Description of three environmental co-management systems in the Western Cape

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Environmental management is becoming an increasingly popular phrase asbusinesses, organisations and communities are becoming more environmentallyconscious. Conservation areas are under a significant amount of pressure fromstakeholders to deliver effective collaboration and co-management strategies.What was previously understood as fragmented and underdeveloped,environmental conservation areas are now moving towards becomingdecentralised, self-regulated and holistic in nature. Previously discouraged publicinvolvement has now come to the forefront of government's focus as public entitiescan aid in providing promised service delivery to conservation areas.As environmental conservation areas consist of a variety of ecosystems distributedthroughout South Africa, this research focuses on three different conservationareas. The aim is to compare different managerial systems across the boundariesof conservation management in the context of international case studies, theSouth African government, as well as policy mandates already in place in theconservation areas. The purpose of the study is to compare different collaborativeapproaches by assessing the managerial methods within each of the chosenconservation areas. The overall purpose is to assess the various levels ofstakeholder involvement by evaluating the levels of participation between the comanagementareas and stakeholders involved.A biosphere reserve, a water management system, and a land managementsystem were studied. For the biosphere reserve case study, the Cape West CoastBiosphere Reserve was investigated. The Breede-Overberg CatchmentManagement Agency was studied for the water management system case study,and the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area was explored for the landmanagement system case study.The methods used within this research comprised of conducting a literature study,as well as conducting interviews with various participants from each of theconservation areas involved. It was discovered that the Cape West Coastbiosphere reserve functions as a non-governmental organisation with numerousexchangeable stakeholders. The Breede-Overberg catchment management agencyis government orientated with the South African government as the mainstakeholder. The Nuwejaars Wetlands special management area was establishedas being a private organisation with a Land-Owners Association.Research designs used include the evaluation research design and conceptualanalysis design. The results of the study showed that conservation areas within South Africa need to implement more co-management, increase awareness withinpublic and organisations' spheres, increase institutional development, andimplement more strategic partnerships in terms of stakeholder engagement withspecific focus on private sector engagement. Tourism and sustainable scenarioplanning have also been proven to increase the benefits of collaboration,cooperation and co-management within each of the three conservation areas.With the emerging trend of environmental sustainability and popularity increasingin conservation, individuals on a global scale have become progressively moreaware of the problems facing environmental conservation areas. It is imperativethat a conservation area implements strategic collaborative resource managementpractices which best suit the type of organisation, whether it is state-run, privatelyrun, or a non-governmental organisation. The best possible recommendation foundwas that it is in a conservation area's best interest to find the right combination ofsolutions which work for a specific area instead of trying to implement a new,singular solution.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University