Towards pro-conservation attitudes and behaviour by local communities bordering protected areas in South Africa

Abstract

Protected areas in South Africa are often surrounded by impoverished communities. Biodiversity must be conserved while improving community wellbeing. An increased understanding of key influences on pro-conservation attitudes and behaviour is essential for the future of successful conservation and the creation of realistic solutions for poor communities. Knowledge gaps exist regarding intangible benefits and losses, as well as the relationship between benefits, losses and pro-conservation attitudes and behaviour. Furthermore, there are less qualitative studies in this field than quantitative, nor are there many that include the perspective of park staff. This research followed a novel comparative multiple-method qualitative approach, using contrasting case studies and borrowing from grounded theory. Three nature reserves were selected, each involving two constituencies – (i) the local community and (ii) protected area staff. Individual interviews, focus group interviews, mapping, and adapted nominal grouping technique were used to collect data. The data were first analysed question-by-question for each case study, followed by cross-case analysis which resulted in meta-themes for each research objective. In each case study, benefits and losses were ranked to indicate their level of importance. Key tangible benefits were employment, access to natural resources and support for schools. Intangible benefits drew less focus, but comprise key influences, such as visiting the park, environmental education, information dissemination, and involvement. These benefits emerged again as aspects that would drew less focus, but comprise key influences, such as visiting the park, environmental education, information dissemination, and involvement. These benefits emerged again as aspects that would improve future positivity if more of each could be provided. Key losses were lack of/limited access to the reserve as visitors, insufficient employment, fear of wild animals and lack of involvement/interaction. Findings indicate that communities have a range of responsibilities towards the reserve (some of which are self-imposed), and a strong sense of custodianship. Exclusion from responsibility led to negative attitudes. Good relationships resulted in fewer poaching incidents, although locals are hesitant to report subsistence poaching. Areas of non-alignment between the perceptions of both constituencies highlight areas for rectification, such as parks acknowledging the losses perceived by communities; knowing which benefits are most important to communities; and highlighting benefits not mentioned by communities. The meta-themes were used to construct a data-derived ‘Theory of Influences on Pro-conservation Attitudes and Behaviour’, which indicates how relationship is shaped by benefits, losses, detractors and facilitators; and includes solutions to increase positive attitudes. To drive practical application of the theory, recommendations for park managers and local communities are provided. Finally, this study was integrated with existing literature to develop the ‘People-Parks Win-Win Framework’ – a comprehensive representation of the influences on people-park relationships – which has not been done before. The study makes methodological, theoretical and practical contributions. Its findings can facilitate people-park win-wins, aiding both biodiversity conservation and community wellbeing.

