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EXPERTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE ROLES AND SALIENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN INFLUENCING PROTECTED AREAS GOVERNANCE TOWARDS LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

Good governance under political ecology is critical for Protected Areas (PAs) to realise their ecological and economic values, most specifically, their contribution to Local Economic Development (LED). This governance must allow key stakeholders to reflect on various issues relating to PAs such as identifying, analysing, negotiating, and modifying constraints, variables, and subsystems. This article aims to analyse and explain the political ecological dynamics as reflected by the perceptions of experts on the roles and salience of key stakeholders in influencing PA governance (policies, strategies, and institutional structures) to promote LED in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A comprehensive Mendelow Stakeholder Mapping Matrix was used to measure stakeholders’ interest, power, positions, and then salience, attributes used to prioritise stakeholders’ engagement in developing and reviewing policies and strategies relating to PAs promotion of LED. In-depth interviews were conducted with PA officials, Government Officials, Academics and Consultants within the PA sector. Six key stakeholders and their roles, influential in PA governance toward LED were identified, namely PAs' customers/tourists (providing revenue for PAs financial sustainability); PAs’ employees (influencing aspects of PAs developing and implementing policies); National and Provincial Government (developing PA Legislative Framework); Traditional Leaders (nucleus between PAs and the society); and Local Communities (partners to sustain PAs impetus for LED). Such identification reveals a complex matrix of the stakeholders and provides a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of their interactions. These dynamics play a critical role in shaping the trajectory of the governance of PAs as they are increasingly expected to steer LED.

STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTED AREAS TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

Protected Areas (PAs) have long been considered cornerstones for biodiversity conservation repositories providing vital ecosystem services and landscapes for communities living within and around them. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a South African province with more than 11.5 million people, PAs occupy more than 924,400 ha (9.9% of the province’s terrestrial area). Despite the conservation role of the biodiversity of these PAs, there is a dearth of studies that focus on the promotion of local economic development by PAs in KZN beyond conventional monetarised parameters such as ecotourism and wildlife ranching, which are largely limited and have unevenly distributed benefits to society. However, in general, PAs in South Africa have been evolving in response to societal demand since the dawn of the new democratic government in 1994. This paper aims to determine, describe, and explain different strategies conducive for PAs to promote Local Economic Development in KZN. By interviewing PA management staff and conservation industry experts, we collected specific data concerning recent developments around PAs management systems. SWOT and Analytical Hierarchy Processes (AHP) were used as data analysis tools. Key conducive PA strategies to support Local Economic Development that emerged from the analysis include the rationalisation of Provincial and National PAs; development of a special Commercialisation Framework for public PAs; revitalisation of the township and rural economies around PAs; expansion of Transfrontier Conservation Areas and inter-industrial linkages, and contemporary PAs Business Reengineering Framework. These strategies are envisaged to bring more benefits and reduce potential conflicts between the local communities and the PAs.

STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTED AREAS TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

Protected Areas (PAs) have long been considered cornerstones for biodiversity conservation repositories providing vital ecosystem services and landscapes for communities living within and around them. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a South African province with more than 11.5 million people, PAs occupy more than 924,400 ha (9.9% of the province’s terrestrial area). Despite the conservation role of the biodiversity of these PAs, there is a dearth of studies that focus on the promotion of local economic development by PAs in KZN beyond conventional monetarised parameters such as ecotourism and wildlife ranching, which are largely limited and have unevenly distributed benefits to society. However, in general, PAs in South Africa have been evolving in response to societal demand since the dawn of the new democratic government in 1994. This paper aims to determine, describe, and explain different strategies conducive for PAs to promote Local Economic Development in KZN. By interviewing PA management staff and conservation industry experts, we collected specific data concerning recent developments around PAs management systems. SWOT and Analytical Hierarchy Processes (AHP) were used as data analysis tools. Key conducive PA strategies to support Local Economic Development that emerged from the analysis include the rationalisation of Provincial and National PAs; development of a special Commercialisation Framework for public PAs; revitalisation of the township and rural economies around PAs; expansion of Transfrontier Conservation Areas and inter-industrial linkages, and contemporary PAs Business Reengineering Framework. These strategies are envisaged to bring more benefits and reduce potential conflicts between the local communities and the PAs.

