2 research outputs found
Local community benefits from elephants: Can willingness to support anti‐poaching efforts be strengthened?
No full textPoaching of Africa's elephants has led to substantial population declines over the last decade. Local communities coexisting with elephants can play an important role in strengthening protection measures against poaching. Our paper empirically examined how the spread of costs and benefits associated with elephants, and associated ownership rights, influenced community attitudes to support anti‐poaching activities. Based on surveys of 90 community members in the Zimbabwean part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, our results show that 92% of the respondents were unwilling to engage in conservation activities due to lack of financial gain from elephants. Local communities identified numerous benefits and costs associated with elephants. The majority (54%) of community members identified meat from the elephant as an essential benefit to their livelihoods. The most significant cost identified by the majority (60%) of respondents was crop destruction. The reported costs influenced villagers' perceptions of elephants with 71% of respondents stating that continued incurred costs has reduced their willingness to participate in conservation activities. More so, the majority (88%) of respondents indicated that these costs have led to locals supporting actions to reduce elephant numbers. Furthermore, 82% of respondents indicated a lack of remorse when an elephant was killed after destroying their crops, and 95% of community members identified that feelings of bitterness toward elephants increased as they encountered costs. Our results suggest that gaining local support for elephant conservation to be more sustainable in low income regions, the overall benefits from elephants should outweigh the costs they impose.Full Tex
Perceptions and livelihood uses of an invasive alien tree (acacia dealbata) by rural communities in the Eastern Cape
No full textThe negative impacts which invasive alien species have on ecosystems are well documented but there is paucity of information on their impacts on rural communities. Due to ecological impacts that may be associated with Acacia dealbata invasions the Agricultural Research Council Plant Protection Institute is considering releasing a biocontrol agent for A. dealbata. The actual social impacts of A. dealbata invasion and control are likely to be related to its importance in rural livelihoods. This thesis reports on the perceptions and livelihood uses of A. dealbata in the Eastern Cape. Three study sites were assessed, Matatiele, Mount Fletcher and Maclear. The study involved 150 household surveys, one focus group discussion and one transect walk at each site, key informant interviews and frequent house visits to acquire reliable data. Results show that 100 % of households in the three sites use Silver Wattle extensively for firewood. In Matatiele 64 %, 72 % in Mount Fletcher and 84 % of households in Maclear use Silver Wattle for fencing. To carve tools 76 % in Matatiele, 76 % in Mount Fletcher and 84 % households in Maclear use Silver Wattle. For medicinal purposes 18 % in Matatiele, 20 % in Mount Fletcher and 16 % in Maclear use Silver Wattle, whilst 78 % in Matatiele, 80 % in Mount Fletcher and 80 % in Maclear use it for fodder purposes. Many respondents felt that Silver Wattle is too abundant within their areas such that it now has many negative impacts associated with it. Perceptions of local people towards A. dealbata are neither static nor uniform, but are influenced by time since the invasion and now abundance of the species. There are no alternatives which provide the same services provided by Silver Wattle. Benefits and constraints due to A. dealbata invasion are experienced by everyone irrespective of wealth and gender. In conclusion, Silver Wattle is a valuable resource to these rural communities, but increasing abundance is incurring high costs to grazing resources and landscape accessibility