Mafelo ao a šireleditšwego ka Afrika Borwa gantši a dikaneditšwe ke ditšhaba tšeo di hlokago. Diphedi tšeo di fapafapanego di swanetše go babalelwa mola ka go le lengwe re kaonafatša go phela gabotse ga ditšhaba. Kwešišo ye e oketšegilego ya dilo tše bohlokwa tše di huetšago maikutlo ao a thekgago pabalelo ya diphedi le maitshwaro e bohlokwa go bokamoso bja pabalelo ye e atlegilego le go hloma ditharollo tše di kwagalago go ditšhaba tše di hlokago. Tlhokego ya tsebo e gona mabapi le dikholego le ditahlegelo tšeo di sa bonagalego, gammogo le kamano magareng ga dikholego, ditahlegelo le maikutlo ao a thekgago pabalelo ya diphedi le maitshwaro. Godimo ga fao, go na le dinyakišišo tše mmalwa ka ga boleng ka mo lefapheng le go fetwa ke dinyakišišo ka ga bontši, ebile ga go na le tše ntši tšeo di akaretšago maikutlo a bašomi ba ka dirapeng tša diphoofolo. Dinyakišišo tše di latetše mokgwa wa papetšo wa mekgwa ye mentši ya dinyakišišo ka ga boleng, ka go šomiša dinyakišišo tša seemo tšeo di thulanago le go adima go teori yeo e tlogago e theilwe ka mabaka. Mafelo a pabalelo ya diphedi a mararo a kgethilwe, le lengwe le le lengwe le akaretša bakgathatema ba babedi ka go lona – (i) setšhaba sa kgauswi le (ii) bašomi ba lefelo leo le šireleditšwego. Batho ka o tee ka o tee ba ile ba botšišwa dipotšišo, dihlopha tše di nepišitšwego le tšona di ile tša botšišwa dipotšišo, go hlaola, le mokgwa wo o fetošitšwego wa go hlopha ka maina di šomišitšwe go kgoboketša tshedimošo. Tshedimošo e thomile ka go sekasekwa go ya ka potšišo ye e botšišitšwego go dinyakišišo tša seemo, gwa latela tshekatsheko ya dinyakišišo tše di fapafapanego yeo e feleleditšego ka merero ye megolo go maikemišetšo a mangwe le a mangwe a dinyakišišo. Ka go dinyakišišo tše dingwe le tše dingwe tša seemo, dikholego le ditahlegelo di ile tša bewa ka maemo go laetša maemo a bohlokwa bja tšona. Dikholego tše bohlokwa tšeo di bonagalago di ile tša dirišwa, gwa ba le phihlelelo go methopo ya tlhago le thekgo ya dikolo. Dikholego tšeo di sa bonagalego di ile tša ba le šedi ye nnyane, eupša tša ba le dikhuetšo tše bohlokwa, tša go swana le go etela serapeng sa diphoofolo, thuto ya tikologo, go phatlalatša tshedimošo, le go kgatha tema. Dikholego tše di tšweletše gape bjalo ka dikokwane tšeo di tlago kaonafatša maikutlo a makaone a ka moso ge e le gore tše ntši tša tšona di tla abja. Ditahlegelo tše bohlokwa e bakilwe ke tlhokego ya phihlelelo/phihlelelo ye nnyane ya go tsena ka dirapeng tša diphoofolo ka baeti, tlhokego ya mešomo, go tšhaba diphoofolo tša lešoka le tlhokego ya go kgatha tema/tirišano. Dikutollo di laetša gore ditšhaba di na le maikarabelo a mehutahuta go dirapa tša diphoofolo (a mangwe maikarabelo ke a go ithaopa ga setšhaba), le maikutlo ao a tiilego a go di hlokomela. Go se akaretše ditšhaba go maikarabelo a go feleleditše ka maikutlo ao a sego a loka. Dikamano tše botse di feleleditše ka ditiragalo tše mmalwa tša go bolaya diphoofolo ke bao ba nyakago manaka a tšona, le ge e le gore badudi ba dikadika go bega go bolaya diphoofolo ke bao ba inyakelago nama ya tšona. Makala a go se sepelelane magareng ga maikutlo a bakgathatema ka bobedi a laetša fao go swanatšego go phošollwa gona, go swana le ge dirapa tša diphoofolo di dumela ditahlegelo tšeo di bonwago ke ditšhaba; di tseba gore ke dikholego dife tše di lego bohlokwa kudu go ditšhaba; le go laetša dikholego tše di sego tša bolelwa ke ditšhaba. Mereo ye megolo e ile ya šomišwa go hlama ‘Teori ya dikhuetšo ye e tšwago tshedimošong ka ga Maikutlo le Maitshwaro ao a Thekgago Pabalelo ya diphedi’, yeo e laetšago ka fao kamano e bopšago ke dikholego, ditahlegelo, disenyi le basepediši; ebile e akaretšago ditharollo tša go oketša maikutlo a makaone. Go tšwetša pele tirišo ye e phathagatšwago ya teori ye, balaodi ba dirapa tša diphoofolo le ditšhaba ba ile ba fiwa ditšhišinyo. Mafelelong, dinyakišišo tše di ile tša tsenywa ka gare ga dingwalwa tšeo di lego gona ka nepo ya go hlama ‘Melawanatheo ya Dirapa tša Diphoofolo tša go Thekgwa ke Batho tšeo di Holago Bohle’ – e lego kemedi ye e akaretšago bohle ka ga dikhuetšo tša dikamano tša dirapa tša diphoofolo tša go thekgwa ke batho – e lego seo se sego sa ka sa dirwa mo nakong ye e fetilego. Dinyakišišo tše tsenya letsogo ka ga mekgwa, teori le tirišo. Dikutollo tša tšona di ka nolofatša kholego ya bohle go dirapa tša diphoofolo tša go thekgwa ke batho, tša thuša bobedi pabalelo ya diphedi tšeo di fapafapanego le go phela gabotse ga setšhaba.

