZN alone; Plant used: 4000t per year in KZN alone;

20 000t nationally20 000t nationally