The nexus between sustainable livelihoods and ecological management of the World Heritage Sites : lessons from iSimangaliso World Heritage Park, South Africa
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Date
2009-01
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
This paper explores the suitability of the ecological management approach to the management of the world heritage sites
with an aim of linking sustainable livelihoods of local people and the protection of the resource. There are eight World
Heritage Sites in South Africa; two of these, UKhahlamba Drakensberg and iSimangaliso Wetland Park are located in
KwaZulu-Natal. The communities that live within and around these World Heritage Sites depend on the sites for their
livelihoods through various tourism related activities. There is therefore a need for an approach that integrates biodiversity
conservation with local and regional development which ensures sustainable livelihoods for local communities that depend
on the resource for their survival. The objectives of the study were four-fold: (a) To explore the possibility of introducing
and implementing ecological management at the world heritage sites, (b) To establish the local communities’
understanding of the impacts of human-use on ecosystems and biological resources, (c) To assess the extent to which
local communities are involved in biodiversity conservation programmes and (d) To find out if the programmes currently in
place are directed at integrating social, economic and environmental issues of the study area. The findings of this study
indicate that people living inside and on the buffer of iSimangaliso Wetland Park are aware of the activities that may lead
to the degradation of the ecosystems. They are also willing to learn more about the ways in which the resource can be
optimally used for their economic survival but at the same time protected from overuse. The findings of the study further
indicate that with the common understanding between the site authorities and local communities it is possible that
ecological management can be introduced and implemented within the World Heritage Sites
Description
Peer reviewed article published under Inkanyiso, Volume 1, Issue 1, Jan 2009, p. 34 - 42
Keywords
Sustainable livelihood, ecological management, world heritage sites, iSimangaliso world Heritage Park, South Africa
Citation
The nexus between sustainable livelihoods and ecological management of the World Heritage Sites : lessons from iSimangaliso World Heritage Park, South Africa