Imimandla ekhuselekileyo eMzantsi Afrika ikholisa ukungqongwa yimiphakathi ehluphekileyo. Indalo esingqongileyo kufuneka ilondolozwe lo gama kuphuculwa intlalontle yoluntu. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukwanda kokuqonda imiba enefuthe kwiindlela zokucinga nokuziphatha malunga nolondolozo lwendalo ukuze kubekho impumelelo ekulondolozeni indalo, kudaleke nezisombululo ezisebenzayo kwimiphakathi ehluphekileyo. Kukho izikhewu kulwazi olumalunga noncedo nelahleko, kwanolwalamano phakathi koncedo, ilahleko neendlela zokucinga nokuziphatha. Ngaphaya koko, zimbalwa izifundo ezingqiyame kakhulu kwingxoxo nengcaciso kunezifundo ezingqiyame kumanani, kwaye zimbalwa eziqwalasela izimvo zabasebenzi bamaziko ekugcinwa kuwo indalo. Olu phando lunesimbo esitsha esiqhutywa ngokuthelekisa iindlela zophando eziliqela, kusetyenziswa izifundo ezisekelwe kumava neengcingane/iithiyori ezaziwayo. Kukhethwe amaziko endalo amathathu apho kubandakanywe amacandelo amabini kwiziko ngalinye – (i) uluntu lwendawo kunye (ii) nabaqeshwa bommandla okhuselweyo. Ulwazi okanye idatha luqokelelwe ngezi ndlela zilandelayo: Kwaqhutywa udliwano ndlebe nabantu bengabanye, bengamaqela ekugxininiswe kuwo, kwalandeliswa ngokuthelekisa okuqikelelweyo nokwenzekileyo kunye nokudibanisa amaqela ukuze axukushe imiba ekuphandwa ngayo. Iinkcukacha zolwazi eziqokelelweyo zahlalutywa ngokuthi kuqwalaselwe iimpendulo zombuzo ngamnye kule yemizekelo yamava omntu ngamnye, kwalandeliswa ngokuthelekisa iimeko namava abantu ngabantu, nto leyo eyaveza imixholo ebanzi kwinjongo nganye yesifundo sophando. Kwisifundo samava ngasinye kwalandelelaniswa uncedo nelahleko ngokokubaluleka kwazo. Izinto eziluncedo ezaqwalaselwayo yaba yimpangelo, ukufikelela kwimithombo yendalo nenkxaso yezikolo. Uncedo olungabambekiyo zange luqwalaselwe ngokungamandla kodwa lunefuthe eliphambili njengokutyelela amaziko endalo, ukufundiswa ngokusingqongileyo, ukusasazwa kolwazi nokuthatha inxaxheba. Ezi ndidi zoncedo zaphinda zavela njengamanqanaba aya kuphucula ukuzijonga ngethemba izinto xa kunokwenziwa ukuba zibe khona. Ilahleko yaba kukunqongophala kwendlela yokufikelela kwiziko njengeendwendwe, ukunqaba kwamathuba empangelo, ukoyika izilo zasendle nokungabikho kwamathuba okuthatha inxaxheba. Okufunyanisiweyo kudiza ukuba uluntu lunoxanduva oluziindidi ezahlukeneyo kwiziko (olunye uxanduva bazinike ngokwabo), kwaye luzibona lungabagcini bendawo. Ukunganikwa uxanduva kwakhokelela ekucingeni gwenxa. Intsebenziswano yakhokelela ekuncipheni kweziganeko zokuzingela ngokungekho mthethweni, nangona abahlali bendawo bemathidala ukuxela abantu abazingelela ukuzondla. Iindawo zokuhlabana kwezimvo zamacala omabini zidulisa amanqanaba afanele ukulungiswa, njengokuba amaziko endalo ayiqonde imeko ebonwa njengelahleko luluntu lwendawo; aqonde