When Race and Social Equity Matters in Nature Conservation in Post-apartheid South Africa

Musavengane, Regis; Leonard, Llewellyn

doi:10.4103/cs.cs_18_23

Cited by 46 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…For example, language as an influence on perceptions of bird traits was significantly associated with Xhosa and other African language-speaking respondents. Contrasts between perceptions of birds according to racial and linguistic characteristics probably relate to forced segregation during apartheid, where black and coloured South Africans were relocated to rural areas (Butler 2003, Musavengane andLeonard 2019). In a South African context, identification with a specific race and social construction through a specific language are likely to mediate an individual's interaction with their environment and contribute to their ability to access ecosystem services (Kittinger et al 2012, Hicks and Cinner 2014, Musavengane and Leonard 2019.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Differential access to ecosystem services has been highlighted as a major gap in ecosystem service research, particularly in areas where systemic inequalities, exclusion, and segregation may result in conflict and violence (Lapointe et al 2019). Examining heterogeneity in perceptions of ecosystem services is particularly important in post-colonial countries because colonization typically led to unequal access to ecosystem services, mirroring broader social and economic inequalities (Musavengane and Leonard 2019). Sustained unequal access to ecosystem services risks reinforcing existing social and economic inequalities (Daw et al 2011, Sikor 2013.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sustained unequal access to ecosystem services risks reinforcing existing social and economic inequalities (Daw et al 2011, Sikor 2013. In South Africa, for example, formalized segregation based on "race" under apartheid has led to access to ecosystem services historically being unevenly distributed, with management decisions largely informed by white and "upper class" priorities (Musavengane and Leonard 2019). Despite progress in economic and social integration since the end of apartheid in 1994, South African society remains economically and socially divided along racial lines (Ramutsindela 2007, Kepe https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol26/iss3/art20/ 2009; F. Amodio and G. Chiovelli 2014, unpublished manuscript).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of socio-demographic characteristics in mediating relationships between people and nature

Zoeller¹,

Gurney²,

Marshall³

et al. 2021

E&S

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Research on ecosystem services has focused primarily on questions of availability or supply and often assumes a single human community of identical beneficiaries. However, how people perceive and experience ecosystem services can differ by sociodemographic characteristics such as material wealth, gender, education, and age. Equitable environmental management depends on understanding and accommodating different perceptions of ecosystem services and benefits. We explored how socio-demographic characteristics influence people's perceptions of birds. We identified morphological and behavioral traits of birds that people care about and used these to group bird species into "cultural functional groups." Cultural functional groups of birds are defined by shared characteristics that local people perceive as contributing to cultural ecosystem services or disservices (in the same way that foraging guilds for birds can be defined by dietary information). Using perception data for 491 bird species from 401 respondents along urbanrural gradients in South Africa, we found that socio-demographic characteristics were strongly associated with human preferences for different avian cultural functional groups. Our results provide a strong quantitative demonstration that the provision of cultural ecosystem services and benefits depends on the recipient of the service and not just on the ecological community that is present.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of socio-demographic characteristics in mediating relationships between people and nature

Zoeller¹,

Gurney²,

Marshall³

et al. 2021

E&S

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“…Participation has been identified as one of the crucial conditions for co-managing communal natural resources in many regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and it is the basis on which Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) schemes have been anchored (Hill et al, 2007; Hove et al, 2013; Oteng-Ababio et al, 2013; Musavengane and Leonard, 2019). Thus, the development of CBNRM initiatives were borne out of the need to embrace and adopt a development paradigm that shifted focus from top-down to bottom-up systems of resource management involving the incorporation of locally conceived ideas and approaches in decision-making processes (Cundill et al, 2013; Musavengane and Simatele, 2016a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Top-down management approaches continue to dominate and are the main mode of natural resource governance across many countries in SSA (Cameroon, Tchad, Niger, Ivory Coast, Central Africa Republic, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar (Child and Wojcik, 2013; Tantoh and Simatele, 2017)). As such, the poor rural people, especially women and children, continue to be excluded in participating in the development and decision-making process of issues that have both direct and indirect implications on them (Cheru, 2002; Musavengane and Leonard, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparative Analysis of Collaborative Environmental Management of Natural Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study of Cameroon and South Africa

Musavengane

Tantoh

Simatele

2019

Journal of Asian and African Studies

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In Africa, rural communities thrive on social capital and tend to have a number of commonalities that force them to share natural, physical and social resources. It has been a trend in sub-Saharan Africa to have either formal or informal collaborative management agreements to manage common pool resources (CPRs) to accommodate different actors and interests. This paper draws lessons from past and contemporary collaborative schemes in Cameroon and South Africa to enhance the practice and governance processes of natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa in order to promote sustainable development. Using research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory research to collect field-based data and complemented by reflections on previous and existing studies, the paper highlights the importance and benefits of participatory democracy as opposed to representational democracy in co-management of natural resources in rural spaces. It further discusses the need to redefine the roles of national and local governments, the youths and women in ensuring effective participation and the essence of unifying the judicial and culture. To guarantee sustainability of collaborative community-based natural resources, the paper emphasises the role and importance of youth and women empowerment. These issues have been discussed within the broader sustainability discourse.

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Perceived inclusivity and trust in protected area management decisions among stakeholders in Alaska

et al. 2022

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The success of conservation initiatives often depends on the inclusion of diverse stakeholder interests in the decision‐making process. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical knowledge concerning the factors that explain why stakeholders do—or do not— believe that they are meaningfully represented by government agencies. Our study provides insight into the relationship between trust and stakeholder perceptions of inclusivity in public land management decisions. Here, we focus on the U.S. state of Alaska, where almost two‐thirds of the land area are managed by the federal government. We used structural equation modelling to test whether an individual's trust and the information sources used to learn about land management positively influenced perceived inclusivity. We conceptualized trust in terms of four dimensions that reflected an individual's disposition to trust, trust in the federal government, trust in shared values and trust that agencies adhere to a moral code. We found that survey respondents across the U.S. state of Alaska had a limited disposition to trust others, did not trust federal land management agencies, did not believe agencies shared their values pertaining to protected area management and did not believe that agencies adhered to a moral code. Beliefs about the morality of agencies were the primary driver of perceived inclusivity in land management decisions, indicating that agencies should focus on solving problems through deliberation and discussion about moral principles rather than by force. Information acquired from professional, community‐based or environmental advocacy exchanges also positively influenced perceived levels of involvement among stakeholders in resource management decisions. These results provide a roadmap for how land management agencies can improve public relations and work towards a model of inclusive conservation around protected areas. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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When Race and Social Equity Matters in Nature Conservation in Post-apartheid South Africa

Cited by 46 publications

References 32 publications

The role of socio-demographic characteristics in mediating relationships between people and nature

The role of socio-demographic characteristics in mediating relationships between people and nature

A Comparative Analysis of Collaborative Environmental Management of Natural Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study of Cameroon and South Africa

Perceived inclusivity and trust in protected area management decisions among stakeholders in Alaska

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