Individual Presentation Submission

THE POLITICS OF CITES: CLASHES BETWEEN TWO PARADIGMS FOR REGULATING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE

The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) aims to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of species in the wild. However, there is a clear dichotomy among Parties to CITES in relation to implementation of the Convention. Many Parties, predominantly those from the global North, see it as an international instrument to protect wildlife species from trade or any form of utilization or commercialization, while others, particularly from developing economies in southern Africa, see it as a tool for the sustainable utilization of wildlife for the benefit of local livelihoods and incentive-based conservation. The power balance is currently swayed towards the protectionist viewpoint, manifesting as a series of trade prohibitions for particularly the charismatic animal species, such as rhinos and elephants, or onerous management measures for natural resources in high global demand such as timber. Widely purported to be a science-based Convention, science is sometimes ignored in favour of emotional decisions, while the social and economic sciences do not feature at all. While the European Union is the most powerful force in the decision-making of the Convention, Northern hemisphere based non-governmental organizations are also strong influencers. This state of politics at play will be demonstrated through several case studies emanating from amendments to the Appendices of CITES at the 19th Conference of the Parties held in Panama in November 2022.

wildlife trade, sustainable use, livelihoods

Rural communities that consist of land reform beneficiaries who are in co-management agreements with state owned protected areas are facing imbalances in power relations (Ashley 2005; Nguyen 2007; Bukhosini 2011; Zeka 2013; Maluleka 2018; Fedreheim & Blanco 2017; Petursson & Kristofersson 2021). This marginalisation in terms of authority over decision making processes has gendered and generational segments which are not new as they are related to the history of how black communities were treated before democracy (Duchak 2014).

The imbalances in power relations are one of the major social issues that adds to existing pre-and post-apartheid tensions and conflicts between protected areas and communities. In order to identify causes of marginalization, the environmental history of the area will be reviewed along with its conservation geography. The proposed study is aiming to research how co-management engagements extend in socio-ecological context at the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. It aims to find the roots, catalysts and dynamics of power imbalances and other unidentified existing forms of marginalization operating in the landscape. Furthermore, to investigate the historical and current patterns of social well-being and imbalances in power relations between communities and protected areas.

One of the primary objectives of the study is to examine the history of relationships between the protected area, land reform beneficiaries and communities in light of power, entitlements and responsibilities. To achieve this primary aim the study will use archival research. Furthermore the relevant stakeholders will be interviewed to get life histories and memories of communities and interactions with the environment.

Title: Pre and post colonial power imbalances among protected areas and communities-land reform beneficiaries.

Abstract:
Rural communities that consist of land reform beneficiaries who are in co-management agreements with state owned protected areas are facing imbalances in power relations (Ashley 2005; Nguyen 2007; Bukhosini 2011; Zeka 2013; Maluleka 2018; Fedreheim & Blanco 2017; Petursson & Kristofersson 2021). This marginalisation in terms of authority over decision making processes has gendered and generational segments which are not new as they are related to the history of how black communities were treated before democracy (Duchak 2014).

The imbalances in power relations are one of the major social issues that adds to existing pre-and post-apartheid tensions and conflicts between protected areas and communities. In order to identify causes of marginalization, the environmental history of the area will be reviewed along with its conservation geography. The proposed study is aiming to research how co-management engagements extend in socio-ecological context at the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. It aims to find the roots, catalysts and dynamics of power imbalances and other unidentified existing forms of marginalization operating in the landscape. Furthermore, to investigate the historical and current patterns of social well-being and imbalances in power relations between communities and protected areas.

One of the primary objectives of the study is to examine the history of relationships between the protected area, land reform beneficiaries and communities in light of power, entitlements and responsibilities. To achieve this primary aim the study will use archival research. The relevant stakeholders will be interviewed to get life histories and memories of communities and interactions with the environment.

Keywords
Power imbalances, Rural communities, Protected areas, Pre and post colonial,