nokuba zeziphi izinto ezibalulekileyo nezibonwa njengoncedo luluntu; acacise nezinto eziluncedo ezingabalulwanga luluntu lwendawo. Imixholo ebanzi (meta-themes) yasetyenziselwa ukuqweba ‘Ingcingane Yefuthe Elenzeka Kwiimbono Nokuziphatha’ (‘Theory of Influences on Pro-conservation Attitudes and Behaviour’), nebonakalisa ukuba izinto eziluncedo, ilahleko, iziphazamiso nabaququzeleli zilubumba njani ulwalamano. Kwakhona, le ngcingane iquka izisombululo zokwandisa iingcinga ezintle. Kunikwe iingcebiso kubaphathi beziko lendalo nakuluntu lwendawo ukuze kuphuhliswe iindlela ezibonakalayo zokusebenzisa le ngcingane. Okokugqibela, esi sifundo sixutywe noncwadi oselukho ngenjongo yokuphuhlisa ‘Isakhelo Sempumelelo Yentsebenziswano Kuluntu Namaziko Endalo’ (‘People-Parks Win-Win Framework’) – lo ngumbhalo oveza ifuthe lentsebenziswano yoluntu namaziko endalo – nto leyo ingazange ibekho ngaphambili. Esi sifundo sifaka igxalaba ngobuchule, ngengcingane nangomsebenzi ophathekayo. Okufunyaniswe apha kunakho ukudala impumelelo kwintsebenziswano yokuntu namaziko endalo, sincede ulondolozo lwendalo nentlalontle yoluntu.

Izindawo ezivikelekile eNingizimu Afrika kaningi zihaqwe yimiphakathi entulayo. Izinto ezahlukahlukene eziphilayo kufanele zilondolozwe kanti ngakolunye uhlangothi sibe sesifafaza ivangeli lempilo ephephile emiphakathini. Ulwazi oluningi lwemithelela esemqoka emayelana nommoya kanye nemikhuba yokulondoloza kwemvelo kubalulekile kwikusasa lokwakha uhlelo olluyimpumelelo lokulondoloza kwemvelo kanye nokwakha amasu empilo yangempela okusiza imiphakathi edla imbuya ngothi. Kukhona ukwedlulana okumayelana nezinzuzo ezingabonakali ngamehlo kanye nokulahlekelwa, kanye nobudlelwano obuphakathi kwezinzuzo, kokulahlekelwa kanye nemmoya kanye nemikhuba ehlose ukulondoloza imvelo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunezifundo ezincane zocwaningo olugxile kwizingxoxo kulo mkhakha, uma seziqhathaniswa nezifundo zocwaningo olugxile kumanani, kanti kunjalo-nje izifundo zocwaningo eziningi azixubi umqondo wabasebenzi. Lolu cwaningo luye lwalandela indlela embaxaningi yokuqhathanisa egxile kwizingxoxo, ngokusebenzisa izifundo zocwaningolotho eziphikisanayo futhi ziye zaqhubeka nokuboleka amasu kwimiqondo egxilile. . Kuye kwakhethwa iziqiwu zokulonda izilwane ezintathu, esinye nesinye isiqiwu sinezakhamuzi zendawo – (i) umphakathi oyizakhamuzi kanye (ii) nendawo evikelekile yabasebenzi. Kuye kwasetshenziswa izinhlelo zenhlolovo yomuntu ngamunye, ukumepha, kanye nezindlela zemibuzo eshicilelwe zemibono yamaqembu, konke lokhu kuye kwasetshenziswa ukuqoqa idatha. Okokuqala idatha iye yahlaziywa ngokwemibuzo ngamunye kolunye nolunye ucwaningolotho, okuye kwalandelwa yindlela yokuhlaziya eyaziwa phecelezi ngecross-case analysis okuyindlela edale ukuba kube nezindikimba ezibizwa ngemeta-themes zenhloso enye nenye yocwaningo. Kolunye nolunye ucwaningo, izinzuzo kanye nokulahlekelwa kuye kwabekwa ngokulandelana ukuze kuvezwe amazing okubaluleka. Izinzuzo ezisemqoka eziphathekayo kuye kwaba ukusebenza, ukwazi ukuthola imithombo yemvelo kanye nokuxhaswa kwezikole. Izinzuzo ezingaphathekiyo akugxilwanga kakhulu kuzo, kodwa nazo ziqukethe imithelela esemqoka, enjengokuvakashela izindawo zokungcebeleka, ukuhlinzekwa ngemfundo yezemvelo, ukusakazwa kolwazi kanye nokubandakanyeka. Lezi zinzuzo ziye zavela futhi njengezinto ezizothuthukisa ikusasa eliqhakazile uma ngabe konke lokhu kuyalandelwa. Ukulahlekelwa okuphawulekayo kuye kwaba ukusweleka/ukufinyeleleka kancane kwezivakashi esiqiwini sezilwane, ukuqashwa kwabasebenzi benani eliphansi, ukwesaba izilwane zasendle kanye nezinga lokusweleka kokubandakanyeka/nokungahlangani. Ulwazi olutholakele luveza ukuthi imiphakathi inezindima eziningi okufanele iziidlale kwiziqiwu ezilondoloza imvelo (ezinye izindima yilezo ezizibeke phezu kwamahlombe omphakathi) kanye nokuba nesasasa lokunakekela imvelo. Kanti ukungabandakanywa komphakathi kuye kwaholela ekutheni umphakathi ube nommoya ongemuhle kulezi ziqiwu. Ubudlelwano obuhle buye baholela ekutheni kube nenani eliphansi lezehlakalo zokubulawa kwezilwane, yize abantu bezindawo ezisondelene neziqiwu beba nokuthandabuza uma kufanele babike izehlakalo zokubulawa kwezilwane. Ukungasebenzisani phakathi kwezinhlanga ezimbili, izakhamuzi kanye namalungu eziqiwu zezilwane kuveza amaphutha okufanele alungiswe, anjengokuthi iziqiwu lezi zibe nolwazi ngokulahlekelwa komphakathi; zazi ukuthi ngiziphi izinzuzo ezibalulekile emphakathini; futhi ziveze izinzuzo ezingavezwanga wumphakathi. Izinhlaka phecelezi ezingama meta-themes zisetshenzisiwe ukwakha ithiyori esuselwe kwidatha, phecelezi ‘Theory of Influences on Pro-conservation Attitudes and Behaviour’, okuveza indlela ubudlelwano obakhiwa ngayo yizinzuzo, ukulahlekelwa, yizihibhe kanye nabancedisi; kanti lokhu kuxuba izixazululo eziqonde ukwengeza ummoya omuhle. Ukuze kusetshenziswe imiqondo ngendlela ebonakalayo , kuye kwalandelwa izincomo zabaphathi beziqiwi kanye nezakhamuzi eziseduze neziqiwu. Okokugcina, lolu cwaningo luye lwahlanganiswa nombhalo wobuciko obevele ukhona ukwakha phecelezi ‘People-Parks Win-Win Framework’ – uhlelo olubanzi oluxuba zonke izinhlaka olunemithelela yemibono yezinhlelo zobudlelwano babantu kanye neziqiwu zezilwane – okuyinto engakaze yenziwe ngaphambilini. Ucwaningo luye lwaba negalelo kwindlela yokucwaningo (methodological), kwimiqondo kanye namagalelo abonakalayo. Okutholwe wucwaningo kunganceda ukuhlela uhlelo lapho kuzuza abantu kanye neziqiwu, lokhu kunganceda zombili izinhlaka ukulondolozwa ephilayo ehlukahlukene kanti futhi kungadala inhlalakahle emphakathini.